The Robesonian., 1918-01-14

NJ G. MCKENZIE, Adjutant.
Southern Crop Production in 1918.

Southern Crop Production in 1918.
Progressive Farmer.
Those interested in the agricultur
al progress of the South and anxious
that we shall not fail to do our pa
| triotic duty in food production are
much concerned about the attitude the
| Southern farmer is going to take to-
ward cotton production in 1918.
In 1917 the boil weevil was much
less destructive in many sections than
ever before since he came in large
numbers. The small crop of 1917, IL :
100000 bales or less, has resulted IN
high prices, and where fair crop
was made the profits have been large.
But it must be remembered that the
average yield per acre in 1917 was on
| ly about 155 pounds of lint cotton, and
| for 1916 only about 156 pounds per
acre. The small crop of 1917, for in
stance, was not due to small acre
age. for we had over 33 million acres.
| but to a small yield per acre.
On the other hand, corn yields have
been good, taking the South as q
whole. although the crop is short II
/ the dry sections of the West. Food
production and, as a general rule, feec
production, have been larger than us
nal. It is also true that those Wht
have made more food and FEED sup
plies than required for home use have
heen able to sell the surplus at goot
. price: but after all these facts ar
, duly RECOGNIZED it remains fact that
, for the average Southern farmer, cot
; ton has proved the best money crol
grown and it is fair to assume that 1
will continue to be the best none.
; crop of the South when good yields ar
made in a properly balanced cropping
system.
We can find no sound basis for al
argument against the growing OF cot
ton when it is produced on a soun'
economic basis or in a system OF ag
: riculture which provides for food AM
) feed production and the ma1ntenanc
of soil fertility.
} All these facts and many other
: which might be mentioned unmlstak
: ably point to a desire on the part o
. the Southern farmer to increase M
p cotton acreage in 1918. Some fee
e very anxious about what may happe
: to Southern agriculture next year. w
@ need a moderate crop of cotton, bu
: to produce more cotton than IS neede
q and fail to produce even more largel
s than in 1917 of the food and feed SUI
! plies demanded by the Nation woull
y be a calamity. Moreover, it woul
' stamp us as little short of "slackers
to fail to produce our own supple
in the fact of the demand Of the NJ
e ton at war, for the largest possib
+ production Of foodstuffs.
n But if our appeal for the productlc
D. of food and feed crops next year
|, to be generally effective it must
! based on sound economics as well !;
= on patriotism, for it is not to the il
terest of the Nation as whole tn
any large section conduct its busine
at loss.
Cotton can only be maintained
IN a high price by a small crop, viii
y food and feedstuffs are absolute
certain to remain high-priced, regar
less of the largest crops we can po
sibly produce, because of the larg
, demands and larger wastage due
S the war. For instance, the Nati'
has produced the largest corn crop
her history in 1917 and still corn
well above a dollar a bushel and w
probably remain between $1.25 a.
$1.5O a bushel until at least the cr
of 1918 is available for use.