The log cabin Democrat., 1916-08-21
COTTON PROSPECT
 LESS fLATTER|NC BOIL WfEVIL INVASION Appears on River and Upland Cotton is Not Fruiting-SiOw Market
 ing is Urged.

ty nave tdhell Qeclueu turn TOT the worse during the past week or 10 days and local cotton men are rapidly revising downward the esti- mates made on the probable yield of this county couple of weeks ago. The appearance of boil weevis in alarming number in the Arkansas river bottom lands and the failure of upland cotton to put on any new growth or fruit following the rains of two weeks ago is responsible for the changed outlook.
 Up to last week no evidence of boil Weevils on river lands except in the extreme southern portion of the cunty had appeared, but during the p2st few days the pests are reported to have appeared in vast numbers along almost the entire river front in this county and in scattered sec tions in the uplands. Local planters says it will be impossible under present conditions for any new blooms 10 appear and the crop will be absolutely limited to what was put on during July.
 In the hill sections 1t was expect ed that the cotton damaged by drouth would take on new growth and begin the process of making new forms following the general rains of Au- gust 8 and 9. There would have been plenty of time for such a growth to mature, but, contrary to expectations, this growth has failed to materialize and it appears that the upland cotton will also be limited to the July crop.
 If the weather were not so in- tensely hot picking would be gen. eral in this county and the gins would soon be busy. Much cotton is opening in every field, but the heat is so severe that gathering is being postponed.
 The tendency of the cotton market is again upward, sharp advance being reported today. Estimates of the entire American yield are being lowered daily and it is believed the next government report will be even more sensational than that issued the first of August A well known cotton firm is out with forecast of 12,350,000 bales and should this be confirmed by the government a big advance on top of the present high prices is practically assured.
 In view of these conditions, the Progressive Farmer, we'll known southern agricultural paper, is urg- ing a slow and careful marketing of the staple this fall. In an editorial in the current issue that paper says:
 Secretary Hester of the New Or leans Cotton Exchange, in his annual report recently issued, shows the world consumption of American cotton dur ing the wear just ended to have been 14,S12,OO0 bales, including linters, which breaks all previous records. In other words, despite the great world war, the world has this year taken more American cotton than ever be- ere in its history. While we produc- ed last year, including linters, only a title more than l2,000,00O bales, con- sumption amounted to near 15,000, ,0O0. "On top of this, the latest estimate of the. United States department of agriculture indicates a crop this year between 13,000,000 and 14,000,000 bales, and unquestionably crop condi- tions have become worse rather than better since the government report was issued The situation in a nut shell, then, is that next year the world is going to demand more American cotton than will be produced It takes no financier or economist to see what this means: prices are bound to be high.
 At the same time the cotton grow CTS of the south must not forget the 'autumnal dip in the cotton market described in the Progressive Farmer last year-must not forget that the heavy volume of distress cotton thrown on the market in September October and November has almost without fail forced the market down every year, the average time of this depression coming during the first half of November. Now we would hardly | advise holding cotton when the price is l4 or 15 cents, or seed at s45 or $50 a ton; but the moment prices be- gin to break every farmer ought to | hold his cotton off the market until
 prices rise again, as they will surely
 do. If necessary, we would even bor-
 row money to hold our cotton for what
 we believe to be fair price.
 Perhaps as never before, the south
 ern farmer has the cotton market sit
 uation in his own hands; it is his to
 say whether or not he shall sacrifice