The farmer and mechanic., 1915-08-03

,he relative standing of the various
rounties of the State in the produc- |
Hon Of cotton between the years 1909 |
sst4 presents very interesting study, |
and with 1t much food for thought.
with the exception Of half a dozen
counties east Of the Fails Line" and |
mainly in the coastal plains. three of |
which counties show a decrease in the |
production Of cotton for the period
given. and three of which are stand
ing practically still, this entire section
Of the State shows an increase in the
production OF cotton, ranging from
I02 per cent in the case of Edge
combe, TO 163 per cent in the case Of
Gates Two counties in this section,
Robson and Johnston, produce one
eighth of the cotton output Of the
State, while six counties produce one
fourth thereof. AS for the Foot
hills" or Piedmont section OF the
State, the increase ranges from 81
per cent In Rowan, to 203 per cent in
Moore In this region several coun
ties show a decrease, and several are
standing practically still.
The counties in the mountainous
area are as decidedly non-productive
of cotton as the coastal plains is in
creasingly productive.
In brief, what, then, is the situa-
alton? II Is this: The counties east OF
the Foothills show a decided ten
dency to increase in the production of
cotton, a tendency which becomes
less and less apparent as we go into
the Foothills district, and entirely
Vanishes as we approach the noun
famous counties.
The Significance Of Such Situation.
Now, just what is the significance
Of a map which presents us with this
- ~ fnI1
produce no cotton for this reason in a
poor condition, or are those which
show a decline in the production of
Ibis staple thereby backward cOun-
ties1 And are those only which show
decided increase in cotton prOduc-
iion in a normal. healthy state?
by no means, though l doubt not
that there are some who would read
into this map, though falsely so, such
significance. Broadly speaking, each
county is living its normal life in a
normal way, under the economic con-
dtions in which il finds itself. The
thing that counts Is not whether OF
not county shows an increase OF
decrease in the production OF cot
ION; but rather whether or not that
county is making good under its OWr
peculiar conditions. Even though 6
county show an Increase in the pro.
ducuon of cotton OF 100 per cent. fol
the period given, 1t does not follow
that that county is in q sound condi
ton. In fact the reverse is more thar
apt to be true.
Wayne County An Illustration.
Let us, for illustration. take on'
county and make brief but compre
hensive study Of it, and see thereb.
the nature Of the milk in the cocoa
nut. Our purpose might we'll b.
served by using Wayne, one Of tn
three largest cottOn-producing coun
ties in the State. What. then, are tn
facts In regard to Wayne? First, sh
ranks third Of the counties of tn
State in the production of cotton
showing an increase Of IS per cent
during the five years between 1903
1914 second, she imports more thai
one and three-quarter million dollar
worth of food and feed per year
third, she stands fifty-fourth in tn
production Of these commodities
fourth. in per acre yield she rank
hfteenth; fifth. in willingness to es
tablish and support public schools ST
holds sixty-first place; sixth, in mile
age Of improved roads she stand
eighth seventh, in farm tenancy sh
stands eighty-seventh; and finally,
per capita wealth she ranks tenti
with a per capita wealth of 1881, a
opposed to 1922 for the entire Stat
Naynes mistake in permitting hel
self to be obscessed with cotto
crop monomania. With an enOrmol
increase in the production of cotto
one would expect to find her a vel
rounded county. But not so. 1nstea
We find her importing more than ha
of the food and feed she consume
and this in the face of land of an VI
usually good per acre yield.
Consider now Wayne'S WilliNSne
10 establish and support publ
schools her road mileage and her p
capita wealth. How clearly do the
reflect her attitude toward cOttOl
WIN high per capita wealth 81
ranks we'll in the number Of miles
improved roads, because these a
hrst essentials in the production
cotton; but when we note how 10
she stands in willingness to establi:
and SUPPORT public schoO we see eI