Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1912-06-12
COTTON ACREAGE DECREASE.
Commissioners Watson Claims Eseduc.
fion Account Rock Hill Plan.


the eleven principal cotton growing
States show total reduction OF g..
OF, ,S5O acres"
This statement is contained in, a
report just issued by E. J. Watson,
Commissioners Of Agriculture Of
South Carolina and president OF the
Southern Cotton Congress, on the
results that have been scored under
the Rock Nill Plan" for reduction
OF cotton acreage, which was inau-
gurated by John G. Anderson, Of
Rock Hill. The REPORT places the
general reduction at about 16 per
cent. According to the figures pre-
pared the cotton crop this year will
be about 100000 less than in
1911.
The following Is a portion OF the
report which has been addressed to
the members of the Southern Cotton
Congress-:
Millions Of dollars have been
saved to the cototn producers by the
timely action taken at Montgomery,
supplemented by the later action at
New Orleans, and the earnest, unit
ing and concerted work following
both gatherings.
"a cotton crop larger than any be-
fore produced" to quote an eminent
authority on American cotton, was
about to be wrested away from the
Southern producers at prices below
the cost Of production. What has
happened will be epoch-making
The South has demonstrated her
ability to increase production at will
to meet the increasing world de-
mand.
The South has, by the bitter and
trying experience. been aroused to a
realization of her own potentially.
All of the complete detailed re-
ports have not reached me as yet,
but sufficient have reached me to
warrant me, after materially cutting
down the percentages actaully shown
and indicated for each State, in an
nouncing to You that there has been
at the very least a reduction Of 16 l2
per cent in the acreage as compared
| to last year. In South Carolina, for
instance, Superintendent Anderson's
report covers 38 counties, out of 43.
The acreage Is cut in these 38 coun-
ties, as compared to what the same
men planted In 1911, total of227,-
63i acres, without taking into con-
| stderation the hundreds of men who
have reduced, but without being
! seen and aS6uH ~ sign plcdgcs. Nhe
/ iotal acreage FOR tbs entire 4 ate
| last year wt.s HisH0,n00 hcro' gn III
! uGtting down Tire average ptudur~
! ton tur the state NJ, Anderson docs
so at 10 per cent which is undoubt-
edly too small, and this 10 per cent
Is the basis used in the preparation
of the cotton belt percentage of 16h
| per cent.
The most conservative figures for
| eleven principal cotton growing
States show total reduction Of g.
$50 acres.
II as much cotton per acre Is pro-
| duced as was done in 1911, a con-
| tingency that is not only most un-
| likely, but practically an impossi-
| bility, then by the reduction Of acre
| age alone there will in 1912 be g.
522,225 less 5O0-pound bales OF cot
ton in the 1912 crop than in the
| 1911 crop. There have been poor
preparation Of seed beds in many of
the States and very late planting,
and all the uncertainties Of grow
ing crop yet to be encountered.
| The best authorities estimate the
carry-over from the 1911 crop into
the next season at only 100000
| bales.
AS a specimen Of the reports re-
ceived some Of the details of that
made by Mr.. Anderson as to South
| Carolina are interesting
In York county there are 2,349
white farmers, and 1,031 OF these
who planted 42,961 acres last year
have signed the pledges and have
cut their acreage to 35,63S acres, or
by II per cent
Edgcfield has LOO whito farm
ers; 1887, representing 3O,039
acres in 1911, have cut to 2O,S15
acres, or 80 per cent.
Oconce has 3,02S white farmers,
representing total cotton acreage
OF "G,S23: Of these 1926. who
planted 27.735 acres in 1911, are
planting 22,Q6l acres this ycar-a