The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-04-30
GROWTH Of LONG STAPLE.
EFFORT TO INCREASE SUPPLY IN
SOUTH CAROLINA.
encouragement Is offered Farmers
To Plant Long Staple Cotton and
supply Home Mills-Undcr Pres
ent Conditions Manufacturers Must
Purchase Elsewhere.

Columbia, April 27.-In order to
encourage the growth of long staple
cotton. the Cotton Manufacturers As
sociation Of South Carolina has given
$1,000 to farm demonstration work
in this State.
As stated in The News and Courier
few days ago. Mr.. Lewis Parker, on
the part of several cotton mills un-
der under his supervision, gave ST.
900 for this work.
. The object of the recent gift Of the
Association is to encourage the
growth of long staple cotton in South
Carolina. The mills are manufacture
Ing a finer grade of goods that must
be made from this grade Of cotton,
and the farm demonstration agents
In this State are endeavoring to have
the farmers plant seed that will grow
a longer staple of cotton, so that all
the cotton mills In South Carolina
may be supplied.
In reply to letters sent out by Farm
Demonstration Agent Ira w. Will
lions. as to use of long staple over
one and one-eighth replies have been
received, showing that two-thirds of
the total amount used in mills heard
from is the long staple.
AS explained in The News and
Courier recently the object of the
agricultural department Is to have
farmers plant the long staple so as
to save freight rates to this State that
the mills have to pay. In this the
mills are heartily cooperating as
shown in letters received here.
OF replies from ten mills to the
circular letter sent out, results are
that it is shown that 20,S60 bales of
the long staple are used in these mills
and only 60 bales of this amount are
grown in South Carolina. OF course,
the remainder comes from the Mis-
sissippi Valley and from abroad, ne
cessitating the paying of heavy
lTt4SnC rates thereon.
The total consumption Of the ten
mills is S0,910 bales, showing that
about two-thirds of the cotton used
is the long staple in these mills.
There were sent out 70 letters, and
the average Is expected to show up as
in these ten mills. which are select
ed at random from the replies.
The New York to Liverpool freight
rate Is about 16 to II cents per hun
dred, or about so cents per bale. The
rate from the cotton belt to New York
averages about 54 cents. The rate to
Savannah is Al cents and a little
higher to the cotton mills of this
State. Thus it is seen that the mills
have been importing in this country
at a higher rate than even imports
from foreign countries would cost.
For eight months ending February
imports Of long staple. including
about $1,O00,0OO worth Of cotton
shipped back to this country from
England, were 6O.176,6O6 pounds, or
$10,690,515 worth Of cotton.
The bulk of this comes from Egypt
i7174,420 pounds, valued at $500
064.
While the majority Of mills import
ing cotton in South Carolina take the
Mississippi shipments. still some is
received from abroad, as shown by
the letters sent here in reply TO Mr..
Williams circular.
But, as The News and Courier re-
Gently explained, the mills are now
cooperating with the agricultural de-
partment i'm this State to have the
farmers plant seed that will produce
Che dong staple, and thus the cotton
mills of South Carolina may be sup
piled from this States crop without
having to go abroad for it or send
to other parts of the country for the
large amount of cotton consumed.