The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-09-08

5ulblII
catto, is grown in many localities
n,tbin a globe-encircling belt about
o0o miles wide, but the total area
devoted to it's cultivation constitutes
~. a small part Of the entire land
s,,rf,ce within this belt. A number
~ conditions are requisite to the sue
cassful production of cotton the most
,unortant factor being suitable eli
,nate The cotton plant requires a
lon. warm season in which to come
~ full maturity. as well as adequate
noisture In some localities where
the rainfall is insufficient: recourse is
had To irrigation. This method of
.npplying the necessary moisture is
need extensively in the GOtton-grOw-
ins districts of Egypt, Russia, Mexico,
peru. Persia. and in some of the
districts of India. In order to pro-
duee the crop economically it is
necessary to have sufficient labor,
trained i'm growing cotton, and, in ad-
dition. adequate ginning and tranSpOr-
iation facilities. The State of Okla
horna is an example Of the effect of
these conditions. Formerly this sec
ton lacked all these factors, although
no part Of the country has had a
greater expansion in recent years. In
ton in Oklahoma and Indian Terri
tories was 214.591 bales, while the
crops of 1910 and 1911 each exceeded
1000, 900 bales. The establishment
Of better transportation facilities in
Russian Turkestan has been an i'm
rortant factor in increasing the pro-
duction in that country.
Seek New Districts.
Many attempts have been made in
recent years to extend the cultivation
Of cotton to new districts. but either
one or all of the requisites just men
toned have been lacking. While
these efforts have demonstrated the
possibility Of growing very good
grades OF cotton in number of new
fields. they have not been sufficiently
encourag ging to warrant the hope OF
any considerable addition to the
worlds production of cotton from
these sources within the next few
years. 1t seems, therefore, that the
growing demand for cotton must be
met for time at least, by increased
production in those countries in which
the cultivation is already firmly es
tabliShed.
The United States is the only coun
Try which has provided an adequate
STATISTICAL service to ascertain tn,
quantity of cotton produced each year
Inc governments of India, Egypt
ana Russia compile an publish esti
mates or acreage an production from
SINE to time during the season, ant
Is said that the Indian government
proposes to establish a system o
eenumerating the bales at the presses
No orhcial report as to the production
oi cotton is collected by any othe
country, and the information can b.
secured only by special correspond
e. from consular reports, trad
PupheduonS, and other m!scellaneOu
Sources.
=, me worlds production of cottOl
80 l'L0' exclusive of linters, as meas
,s eu py the factory supply-that is
oI e quanu y entering commercia
eeooaahheis-was eoa 22,255.OOO bales o
% pounds net, as compared wit
'''VoO bales in 1912, 21,269,00
eS ih l9ll, and 16, 6,241 900 in 19O.
~, United States.
:; me iirSt effort to cultivate cotto
49,. ~ tue United States was made in Vir
60 al Ib2l. Later, experiments i
~ culture were made in Mary
NJ bei;lWare, Pennsylvania. an
Jersey but conditions Of climat
!, nose states were found unsuitable
IN S introduced into South Carolin
wai 30 and into Georgia in 1874.
t'el'S grown in Louisiana in ia
'h was not grown as a stapl
IN however. until 1870. at Whic
70 shipments of American cotto
hal NErpool were recorded as: TIE
frn,,[ from Charleston, three bale
pini. New York, four bags from Vii
c. ana three barrels from Mort
Wtnt. After the Revolutionar
nor the cultivation of cotton sprea
durea @spidly, The crop of 1890 pro
pounds each. $40 Of which were e'
,Da''d ,ba Table -. page 20. indicate
ton Ef"wth in the production of co
to laI. 'he United States from 179
altogether the greatest cottor