The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-11-23
HARVlE JORDAN SOUNDS NOTE OF
WARNING TO COTTON GROWERS
lAtianta JournaI.>

To the Editor: There are two MOT
ters which should receive the ser;o,a
attention Of cotton growers in tho
South at the present time. The fret
is the disposition among some n1an+-
ers to contract with cotton h,ua..
now for the delivery Of the o,,tnrr
Of their farms for next year based on
present future prices for cotton in
October, 1910. 1t has been reported
to me that deals Of this character are
being made around prices of IL cents
per pound basis middling, and that
those making or considering the maxi
ing Of such contracts, assert that thew
will plant every available acre in cot
ton they can in the spring of 1910
If any large portion of the next sea-
sons crop is contracted for this Win
ter and it results in any material in
crease in the acreage planted. that
fact will undoubtedly be used to de-
press prices and injure those who
would not, or could not enter into
such contracts. The other fact to
which | wish to call attention is that
an increase in the cotton acreage does
not necessarily mean an increase in the
size of the crop. The largest crop
produced in the South before the close
Of the 18th century was in 1898. The
crop produced that year amounted in
round figures to ~11,250,OOO bales on
an estimated acreage of $4,000, 900
acres, the acreage yield of lint cotton
per acre being 24S pounds. Since 1898
the average increase in the acres
planted. to cotton has been about L.
900, 600 acres per annum, but the an
mo Tinll Nnr a arn hoS. 100 II. 40
creased so that with tn increase Of
10, 000, 600 acres more II 1903 over
that OF 1888, the crop is not likely
10 exceed thar Of 1895. With tba 1x-
ception Of. the 1861 aad 1908,
there haS 5aen nc p~erccptibIe increase
= tbs size q . erops each year
over Ia two years Of 1897 and 1898,
althouoh q marked increase in the
acreage Ids been made.
instead of maintaining the average
Of 1897 and 1898, amounting to about
240 pounds Of lint per acre, we have
since that time dropped to as low as
185 pounds of lint per acre in 1908
AND held the average down between
100 and 200 pounds since 1903. It is
evident that an increase in the cotton
acreage of 33 per cent since 1898 has
been of no material benefit except to
depreSS prices and add 33 per cent
to the cost of producing the same
SlLC S1OpS We "liSh LIN =
age was 100000 acres less than
that now planted, which is estimated
at $4,000, 900. Here is food for seri-
Gus thought not only to the cotton
growers Of the South. but to all of
those financial and industrial inter-
ests in the South more or less vitality
dependent upon the cotton crop. If
our lands are wearing out through
the extensive culture of cotton, then
the present system of farming needs
revision on a broad and extended
scale. There must be a better con-
servation Of soils, by more thorough
preparation and fertilization. A more
specific Investigation and rotation Of
crops, which means more food sup
plies and less acreage in cotton. In
crease the yield of lint per acre and
produce norma supplies of cotton to
meet the worlds cOnsumptive require
ments upon a more economic basis Of
the cost of production. 1t will be
poor policy to delude the growers into
the planting of IN increased acreage
In 1910. Cotton should be the money
cron but it cannot and never will
bear the entire burdens Of the farm
and be profitable to the growers. Each