The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-04-12
LONG STAPLE COTTON.
MIR. X. ID. COOKER ADVOCATES
GROWING 1T IN QUANTITY.
sets Forth I'm an Interesting Letter
the Demand FOR the Long staple
and Reasons for Growing IL.
Editor Hartsville Messenger.


Hartsville. :. c.
Dear Sir:
The recent depression in the price
Of long staple cotton has seemed to
upset many OF our farmers very
much and 1 judge, from the fire.
quent requests for advice as to
planting staple varieties this year,
that many are considering seriously
the question OF dividing their acre
age between short and long cotton
this season.
Before deciding this question
think IL would be well for the farm
ers TO review the record OF the new
staple cottons in this section for
the past few years. (By the new
staple cottons I mean the Hartsville,
the Webber and the Goodson Kee-
nan varieties.)
These varieties have been planted
In increasing quantities in and
around Hartsville for the past three
or four years. Before 1912 practi-
cally without exception. those rails
ing these varieties made greater
yields OF lint cotton per acre than
with the short varieties they tested
against them. In my own expert
ments here they considerably out
yielded the large number of short
staple cottons tested against them,
while the old varieties. Floradora
and Allen. yielded very much less
'han short cottons.
In 1912. owing to the extremely
dry weather in August the late cot
tons were somewhat at a dlsadvant-
age and consequently the new sta
pie varieties were slightly less
around Hartsville than the extra
early short cotton. am advised.
however, by parties In the lower
part OF this country where they had
some rains during August. and also
by friends In Marlboro county that
they made fully "a much with these
eot;ons In 1912 as with short cot
tons.
In my own variety test of thirty
seven varieties. I'm 1912, Hartsville
40. made n little more than the
average OF the short cottons tested,
and Webber and keenan, made
slightly less than the average.
IL seems, therefore. that the aver
age experiences Of the many who
have tested these cottons in this
section for several years proves that
they can be counted on to average
greater yields per acre than short
varieties. My own opinion on this
subject Is positive and is based on
experiments which l know to have
been conducted with absolute accu-
racy and fairness.
The above seems to dispose OF the
question of comparative yield and
only leaves for consideration the
question OF comparative market
price.
Up to this year the new varieties
OF staple cotton. (Hartsville, Web
Der and Keenan, Goodson). have on
~ been sent out of our own State
In very small quantities-the bulk
OF the crop previous to 1912 being
used by South carolina mills. My
own firm has. previous to the past
fall. made very little effort to estab-
lsh staple business In New Eng
land or on the other side of the At
lantic. Realizing the necessity OF
broadening our market, however,
We have during the past cotton sea-
son. made strong efforts to place
our stapel in Old England and the
New England States and have met
with considerable success in inter-
esting mills In the cotton. Natur-
ally the mills have not wished to
buy large quantities until they were
able To test it's general character
and spinning quality. but am proud
To- say that we have. not only had no
complaints from our 1912 shipments
but have received much praise for
the quality Of our cotton. have
no reason TO anticipate. therefore.
thGt We will not be able To place very
much larger quantities OF cotton
next season In New England and
old England than formerly. and [
see no reason why farmers should
be fearful about placing the entire
staple crop OF this section next sea-
son.
staple buyers from the West and
Europe are becoming interested IN
our new cottons and many OF them
already recognize their merit. a
number OF these buyers operated in
this territory last season and I have
reason TO believe that many more