The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1915-04-29
(By Judson c. WeIliver.)


For the crop raised in 1914 he re-
ceived 1855, an increase of 1873 per
cent.
1t Is true that the Kansas farmer
largely raised wheat, and wheat got
the big, striking benefit Of the in
crease in prices following the war.
The average Southern farmer, with
cotton as his staple, did not show
big advance, but rather a loss in his
crop values.
But that, again, is only stating the
first part of the proposition. The 1914
crop is now ancient history in the
main. What about the values of the
1915 crop?
Cotton has come back" in price,
and the Southern farmer will have
not only 1915 crop, but also large
share of the 1914 crop left over and
on his hands. Despite the assurance
that a large fraction of the old crop
Will go over, cotton advances in price,
and is now at most reassuring fig
ure. The consequence is that today
indications point to a prospective cot
ton income for the next year that will
be among the largest on record.
Record Forecast.
If cotton shall thus re-establish it.
self, as everything indicates it will do,
and if other farm products shall make
the advances in both yield and market
values that are now indicated, the
1915 agricultural output of the nation
will make record likely to stand for
many years to come. This is exactly
what 1t forecast by the present condi-
| tons in the fields and in the markets.
The rehabilitation of the cotton stu
alton Is one Of the most remarkable
industrial phenomena Of the period
since the war began. From August /
to January l past, the exports Of cot
ton were only 46 per cent of the nor.
NAL for that period. But from August
1 last, to April 9 Of the present year
the exports have been IS per cent Of
normal. AS a consequence, prices
have advanced from the improbable
level of IL and cents which pre-
vailed In December, to the fairly prof
table price considering the immen,i
ty Of the CROP, Of 8 1-2 to 9 cents pei
pound.
1t is always to be kept in mind thai
in 1914 crop of cotton was considerably
over 100000 bales compared to al
average, for the five preceding years
about 100000 bales less. 1t will bt
a long time before the aggregate yielt
of crops in 1914 will be equaled IL
this country. That year will stanf
out as the year in which the boun
les of nature were distributed with ;
lavishness which seemed providential
: as an insurance against absolute de
privation to a warning world. Boil
cotton and wheat smashed all records
| to unrecogniz2ble smthereens.
South Diversifying.
. One of the most important result
of the depression in the cotton mar
ket during the later months of las
, year is that great areas of new land
, have been cleared for the cultivation
of other crops. The South is divers
flying; but it is getting ready to do il
not by means of permanent redut
ton of the amount of cotton, bu
: through an increase of the cultivate
area of the cotton states, with the new
" cleared land decoted to the ne'
crops.
>, The foregoing congratulations of tn
situation are based on some speci;
reports which the crop-reporting al
thorities of the Department of Agr
H. culture have just submitted to Assis
d ant Secretary Vrooman. 1t is not b
r yond reason to say that by 1916 nc
p NAL crop of cotton will be produce
lie once more, that it will sell at goo
o. prices, and that in addition the Sou
al will produce an utterly unprecedent'
r. outturn of other crops, particular
rs meat and the food cereals.
Or In other words the cotton crisis h
brought the South to the verge OF tn
agricultural rehabilitation that has be-
!. the dream of academic agriculturis
for twenty years, and for which t
Il. Department of Agriculture has labor
e necessarily.
10 The immensely of the agricultul
al. resource that is being tapped this ye
N. is suggested by the statement that
Dir recent years the exportable surplus
es wheat has been but little over IL
is 100000 bushels, and that it has sold