The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-06-01

N cottOn acreage or 1O1.S per cent
compared with last year is indicated
by reports sent in by Commercial Ap-
peal correspondents. A condition of
$40 per cent. compared with normal
is indicated.
Government figures last year to
May 25 showed n condition of 69.5.
The 1O-year average is 79.1.
The acreage increase means a.
$4,000 acres devoted to the 191S-19
crop. against 34,0s6.O0O in 1917, ex-
cluding, In both instances. Virginia,
Missouri Florida and less important
cotton producing States. which in
1917 had combined total of 514,-
900 acres.
1t may be. and the case presents
itself as probability rather than a
mere possibility, that revision of
acreage figures a month from now
VIII show an actual decrease as COM
pared with last year. This prospect
is due to the fact that up to May
20 from five to 25 per cent of the
lands intended for cotton had not
been planted.
Late planting last year was one of
the chief causes of the short crop.
The other was the early frost in the
tall. All paintings should have been
completed by May 10. Rather than
risk another season abbreviated at
both ends like last year contributed
to the farmers school of experience.
farmers say they will plant corn
Lands that cannot be planted in suf-
flcent time to assure a growing sea
sdn of reasonable length will be
abandoned to quicker crops.
great deal OF replanting has been
necessary. While no figures have been
compiled to ascertain the effort re-
quired i'm this direction, it is probably
safe to say that 20 to 40 per cent. o.
the crop planted did not come up to
stand that could be profitably work
SV' VI was hlltu.
Farmers in their anxiety TO be be.
forehanded with their work were
lured by the springlike weather about
Easter to plant unusually early. Colo
snaps which came along later caught
n lot OF these paintings in the crook;
some was nipped after coming up
and cold rains played the mischief
with the seed that remained in the
ground.
Texas. Oklahoma, portions of Lou
isiana. Georgia and South Carolina
were especial sufferers from damage
to these early paintings. Seed put In
the ground about the average dates
for paintings in the various localities
Jared better.
Every correspondent of the several
hundi ed from whom replies were re-
ceived made some mention Of the la
bor situation. With few exceptions
shortage was reported. Notwithstand-
ing this fact the correspondent of
the opinion that the crop was endan-
gered was also an exception.
One correspondent prophesied that
a greater crop was being planted than
could be cultivated and that more
would be cultivated than could be
gathered. The chopping period will
In MI
high. In many instances l5-year old
girls are being paid $1.25 n day and
are hard to get at that For more
reasons than one this crop will be the
most expensive. acre for acre, ever
produced.
Florence. Alabama. reports the Off
cial estimate Of labor shortage at
per cent. but says the actual shortage
is very much more. Florence is i'm
the heart OF the most active section
industrially 10 be found i'm the cotton
region States. Mussel Shoals is close
at hand. to the south are the coal
mines and iron industries Of the Bir-
mingham district. and nOrthward the
great preparations for powder plants
near Nashville. With ali this the
farmers of North Alabama are not
afraid that lack of labor will cost
them their crops
The labor problem presents itself
about as seriously to the farmers OF
Arkansas as IL does to the farmers OF
Alabama. Correspondents report that
landlords who have not felt the ne
cessity OF doing manual labor for sew
eral years have shuckcd off their
coats and are going to it"