Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-12-31

COTTON, at present is the principal
srop grown in all the counties sur
rounding Americas The receipts of
khis city for this season will reach
well on to $4,000 bales. This does
not include the number of bales re-
seiyed at other points within this
county tSumter).
This particular section, perhaps,
produces more cotton per square mile
than any other section in the South
ern states, and Sumter and Terrell
counties exceed all the others in this
section of Georgia.
The reason for this is apparent when
Inc soils and climate are taken into
consideration
To begin with, the soils are as we'll
adapted to the growth of this crop as
Gan be found anywhere. 1t is true,
however. that cotton is suited to al
most every soil type known. Bottom
lands, as a rule, are not suited to the
growth Of cotton, because the weed
Becomes so large and the foliage is so
dense, both of which conditions are
unfayorable to the best yield and to
the quality Of the lint. and such CON
ditions are favorable to certain dis
eases to which cotton is susceptible.
The reason for this is readily I'M
$eFstood when it is known that cot
ton is by nature a tropical plant. re-
curing plenty of sunshine for the
development of every part of its sys-
TEN. II the bolls are shaded as they
viii be when cotton is grown on such
lands, their vitality is lowered. there
by weakening and shortening the fiber
and making it susceptible to anthrac-
pose, very dreaded disease in cotton.
Also, BOIL worms and other cotton in
sects thrive best in such places.
There are not any real large areas
Of bottom lands in this section, but
small areas are to be found on al
most eyey farm Such areas should
De sown to grain or planted to corn,
or better still, devoted to pasture, for
avery farmer should interest himself
N live stock A diversified agricui-
sure is needed everywhere. 1t is the
very foundation of independence ana
prosperity SO it is we'll that We
have such areas In fact, our claim
for this section is made stronger OF
account Of them.
The factor that most affects tn,
growth and productiyeness of cottof
is climate Very little cotton is
grown beyond the northern boundar,
of Georg a, and no upland cotton soutl
Of the southern boundary, and, in fact
very little OF any kind of cotton.
The reason for this is again appar
ent when it is known that the further
aorth cotton is grown the smaller tn,
weed and the shorter the time 70
maturity of the fruit, both of whicI
conditions materially affect the yield
Ehile the further south it is grown tn
larger the weed, until a condition sim
dar to that found in cotton grown Oh
Bottom lands in this section exists.
Ii is readily seen then that this see
sIen lies within the heart of the cot
sen growing area and has a right t,
claim advantage over other areas will
reference TO cotton.
The average yield of cotton per acr,
Hor this section is about 200 pounds Of
lint or about 500 pounds of seed cot.
ton. The average for the white farm.
srs, who live on their farms and do d
great deal of the work themselves, is
about 800 pounds of lint or 900 pounds
Of seed cotton per acre Many yields
OF as high as two bales per acre were
reported this last season.
Mr. J. ]. Dozier, of Plains, Ca, who
Fad a demonstration farm of IA acres
IN cotton, got % bales weighing 500
pounds each. and the average of all
the government demonstrators in the
county tSumter) the past season was
1875 pounds seed cotton, with an av-