The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-18
ALABAMA STANDS
H|GHAS COTTON
PRODUCING STATE
Third in Number of Bales
Grown Last Year-An-
nual Crop Brings
Millions to State


Cotton, the worlds most important
vegetable fiber, is cultivated In the vari-
GUS parts of the globe. but the greatest
part of ii is produced in the southern
states. Not only is the greatest amount
produced in the south, but the best
grades and the largest yields per acre
are also credited to this section
According to government figures the
state of Alabama in 1880 furnished 6a9,-
BOD bales while in 1912 the output was
increased to more than 1,350,000, only
two other states producing a large
amount. More than 100000 pounds
of the staple were manufactured into
goods by the mills of the state DURING
the past year, and the value of products
of the cotton seed and oil mills for the
year was more than $S000.O 900. Ala
bama has at all times maintained an
important stand among the cotton pro-
uucing sections of the world.
Some of the farmers of the south are
now and have been for years past try
ing to grow other crops that are
thought to be more profitable than cot
ton, but regardless of their attempts
to diversity, its production is always
the most profitable, because it has a
ready money value at any town or city
where 1t is grown: because the tenant.
white or negro, can get advances TO
supply his family when he agrees to
plant 1t, and because with proper cu1-
tivation, it can be grown with as small
cost as any other crop.
Just here comes retrosnectiva
glance or cotton produced in the south
before the war. DeBoro's Review of
April, 1857. which was at that time the
most noted and widely quoted maga-
zine in the United States, tells that it
amounted to 100000 bales, with an
average weight of $50 pounds each. This
was thought to be a large yield and
two writer's were trying to solve the
problem of what must be done Both
took somewhat pessimistic views. he
cause they thought an overproductIon
would glut the worlds markets and
the surplus would be left in the hands
OF the planter. In April 1867. there
was reported surplus of 100000 bales
1t seemed an enormous amount and tho
question was what to do with it. The
south itself was consuming only a small
amount and the northern states and
foreign countries We're supposed In do
nearly all the spinning, with the predic-
tlon that they would In a short time be
growing cotton for their own consumn-
ton, and the prospect of putting tbe
south out of business, impoverisbing
the slave owner and laying waste to
the plantations.
Cotton at 80 Cents
At the close of the war cotton so,a
as high as 80 cents per pound. gold az
the gins where farmers had been stor
ing II Tor the past three or four years.
AT some places it might have been even
higher When prices dropped after n
large crop had been gathered in 1896
there was naturally an inclination to
turn to other things more profitable
Slave labor had become free labor and
Whlie the negro tenant and wage hand
did not receive and were not given the
share and wages they have now. there
was little chance to make the oron a
paying one.
'hS ooutH lldS HdQ so many uDS and
downs with cotton that to some extent
its production at a profit remains n
problem.
For the year ending August 21, 1912.
there was placed on the markets of the
United States the unprecedented total of
lT,673,294 bales of which 1,375,O31 had
been held over from the previous year
and 229,276 bales imported. The sup
ply exceeded that of the previous wear
by 3,699,S71 bales and of the total.
5,63716 bales were used in this coun
try, quantity greater than ever be-
fore, and 10,6S1,76S bales, or more than
100000 in excess of previous records,
Were sent abroad.
South Begins Manufacture
There was long period during which.
as though by consent, the growth of
cotton was left to the south and its