The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1918-07-25

| financial institutions with unneces-
cary responsibilities in time of war.
"The board earnestly asks the CO.
operation and help of all producers,
merchants and bankers in the cotton
growing area. in its organized effort
| TO meet the present situation and to
/ solve IL in a way which we believe
viii involve no great hardship or ex-
/ traordinary responsibility upon any
| individual or institution, but will SUBJ
serve the interests of all and prevent
less waste and constant adversely
among the producers"
| 1t is stated, says the Bulloch Times,
that the work of organization in the
various counties and school districts
will begin practically at once.
| Chairman Blackjack next addressed
| the meeting of growers He went
carefully and technically into all the
details of the present situation both
| as regards the cotton crop itself and
| the labor shortage, stating that he
felt that if there was too much trou-
BILE in obtaining labor in this section,
he believe dthe government would
/
who were capable must either work
or fight" at this critical period. He
| suggested that some sort of a bureau
| of exchange be established to keep
down confusion and to distribute la
Dor in such manner that all could
be served fairly and without friction;
that in sections where labor was
abundant these communities could
render assistance to less favored To-
calities, or where labor was scarce.
The chairman then called for ex-
pressions from the various growers
as to the condition of the cotton crop
and labor in their respective neigh
borhoods, with the following re-
sponses:
DIR. Woods of Webster said he
thought there would be about rs or
80 per cent crop in his vicinity this
year; that 400 acres had been plant
ed in his section; that they had plenty
of labor, but that he looked for some
trouble during the year; that the la
Dor was ample. if it could be utilized,
ietc.
Mr.. George J. Griffin of Eustis con-
sidered that the crop in his part OF
the country was fairly good; labor
was plentiful; that there were no
other crops that would interfere with
the picking of the cotton, as he
thought it would be out of the way
before orange gathering time.
Mr.. Pettys of Mcintosh anticipated
only about so per cent crop this year
1 h - Ill
weevil; that there was about $500
acres planted, with sufficient labor to
harvest the crop. if the labor could be
utilized; he thought the average yield
of cotton there would be $50 pounds
per acre.
Mr.. w. A. Baxley of Summerfeld
expressed himself as satisfied with
| present conditions in his locality and
believed the crop would average about
70 per cent in his section; that they
had no boil weevil and that he had
had success in obtaining enough labor
to hoe the cotton but that they would
need twice as many hands to pick
the crop, which would end in Novem-
Der.
Mr.. Wadsworth of LadyaLake stat
ed that there were about 1000 acres
of cotton planted in his section; that
labor was scarce but that he expect
ed to be able to bring in labor from
elsewhere to gather the crop; and
that he believed there would be an
average of $50 pounds to the acre in
his locality.
Mr.. w. A. Collins of Bushnell con-
sidered that they had very good
crop; labor was scarce; there is about
1900 acres planted in his section,
| that he had considerable trouble in
getting cotton chopped but there was
sufficient labor, if the hands could be
made to work.
Mr.. Todds of Center Hill reported
that their crop was about 70 per
cent average crop in his part of the
state; that they had planted from
800 to 1900 acres; labor was scarce;
| there was no boil weevil.
| Mr.. Thomas Bailey of Oxford be-
| lieved their crop would average 10
per cent, with an acreage of about
three to four times as large as last
year; he judged the acreage would be
1900 in cotton; labor condition all
right, if it can be controlled.
Mr.. Walter Nichols of Pedro, said
| there were 400 acres of cotton plant
ed in his locality; that they had more
or less trouble with labor last year,
but he thought they would have
enough labor this year.
Mr.. J. F. Hammett of Leesburg re-
ported that the crop was fairly good
in his section and he believed there
would be about 1900 to 1000 acres un-
der cultivation around Leesburg;
that there was plenty of labor and
he didn't anticipate any difficulty in
getting the crop picked.
Mr.. P w Barnett of Avon believed
they had plenty of labor with three
times as large a crop as last year. He
thought there would be 70 per cent
average crop in his section.
| DR.. Kite of Sumterville stated that
there would be in the neighborhood of
1900 acres planted in his section;