Pocahontas star herald., 1914-01-02

luNlmtHt Hl tA"tI 't""ttt'"' a." ~
ton producing countries. The
United States has special advauta'
ees for cotton growing that per
haps are possessed by no other eoun
try. There exists peculiar combi
nation Of soil and climatic eondl-
tions found in no other country,
even where situated in the same de
gree OF latitude
Not all the lands lying between
the 37th degree OF north aud south
latitude will produce cotton sue
cessfully. Profitable production Of
cotton in any country is largly de
termioed by conditions Of sill,
climate, labor and management.
Amerlol now furnishes about IS per
cent OF tue oottnn used by European
rpinners. Egypt, India aud Brazil,
IN the order named, supply the
rest Several other countries brow
limited amounts, but anless better
methods are used aud more rapid
progress made, these countries will
hardly produce more than enough
for home consumption. The only
chance for an early increase in ,up-
ply for Earopoan spinners must
come from Egypt, and nnder the
most favorable conditions the IL
crease from this source must be linn
ited. All Other cotton countries
except America have found other
crops more profitable. and IL is hard
lly probable that they will change
TO cotton merely TO accomodais
the spinner. There are vast posi-
bililies for The extension OF the cot
ton industry IN the southern states.
In the strictly cotton producing
states there are sos, 900, 900 acres
of land. or this not over 100, ,o00,-
900 have been put into cultivation
In recent years 9s to 3g million
acres, or about Que third, have been
planted to cotton. This is about
nine per cent Of the total area Of the
cotton states, There are still vast
areas available for cotton produc ion
Il would appear from the above
figures that the quantity that could
be produced might 'e greatly in
creased by the utilization of all the
available lands. There are, how
ever, certain importans factors that
will limit production. The prob
lem Of maintaining soil fertility;
The adjustment OF the labor prob
lem, now most serious one and the
increasing population with CON
stapily advancing prices for other
farm products will have a tendency
to limit the acreage devoted 10 cot
ton. Again, it must be remembered
that cotton is one OF the most tedi-
Gus and difficult crops to grow and
harvest. II will always be hard to
get those accustomed to growing
other crops less troublesome To
adopt cotton farming. This will
be the case so long as present high
prices for other products exist.
The'present practice Of growing cot
ton ard buying from the proceeds
the necessary supplies to run the
farm is seldom profitable.
About one third OF the American
crop is consumed in the United
States, the remainder being export
ed. The estimated total value Of
the last two crops including seed,
rs 81, 900, 900, 900 each. This is a
vast sum Of money and should the
southern farmers make up their
minds to grow this amount of cot
ton and iu addition to the food sup
plies for man and team, thing that
could be easily done, it would
be only a question of few years
until the cotton farmers Of the
United States would he the most
prosperous aud independent Of all
men IN the world.
j. Il. KIzER, Special Agent,
Department Of Agriculture.
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