Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1909-07-01
CROP LAST YEAR
Some interesting Figures About
the Cotton
CROP OF THIS STATE

Acreage for the Past Year wss
Largest in History Of the State.
Other Facts.
According to figures by Commits
sioner Watson the 1908 cotton crop
was 1.242,012 running bales, includ-
ing linters and sea island or. proper
ly. exclusive of linters 1,215,S4S
bales. comprising S.S per cent of the
cotton ginned in the United States.
The production exceeded that in 1907
by 52.9sl bales. South Carolina
has now fallen to fifth place, her
fourth place attained in 1907 being
taken by Alabama. 1t Is estimated
by MIR. Watson that there are $3.50
bales still unginned. The average
weight per bale was 4S3 pounds
against 1912 pounds in 1907. Sea
island bales weighed on the average
351.S pounds and linters 47O.G
| pounds.
The South Carolina sea island
sold in 1908 at an average Of 23.3s
cents per pound, while that grown
in Georgia and Florida averaged
1892 cents. In 1906 South Carroll
\ mas average price was 1910 cents,
and in 1907 35.5 cents, these being
the best prices since 1901. This
year it was lower than in 1902 or
in any year in the seven year yield.
The South Carolina crop was ginned
in 3,4Sl ginneries, about the aver
age number.
The aggregate value OF the South
| Carolina crop was $61,964,522,
against $72,657,S17 in 1907 and
s49,sSS.619 in 1906. The 1908 crop
was the most valuable in money the
State has ever had save the two
crops of 1907 and 1905.
According to Mr.. Watson, OF act
ual cotton linters the total value
for 1908 was s52.329.490. represent
ing 553.762.491 pounds of upland
worth s51.167.654. 4.967.1s0 pounds
of sea Island. worth sl.161.s26.
OF cottonseed there were 5g1.659
pounds. worth s9,630.o42. the larg-
est value since 1901 with the OK
ceptlon of the 1907 crop.
The acreage was the largest in
the history of the State-2.545 200,
the next largest being 2,531,S75 In
| 1904. Since 1904 more than 2.O0O,-
900 acres have been regularly planted
in cotton.
Anderson. with 63.1S3 bales. con-
| tt,,,, L., , ..l,;.
". having assumed the lead when
Calhoun was cut from Orangeburg.
| SpartanburS. Marlboro, York. Marion
and Greenville, Darlington an sum
er are the other chief producers
| The stocks on hand in South Car
| olina on March ! amounted 70 427,-
163 bales. OF which 220.429 were In
l2G,2S5 in Independent warehouses.
including congresses. The rest was
in the hands Of transportation COM
panieS.
The mills Of the State are consum-
ing 793,396 bales OF cotton annually,
turning out product worth about
ST.. 100000.
|
State was 2l9 pounds. versus a To-
year average of 1S9.
1t is estimated that the acreage
planted this year (l9O9) is 2.498.-
600 against 2.54o,00O in 1908. but
the real acreage is probably about
the same as last year.
Cotton on March 1. 1908. was
| hrtn In ~, y
Carolina 9.2 cents while at the same
date the preceding year it was bring
ing the average price of IL cents.
Mr.. Watson in making the estimate
has issued the following statement
In making the 1908 estimate foI
the Association of Southern Commits
sioners of Agriculture as early HS
November "a l used the figures furn.
ished by each Southern commission
er. while mentioning the fact tha
II conditions after that date remain
ed the same as to the picking anC
ginning as the average for the pre-
ceding four seasons we ought to hav,
a crop of at least 13,334,157 bales
Assuming that the conditions CAV.
every estimate on the date named
at 1855 ,086 running bales, exclu
/, sive of linters. or including linters
at practically 100000 bales-t
be exact 12.S97.212 bales. TIL
: actual crop exclusive of linters witt
everything accounted for was 13.
0S6.005 bales. under which our No
vember estimate fell 534.919 bales
This difference is almost exactly &C
counted for by the underestimate
I furnished the committee from tn
four States of Georgia. Texas, Al
u kansas and Alabama. which we wish
o ed to but did not feel authorized t
raise. Had we done so we woul
have struck the final crop almos
|