The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-07-24
Special 20 The Daily Item.

s0oh VIII eACecu IN N0lue Dy ScNeral
hundred million dollars the total of /
the most valuable cotton crop ever
produced by this section. .,
This remarkable fact is due to an |
increase. I'm grain production through |
out the South. which will demonstrate |
what this section Is capable OF doing |
In development OF diversified farm |
ing. According to tho forecast of |
grain production for the country. |
based ON conditions July 1. the pro- !
duction OF grain I'm the Southern States |
for this year will be 1850, 900, 900
bushels. or gain OF s6.000,0 600
bushels over last year. III TO the fig- |
ures covering wheat. corn and oats we
properly add the rice crop OF 30,0O0.-
goo bushels. the total grain for the |
South this year will be 1870, 200. 900 |
bushels, and as this years rice crop
exceeds by 100000 bushels last
years. We would have total increase
OF grain In this section OF $4,000
00o bushels. t..t ..i
This phenomenal situation Is all the
more Impressive when taken In con-
nection with the grain crop of the
entire country. r
Two estimated yield for the country
for tho year. including rice, is 6,414.-
100000 bushels. OF an increase OF
10000. 900 bushels over 1914. Out
df this total gain. 1000. 5000 BUSH
sls or nearly 60 per cent. Is due to
the increase In the South. The gain
In this section viii be nearly 23 per
cent. over hast year. as compared
With only 6 Az per cent. for the bal
snce OF the country. The actual gain
In the South Is $4,000, 900 bushels
srcater than the increase In the bal
ance OF the United states. These
ngures are wonderfully significant OF
abe agricultural possibilities of the
South, and this increase I'm grain,
which typihes the increase In food
stuffs generally. will largely offset
he adverse situation In cotton. In
the South corn commands a much
higher figure than in the West run
Hing often from 10 to 20 cents BUSH
el more than Western prices. On this
basis. therefore. II Is safe to estimate
bat the grain crops Of the South will
represent gain OF at least $3.50. .00o,-
poo over last years figures. ...-t
The gain by States shows q splendid
steady expansion throughout the en-
tire South. and for wheat. coin and
oats combined Is as follows:
y Alabama, 16.sO5.Ooo; Arkansas.
ss.6s1.ooO: Florida. 1Os. 900: Georgia.
is.7oi.ooo: Kentucky. 22,375, 1000;
Louisiana. ,16. .24s. 900; Mississippi. 49,
s+.ooo;. Missouri. 26. iss, 900; North
Carolina. $4,000: Oklahoma. 40,46s,-
300; South Carolina, s.7s2.0 Ten
nessee. 1855. 900; Texas. 5S.6sS. 900!
Virginia. is.a4s.ooo; West Virginia.
s,s6s.oo0; Total Increase 2s6, ,021. 900;
Total increase In rice. 5000. 900; To-
tal'increase' grain. 2s2,02l, 900.
Every State. with the exception of
Maryland. whose wheat crop Is short,
shares In this increased grain produc-
tion. Alabama shows a gain OF nearly
100000 bushels: Arkansas, 23,-
100000 bushels; Georgia, 1s.7OO,000
bushels; Louisiana. $4,000. 900 BUSH
els: Mississippi. nearly 10000. 900
bushels; South Carolina. $500, 900
bushels: Virginia, is.2O0. 900 bushels.
while Texas comes to the front with a
gain OF 6s.6OO.oOO. and Oklahoma,
90, 400. 900 bushels.
Every business interest In the South
should feel the vivifying influence of
this splendid grain crop. The South
did not this year turn its attention to
grain as largely as IL should have
done. and at the same time still fur
ther lesien its cotton acreage. but 1t
has made a magnificent start. which
Indicates Its almost limitless oppor-
tunities for grain growing.
In 1900 the production OF wheat.
corn and oats In the South was 911,-
100000 bushels. compared with this
years yield OF 1910. .O0O, 900. We have
thus advanced the production this year
over 1900 by $4,000. 900 bushels.
Well may the South take heart and
rejoice I'm this splendid showing OF
what Il can do In grain production.
Even these figures can easily be
doubled by the South when II gives.
az II should do. proper attention TO
the widest dlversIfcation OF its agri-
culture and to growing at home all of
the foodstuffs needed for man and
beast.
But looking beyond the South TO