The Pensacola journal., 1910-06-12

the Commercial Club and a member
of the cotton factorage firm of Quina
& Touart, is thoroughly enraptured
over the agricultural possibilities of
Mobile county, and talked very en-
Enthusiastically and Interestingly yes
terday of these possibilities in con-
nection with the cultivation of the
cutover timber lands in this county.
Mr. Quina spoke first of the possi-
bilities of cotton cultivation in Mobile
county on these lands and spoke of
his own practical experience with
cotton growers in the neighborhood
of Pierce, Wilmer and other points
along the line of the New Orleans,
Mobile and Chicago railroad. He said
that Montgomery county, which is a
smaller county in area than Mobile
county, the latter county being twen-
ty-five miles wide by sixty miles long,
grows and markets annually $4,000
bales of cotton. Mobile county rails
ed and marketed last year only 1000
bales of cotton, and only three or four
years ago she raised and marketed
just 200 bales. On conservative
estimate Mobile county should raise
at least 10000 bales of cotton annual
ly, which at the low price of $50 per
bale, would be worth to the growers
100000. This estimate is low one,
for bale of cotton and seed there
from at present market prices are
worth closer to 800. The value of
such an amount of cotton to Mobile
is to be found in the fact that all
the necessities for raising that crop
would be bought in Mobile and the
money for their purchase would go
into circulation right here at home,
and the residue would go into the
pockets of the farmers land even If
it cost half of the 100000 to raise
the crop, the remainder would be no
inconsiderable amount to go into the
pockets of the farmers.
There is practical evidence that
the cultivation of cotton in Mobile
county is increasing, but it ought to
increase much faster. Our firm has
increased its advances from one or
two farmers out in the Wilmer and
Pierce neighborhood to fifteen or six
teen, and we have been increasing
these advances yearly. Other cotton
factorage firms have increased their
advances likewise.
There are ample lands in Mobile
county to produce yearly the amount
of cotton mentioned, and more. The
land which has been cultivated to
NOhtSA AoouNC "uSlS IlOu1 AdIl
bale to a bale and a half per acre,
and these lands can be had in any
quantity desired at from $3.50 to $40
per acre. The growing of cotton in
Mobile county means much to every
business interest in Mobile. The cot
ton would be marketed here, and the
money received for the crop would
benefit the merchants and the bank
ers and every man who conducts any
kind of a business in this city. Not
only would this cotton be marketed
| in this city, but it would be exported
from here to foreign markets and the
market values for cotton in Mobile
are second to none anywhere in this
country. In addition to the benefits
enumerated, there are one or two
cotton mills in the suburbs which
could draw their raw material from
the fields right here in their own
| county, and would not have to go be-
yond the limits of the county for
their supplies.
Not alone should the farmer de-
vote all his attention TO cotton, but
there are many other crops which he
could cultivate with financial profit
to himself. Every farmer has need
for corn for his stock and TO fatten
his hogs and the lands of Mobile
county will grow from % to 40
| bushels of corn to the acre against an
| average of Is bushels in other coun-
ties Of the Mobile district. Sweet po-
tatoes is another crop that will give
good returns on Mobile county lands,
| which will produce from IS to 200
bushels, to the acre, and these can be
sold at an average of so cents per
| ibushel. The growing of cane for
| syrup is another crop, which will net.
| after being turned into syrup, from
| s190 to S125 per acre.
Summing this all up, in conjunction
with the truck farming industry in
Mobile county, which brings into the