The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-08-25
INTERESTING LETTER
WRITTEN BY COL. JOHN ID. FROST
OF COLUMBIA.
TO the Farmers of South Carolina

Better Methods of Caring for Cot
ton.
Col. John D. Frost, of Columbia,
who has handled thousands of bales
OF cotton annually at Columbia, has
written an open letter that is of eX-
ceeding interest to the cotton grow
ers OF the state. The letter follows:
Columbia, Aug. %. 1908.
Hon. B. Harris, President, Farmers
Educational and Cooperative
Union, Pendleton, S. c., and Hon.
E. d. Smith, President, S. C. Div
ision, Southern Cotton Assocla-
ton, Columbia, S. c:
Gentlemen: The time for picking
cotton having arrived, has it ever
occurred to you TO look into the
question OF damage brought about
by lack Of care for the staple from
the time il is ginned to the time OF
marketing? Having lived on a
lplantaion for twenty-one years, and
at present owning and operating one,
as we'll as being in the cotton bust
ness for the past ten years, | thought
possibly that my observations along
this line might tend to show the
great amount Of money lost to TINS
cotton producing country. | desire
to impress upon the farmer the
necessity of caring for his cot
ton after laboring hard all the
year to make it. and thereby lessen
friction between producer, buyer,
land manufacturer. \ large portion
of the farmers, as well as the car
riers. treat the staple as though 1t
were coal, allowing it 10 lie on the
ground for months after ginning
subject to climatic conditions, which
results IN rot and country damage.
When the cotton is ready for mar
ket it is picked up and offered ior
sale. the damage, as usual thihS'
being disregarded until subjected to
the BUYERS inspection, who, in pro-
tecting his interests, Will elth@r
dock for the damage or have the cot
ton picked, resulting in great loss
to the farmer. Unquestionably 1t is
to the farmers interest to store ms
cotton in a reputable warehouse
thereby protecting himself from loss
bv fire as we'll as damage. ana IN ad-
dition he can secure warehouse re-
ceint for same which is prime mer-
camille paner, and can be discounted
at any bank, allowing the farmer TO
sell his cotton when he desires 10 40
so.
NV object, however. is to impress
upon the farmers to house their cot
ton as soon as it is Sinncd, whether
it he in warehouse, or in thelr
harms, or dwelling, Thereby reducing
the element OF damage to minimum.
To my mind, one Of the most I'M
nortant things the Farmers Union
land the Southern Cotton Association
could handle is the caring for cotton
i ,,." it is ginned, and up to the time
Il, J., marketed. Having personally
handled, during the past ten years,
about 100000 bales of cotton OF all
grades and staple, this cotton BENG
sbipped here from Texas and Oklaho-
ma on the West, to North Carolina
on the East, I do think I am IN a
very fair position to speak lntelll-
gently of the item of damage, large
|ly caused by carelessness.
In addition to the rotten cotton
on thousands of bales, varying from
five to as much as three hundred
mounds per bale, all of which has to
he picked off before settling for and
which is caused by allowing the cot
ton to sit on one end or lie on one
side in the mud and rain for months
before offered for sale; there is an
other element of damage which IS
not so easily detected, but which has
for more reaching effect on the
hrver, as well as the manufacturer.
refer to what is called country
damage.
When cotton is allowed to stand
in the weather after being glnned
for any length of time, although the
owner may turn it about from side
aina 20 r"or i e! - "otfin". we
- ~ ";ltSi u
f.,,