Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-06-12
COTTON FARMS PAY
Planters Are Getting More
Money for Smaller Crops.
CENSUS BUREAU BULLETIN
Shows Value Of $812,069,83 for
the Crop of 1909-Remarkable
Price Increase.

Less cotton was produced in the United
states last year than in any year since
1908, and the crop as a whole brought the
farmers more money. This is the state
ment Of the census bureau, issued yester-
day. The estimated value OF the 1909 cror
% given by the bulletin is $S12, OS9.S3 as
compared with 1851 .956 for 1908. and
running down to $685., 29s, 800 for 1908
Therefore the value of the 1909 crop is
1872 per cent over that OF the previous
year.
This showing is due to the higher price
Of cotton. the smaller area planted, bet
ter labor conditions and more intensive
methods of farming. The price of cotton
d. In 1898 was about at the worst. Cotton
was then selling at a. cents a pound,
but the price rose gradually and the
independence of the cotton raserS really
began in 1905, when the price touched
12.2 cents q pound.
Independence for Planters.
The effect Of the present conditions on
the small grower is best shown by the
statement that the planter who raised
twenty bales in 1898 realized from it S64
and that the same crop now is worth
o. $685. meaning all the difference between
Q mere living and independence.
There has been a decided falling off in
production in a number of states. These
In the order Of their loss are Louisiana.
l5.6 per cent; Mississippi, $40; Texas,
1874: Arkansas, $40. and Tennessee, 21.S,
running down to Oklahoma with Il loss of
1919. Most Of this loss was due to the
ravages of the cotton boil weevil.
The federal government and the state
experiment stations have been doing all
In their power to check the ravages of the
ball weevil, and by means of seed seec-
tion, better preparation of the seed bed
and the planting Of earlier maturing
crops they have succeeded to a consider
able extent 1t is said that very much
depends on the weather conditions as to
the spread Of the boil weevil, and that wet
weather, over which, of course, the farm
Or has no control is the most favorable
fer the spread of the pest.
Much has been done also in the cultiva-
ton OF wilt-resisting crops and crops
which are not affected by root disease.
Egyptian Cotton Imported.
There Is a very large importation Of
long staple Egyptian cotton. and it has
been found that cotton of this breed is
best adapted to regions where there are
very high temperatures and dry seasons
toward the end of the crop-maturing pc
Rod. Egyptian cotton hhas been tried in
the Salt river and Yuma valley, and it Is
thought that II will be possible to make
this crop a valuable addition to the agri-
culture Of that region. Much has been
done also in the cultivation of long staple
upland cotton. and the work of the De-
pArtment OF Agriculture in this direction
has been exceedingly gratifying. Much
Of this cotton ranks almost with the long
staple Sea-1Sland cotton and increases
the value of the yield in the upland states
very materially. This cotton is much less
dincult to produce than Sea Island va
riety.
There has been a decided dirninution in
crease in the amount of cotton that each
OF them prepared. There has also been
a very large substitution of steam and
water power for animal power in these
establishments.
iced Value Increased.
The value of seed produced has risen
materially. There were 4,461 1888 tons of
cotton seed produced in 1909, as COM
the price rose suficiently to make the
cotton seed yield OF practically the same
value g. in the more productive year
There is about II 10000 per year spent
in cotton education. practically third
OF this being devoted to cotton al the ex-
pertinent station, one-third to statistical
inquiries and the remaining third to the
special inquiries as to the plant and it's
enemies.
There IL not much prospect OF an ex-
tension of the area in with Egyptian
cotton il produced, and the Indian cotton
IL not adapted to the consumption Of
English mills. Probably two-thirds of the
worlds supply Of commercial cotton is
confined to the United States. and the
report says that this supply can be
largely increased by intensive cultivation
without extending the present area
planted. In all probability the world will
have TO look to the United States fir an
increasing supply of cotton. as this is