Imperial Valley press., 1917-03-05
(W. w. Morrison)

| wv w.
The prospective crop and the
prospective price are beginning to at
tract an increasing share of attention,
Notwithstanding that political news
is, and will likely continue to be, very
important. AT this date much that
concerns both can hardly be more than
mere conjecture. There are how
ever, some factors which are fairly
certain to exercise a decided influence
on the price, that it may be well to
review at this time.
Fertilizers and the weevil will have
an important effect. The indications
ere that fertilizers will at least, not
be increased, and it is certain that
what is used will be much below the
standard as plant food. For good
rany years to come the season when
the weevil will do much damage west
Of the Mississippi River, can reasona-
bly, be expected to be the exception,
and not the rule. It is also reasonable
10 expect just the reverse Of this, east
Of the River, where it is practically
certain that the infected area will be
steadily extended and the destructive
ness steadily increased.
Should our strained relations with
Germany be extended beyond the
planting season, which is not improb
able, it could be expected to discour-
age the planting of cotton to an ap-
preciable extent. Then outside of
this incident, international political
conditions reflected in the growing
hazard of the seas could be expected
to discourage production also. While
on the other hand, the high price of
food products it is reasonable would
increase their production. This is
particularly true as it relates to grain,
TO which all the northern part of the
cotton belt is we'll adapted. The pros
poets of these high prices extending
beyond the time for marketing this
seasons food crops, will undoubtedly
give marked emphasis to this trend.
The exodus of labor from the South
has been very heavy. 1t is due to
economic causes and will probably
continue. As a single laborer can
cultivate and harvest more than fif-
teen acres of grain to one of cotton,
it seems reasonable that this scarcity
of labor will also tell in favor of the
production of grain as against the
production Of cotton. The fact is, the
scarcity of labor is a very serious
matter, and in connection with the
weevil, stands as a permanent OBJ
stacle to large crops of cotton for
some seasons to come. For it is OBJ
vious that this condition cannot be
corrected in several years, and the
chances are not in very many years.
We feel that these prospective de-
velopments can be expected with a
reasonable degree of certainty. 1t will
give a clearer view of the outlook to
state in this connection, that the rec
crd indicates rather definitely, that
even under normal conditions the
South is not likely to produce a crop
that it cannot definitely control. So
in keeping with the logical forecast Of
known facts and what it appears reas-
enable to expect, we feel perfectly
confident that the tendency will be
to market the coming crop at as high
q price as the profits on the manu-
featured product will warrant. Ger
tainly, the prospects of any cotton be-
ing sacrificed is very remote.
The production of cotton, the prod
uction of food supplies and the vast
interest involved in these vital'econom-
ic activities, are attracting the atten-
ton usual at this time of the year,
and we might add that there is the
usual deluge Of advice also. The rec
ord makes it plain that those who
have to do with making, marketing
and financing these crops, are very
able men and we feel confident that
these important interests are safe in
their hands, much safer we are sure,
than they would be in the hands Of