The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1912-04-10
WIDESPREAD EVIDENCE
Or COTTON REDUCTION
According to Reports Received by
Commissioner Watson, the Acreage
will be Materially Decreased this

principal cotton States making report
to E. j. Watson, president of the
Southern Cotton Congress, placed the
estimate of reduction of acreage at
from 15 to % per cent. This reduction
in the opinion of Mr.. Watson has been
brought about by the working of Mr..
j. G.. Anderson's Rock Hill plan and
the wet season. The information was
furnished as result Of letter sent
out week ago by Mr.. Watson to all
cotton States. Replies were received
from Georgia, Alabama. North Caro-
lima, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas
and Tennessee. A similar condition
exists in South Carolina. Mr.. Watson
said that although no official report
had been made from Louisiana that
the rains had been heavy in that State
and that a reduction of acreage would
be shown. There has been little prep
aration for the crop in any of the
States.
Mississippi.
Replying to your favor of recent
date with reference to cotton condi-
ditions in Mississippi will state that at
this date not 5 per cent. of the land
in the State has been touched with the
plow. Excessive rains for the past
four months made it impossible to
make and progress. The cotton acre
age will possibly be reduced from
II 1-2 per cent. to 20 per cent. on
account of the boil weevil and bad
weather conditions
III. e. Blakeslee."
Oklahoma.
Replying to your letter of the goth.
will say that while the soil in our Ok
lahoma cotton belt is in the best con-
dition that it has been for years, the
continued rainfall and snow has made
it impossible for any great prepara-
ton for the coming cotton crop.
1T would be impossible at this time
to tell what the acreage would be, but
l apprehend from facts obtained in
this office that the acreage will be cut
down considerably from last year. My
| judgement in the matter would be that
it would probably be falling off in
the acreage of about 20 per cent. of
of what our reports showed last year.
"Benji. Hennessy"
Texas.
Continued rainfall throughout
many sections of the State have re-
tarded the work of our farmers to a
great extent. Notwithstanding this,
cotton is now being planted in the
southern portion of the State now,
All indications point to a reason
able per cent. of reduction as COM
pared with 9l1 cottop acreage"
ED. r. Kone."
Tennessee;
Referring to your letter of the
2Oth inst in regard to preparations
for the cotton crop in this Stae L
will say that from information at
hand there has been little preparation
so far, on account of cold and wet
weather. We have no information as
yet as to the probable acreage"
"T E. Peck"
Georgia.
Your Letter of the goth inst has
been received. In reply beg to say
that the heavy and continuous rains
and cold weather during the months
Of January, February and March have
so retarded all farm work that hardly
10 per cent. of the crop preparations
do
about 100000 short on bales of fer
tilizer tax tags, as compared with last
year.
Therefore. considering the lateness
of the season and other features which
retarded the progress of preparation
it does seem as if Georgia will cut heI
cotton crop from 20 per cent. to %
per cent.
II could go into further details in
regard TO this matter but | think the
above statement will be sufficient foI
your purpose. "T. S. Hudson"
Alabama.
"Up to last Monday practically nc
plowing had been done in this State
consequently the preparation for crops
is fully one month behind. The roads
are in such terrible condition on ac-
count of the continuing rainfall that
the farmers are finding 1t difficult to
haul out their fertilizer, consequently
the movement is very slow to the
planters. r. F.. Kolk."
!, North Carolina.
I'm reply to yours of the 20th inst