The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1919-03-26
SAFETY FIRST
A GOOD SLOGAN
An Article From Bradford Knapp
Which Should Be of Much In
terest to All Cotton Planters.

DuileCln winch L nave prepared 1Or
the purpose of putting the presen,
situation up to the farmers and bust
ness men. 1t is entitled, "Safe Farm.
| ing in the Southern States in 1919,'
Ask your county agent for a copy.
The present situation is the most
dangerous which the cotton states
| have faced in recent years. You have
| had four years of comparative pros
perity, partly because of four short
crops of cotton with resultant good
prices. and partly because you pro-
duced so much of your own food and
feed. During the last. four years
there have been short crops in Texas
mainly due to drought. In 1911, 1912,
1913 and 1914 the Texas crop aver
aged 4,418,25O bales, while during
1915, 1916, 1917 and 1918 it aver
aged only 3,164,5OO bales, or 1,253.-
75O bales less per annum. Texas has
had good rains this winter. From
1911 to 1914, inclusive, Oklahoma
averaged 1,O36,25O bales per annum.
From 1915 to 1918, inclusive. the av-
erage was only 742,25O bales or 294,-
600 bales less per annum, mainly due
to drought. Oklahoma has had splen-
did rains this winter. A big crop in
Texas and Oklahoma has always
meant big crop in the whole coun-
~. Think that over before you de-
eide to increase your acreage in cot
ton.
Will tn mills of Northern France
and Belgium be restored to full work
ing capacity at once? Certainly not!
Will the poor people of Europe seek
food or cotton first? Food, of course!
People can and will wear patched
clothing and sleep without pillow cas-
es and sheets if need be, but the hun
cry stomach must be fed. Think
about that.
The last four years have been a
period of gradually increasing prices.
Farmers an dbusiness men have prof
tied out of this constant increase,
Cotton just about kept pace wifi 9th
er things. A pound or an acre of it
would buy about the same quantity
of other commodities in 1918 at 80
cents pound as it did in 1914 at IL
cents pound. But during this time
the farmers had the advantage of
purchasing supplies in the spring and
summer at one level of prices and
then selling cotton in the fall at the
top price Of the year and paying the
debts contracted at the lower prices.
Be On Your Guard Now, for when
prices begin to settle down the sit
uation becomes more difficult. We
may be in the position of making
crop of cotton with high-priced sup
plies and settling our debts out of
cotton at a lower price. Especially
will this be true if we produce a very
large crop and thereby do all in our
power to lower the market price of
cotton. HAS not large crop always
meant lower prices? Think that
over.
What about acreage? Let us look
at the acreage figures in the bulletin. !
The total for 1918 was $500. 900. |
Oklahoma had more acres planted in
1913 than in either 1911, 1913 or 1914. !
Texas had more acres in 1918 than
in 1911 and only about 100000 acres :
less than in 1914. The years 1911, !
1913 and 1914 were good years with !
big crops and generally low prices. /,
With only 100000 acres more in the
whole country in 1911 than we had in '
the whole country in 1918, we pro-
duced 4 5 ,693, 900 bales, and the farm /
price December l, 1911, averaged S.8 /
cents per pound. In 1913 we had st.
OS9.OOO acres and reduced 14,156, 900 |
bales, and the farm price averaged |;
1872 cents per pound December l., !
1918. In 1914 we had 36,832 900 ac-
res, or only $4,000 acres more than !;
in 1918. and yet the production was |
l6 6,135, 900 bales and the farm price !
December 1, 1914 was 68 cents per ,
pound on the average, due in part, no |
doubt. to the war in Europe. Think
this over. I
With less acres than last year and
q good season we can easily make
a very large crop, especially with
good production in Texas and Okla
homa. In 1912 with only 34,2S3 900
acres we made 13,7O3, 600 bales of
cotton. With a good season ahead of
US, would you increase the acreage?
Which would you rather do, pro-
duce more cotton and take q loss price
for it after working larger number.
Of acres at greater expense, or limit
your production to a smaller number
OF acres, better tended, permitting the
full production of your food and feed
and better chance for good price! .
It is absolutely folly to upset the
Of the cotton states by
planting q large acreage which can
only mean q large crop and lower
price. ] hear rumors Of farmers SELL /
Inn their liveatock tn mt &ha;~, l.v,d