The Washington herald., 1909-06-20
WEALTH IN COTTON
South Produces TwO-thirdS
of Worlds Product.
ONE-THIRD IS SPUN AT HOME
Crop of 1909 Estimated by Census
Bureau at 13,5s7,3O6 BaIes-Seed
Products Valued at Ss8,OOO, 900.
Plant Put TO Many Uses-Center of
Production in Mississippi.

At the present time about two-thirds or
the worlds supply Of cotton is produced
in the United States. and the character
Of the fiber grown here is Of a superior
quality for general manufacturing pur-
poses.
The relative Importance Of the cotton
industry in this country may be seen
from the following figures:
The aggregate value OF the cereal crops
produced in the United States in 1907 was
estimated by the Department Of Agricul-
ture at S2,S7S 10000; the value OF the cot
ton crop OF that year as computed by the
Census Bureau was $70l. 10000 The value
os all manufactured products returned at
the census Of 1905 was nearly Sl5.000. coo 900.
OF this amount textiles constituted s, ,200,-
10000 and cotton goods $45o,O00OoO.
Tvvo-thirds Utilized by Europe.
Only about one-third Of the cotton
grown in the country is manufactured at
home, and II the entire production
had been manufactured here the total
value Of cotton goods would have been
about S1,350,O00 As two-thirds OF our raw
material IS utilized by European manu-
facturers in the production Of goods
which are generally OF a finer quality
than that of the goods made here. the
value Of the manufactures made from the
average American cotton crop is estimat-
ed at not less than $40 600.
AS an illustration Of the industrial i'm
portance Of American cotton, not less
than 100000 persons are employed In its
production, handling. and manufacture.
OF this number about 100000 are farmers
and farm laborers: about 100000 are
otherwise engaged TO some extent with
the raw material in the United States,
while at least 100000 are concerned with
IT. in foreign countries
Cotton Plant Products.
Some Of the potential and economic
values of the cotton plant are indicated
in the following statement:
The cotton plant produces fiber which is
manufactured into yarn. thread, fabrics.
batting. wadding. absorbent cotton, and
gun cotton.
1t produces seed of which the following
are the by-products: Linters. which are
manufactured into batting. yarns. and
felt; hulls, which are used for feed and
paper stock; cake and meal, used for
feed and fertilizers. oils. including lard
compound. oleomargarine. salad oil. and
lubricating oil.
The stalk OF the cotton plant produces
feed. fiber. paper stock, and fertilizer.
The root IS used for medicinal purposes,
for fuel. and fertilizer.
The production of cotton for 1903, COW
ering the crop grown last year. is esti-
mated at 1S.4S2.131. as reported actually
sold or in hand at the time Of the cOmpu-
tation of the figures by the Census Bu-
reau Expressed in 5o0-pOund bales, the
number would be 13.5S7.306. This crop
was exceeded only once. in the year 1896,
when the product was 1855, 49S 500-pound
bales
, Production Center In Mississippf.
The center of cotton production since
1853 mas remained within the boundaries
OF the state Of Mississippi. In 1859 It was
approximately ten miles southeast Of
Macon, in Noxubee County. in 1879 it was
eleven miles south of Columbus. in
Lowndes County: in 1899 it was six miles
north of Yazoo City in Yazoo County; in
1906 il was I'VE miles northeast Of Myers
ille. inv IssaQuena County, and in 1905 il
was four miles west OF Lexington, in
Holmes County.
This comparatively small change in the
center Of production is significant In that
while production west OF the Mississippi
River has increased from 4.3O6, ,4s6 bales in
1899 to 6,232 12S in 1905 production east OF
the Mississippi has kept pace with il and
held the center Of production within a
narrow area.
with reference 10 cotton seed. the num-
Der OF establishments reporting to the
Census Bureau for the crop of 1905 was
SCI. The average crush was 4.547 tons and
the average cost a ton was 1851. The
value Of the seed products IS estimated at
SS6, ,902, $50
The worlds product for 1908 IS estimat-
ed at 19,574000 bales.
The foregoing facts are summarized
from the last bulletin on cotton produc-
ton published by the Census Bureau