The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-03-24
GREATEST CROP IN HISTORY,
COTTON PRODUCTION OF 1911 To-
TAILS 16,1O2.113 BALES.
Linters Make Entire Yield 16. S93. .GO4
Balcs-Statcs Make But Few New
Records.

Washington, March 20.-The great
est cotton crop ever produced in the
! United States was grown in 1914.
Census bureau statistics issued to-
day giving final ginning figures Off
cially place the 1914 crop as a record.
with 16,102,143 bales Of 500 pounds
each. That is 4O9,442 equivalent 500
pound bales, or 2O4,721 900 pounds,
more than produced in the great crop
Of 1911.
| In addition to the great production
OF lint cotton. a record quantity Of
Inter cotton, which is extensively
used in manufacture Of military ex-
plosives, was obtained. This cotton, de-
Tinted from the seeds at oil mills,
amounted to 395.732,OOO pounds and
brought the total 1914 crop to 49,
500, ,504 equivalent 500 pound bales, or
S,446,S03 500 pounds.
While the crop was a record one,
the only States to make new records
in production were Alabama, Louis
lana and oklahoma. The other cotton
States all came close to their records
A feature Of the crop was the great
ly increased production in California
and Arizona, two States where the cot
ton growing industry is in its infancy
and where a superior quality Of the
staple is raised.
California's production amounted to
49,S35 bales, or 24,917,5OO pounds
while Arizona's was 7,142 bales, or
3,571, 900 pounds.
Unofficial estimates place the value
Of the crop, which this season has
been greatly reduced by the effect Of
the European war, at $4,000, 900 for
lint. That is based on an average
price Of 7.2 cents pound to pro-
ducers, and an estimate Of 20 per cent.
as the quantity already sold, with the
remainder selling at an average Of
7.S cents pound. On the same basis
the value Of the seed is estimated at
134,OOO,OOO. These together make
the estimated value Of the 1914-15
crop to cotton farmers $7O4, 900. 900,
compared with s911.9OO,OOO the value
of the 1924 crop, estimated in the
same manner.
The 1914 cotton crop of the United
States aggregated 15,S73,OO2 running
bales of lint, or 16,1O2,143 equivalent
500 pound bales, the census bureau
announced. The department of agri-
culture December 10 estimated To-
$4,000 equivalent 500 pound bales.
These figures compare with 13,9S2,S11
running bales. or 14.156,4S6 equivalent
900 pound bales in 1919; 13,4SS,53
running bales, or 13,7O3,421 equiva-
lent 500 pound bales in 1912; and 49,
553,O73 running bales, or 15,692,7Ol
equivalent 500 pound bales in 1911.
the three largest crops prior to 1914.
Included in the 1914 figures are 121,-
f51 bales which ginners estimated
would be turned out after the March
canvas.
Round bales included numbered ST.
61S. compared with 99,962 in 1919,
S1,52S in 1912 and 1O1, ,554 in 1911.
Sea island bales included numbered
S1,59S. compared with 1868 in 1913.
1911 in 1912 and 1928 in 1911.
The average gross weight Of bales
for the crop was 5O7.2 pounds. COM
pared with 506.2 in 1913, SOS in 1912
and 504.5 in 1911.
Ginneries operated for the crop
numbered 24,522, compared with "a
74s in 1913, 25,279 in 1912 and 26.S49
in 1911.
Linter cotton. not included in total
ginning figures, amounted to 772,270
running bales. or 791,464 equivalent
800 pound bales, compared with 631,-
153 running bales, or 63S,SS1 equiva-
lent 500 pound bales in 1918; 6O2.324
running bales, or 6O9,594 equivalent
500 pound bales in 1912, and 55S.276
running bales. or 557,575 cquivalen,
500 pound bales in 1911.
Production for South Carolina:
i'Af'' - =. 80. 1,524, 593
l'lo'. .1,37T,S14
l'i| '.. ..... Il, 1,1S2,12S
1911. -. .1,64S,712