The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-02-20
TO REDUCE COTTON ACREAGE.

The most important measure that
is TO be considered by the cotton
farmer as the seasOn for planting cot
ton approaches is as 10 how great a
crop he Will plant. The question IS
whether he Will plant as largely as
he did last year, or whether he VIII
plant so as TO curtail the crop, and
thus take warning given by the fact
that bumper crops OF cotton nave
brought low prices to the producer.
The business Of the entire South IS
affected by the price which IS PAID LOT
cotton, and when this drops TO a
point below h cost Of production,
as it has done during the past sea
son, there IS disaster TO be faced. II
was a most fortunate thing that cot
ton farmers entered the season IN
good condition as to finances, out IL
the prices the coming season are low,
what viii be his condition then? Men
who have the wisdom of experience
who know the market, declare tnal
the hope Of the farmer this year lies
in Il largely curtailed cotton crop, and
in a Investigation of the crops
planted, SO that there may be raised
at home Sufficient to meet the de-
mands Of the farm.
To accomplish this purpose there
is now being done, and in a most
systematic AM work to impress
upon the cotton farmers the need to
go slow in their planting. to reduce
the cotton acreage and to plant other
! crops as a safeguard if the worse
should happen. 1t is not TO be gain
said but that the wise thing for
the farmer to do is diversity crops.
! This year the call to him is TO re
duce his cotton acreage likewise, And
it is with these two things in View
that he is being urged TO pledge
himself to this program Of operation.
Hon. j.. A. Brown, Of C~hadbourn,
who has accepted the position of
superintendent Of organizations for
North Carolina from the Farmers
Union, The Farmers Alliance and
Agricultural Department in the mat
ter Of this proposed reduction Of acre
age and the diversitication OF crops,
was in the city yesterday, and being
asked to say something concerning
the plan and the progress Of the
work, said things which should be
carefully considered when he replied
1.-THE Farmers Unions have charge
OF h union work and are securing
pledges from their people all Over
the State. ] have visited Wilmington
and Raleigh and find the sentimen,
almost unanimous in favor IF the
plan. Everybody seems to be inter.
eSted in the question, bankers, mer.
chants, and farmers particularly. The
greatest danger I see now Is tina
our people will be misled by the re.
cent rise in the price OF cotton. Thu
foreign %spinners are unquestionabl,
anticipating their wants for the flu
ture. The foreign spinners have al
ready taken within a few hundred
thousand bales as much cotton a
was bought all last year, evidentl
anticipating a reduction in next year
acreage and production. With tn
foreign spinners' holdings largely Il
advance OF their requirements, w
could hardly expect anything else bu
low prices for HeXt years crops. III
most thoughtful business men Of tn
country are approaching this Gues
5 ton with conservatism. The consen
; sus Of opinion is that the crop shoul
T be reduced and our people must d
versify their crops. Without this tn
other cotton States are actively er
gagged in an effort to reduce the acre
age and bring about diversitication