The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1919-07-17
COMMISSIONER OF AGRICUL-
TURE SAYS FULL CROP
IMPOSSIBLE

Commissioner Harris last week
gave out this statement on the cot
ton crop condition. He says the farm+
ers have won their fight for 1919 and
should now get ready for 1920. Here
is his statement:
81 am a farmer and | have been
watching the crops closely for 40
years. l can say honestly that the
crops of cotton and corn are at this
writing in the most critical condi-
ton l have ever known them, as to
what they will make per acre. Why
do l say this?
First We will begin with the prep
aration for the land for seed bed.
Taking it over the entire belt, itwa
one of the poorest prepared seed beds
for planting that have ever known.
"Second, since the planting season
opened until the present time, there
has not been one week, all told, of
ideal growing weather and the first
80 days of the young plants life will
determine whether it will yield abun-
dantly or sparingly. The season
must be ideal so that the plant may
make good root growth. The roots OF
the plant must take good hold of the
ground before it will make a good,
fruitful stalk.
"Crops rarely improve after the
10th Of July, as they are like a
young animal, which, if neglected
the first six months of its life, will
never develop into what it would
have done if it had been well cared
for. If the rains keep up through
July, we know the cotton crop is cut
short, and we also know that if the
rains shut off and hot, dry weather
sets in, this, too, will be injurious.
We are sure to have one or the other
of these two seasons. So | say that
the cotton crop will be cut, no mat
ter which of the two seasons we Will
have.
"Cotton can not recuperate from
now until the growing season ends.
1t matters not what conditions arise,
the maximum size of the 1919 crop
is fixed. The only marked change will
be deterioration rather than recuper-
alton.
"Now | wish to remind the farm
ers that they had been advised by
the best authorities to hold cotton
off the market and it would reach
the price set. Last week it did reach
that figue-35 cents! Some of them
had to buy and l heard of spots in
South Carolina selling for 35 cents.
Conditions are deplorable however,
when spots sell for 80 cents in New
York and October futures for 80
cents. This shows that the bears are
trying to put a bandage on their
bruised heads.
"The farmer who has spot cotton
on hand will be paid handsomely If
he will hold this cotton until June,
1920. Of course, | refer to farmers
who have their debts paid, for
would not think of advising farmers
to avoid their Indebtedness. This cot
ton will pay all warehouse charges,
8 per cent interest and then bring
handsome dividend to the holder if
he will keep it until next June.
1--WE will see higher cotton in 1929
than we have since the War Between
the States period. No one knows just
what the top price will be, for we
have a, worlds famine in cotton and
the bear spectators have at last
realized it. go.
"The governments crop condition
report as of June 25 was 20 per cent
against S5.S- last year. By July q
the public will find that the condition
report would be nearer correct at 6S
instead of 20. 1t is impossible, as |
have said, for the crops to recuper-
ate in the next 20 days. The rains are
continuing in the Western and East
ern cotton belt States.
"As the price has been set for the
1918 crop, and as our prediction as to
the price has been verified, we will
pass that up and will now open our
guns to protect the 1919 crop, to help
TO make it bring money to the South
than any crop that has ever been
produced, even though we 90 not
make more than 100000 bales.
"With the organization of the
American Cotton Association, which
is now going to be pushed to compile
ton by August rs, and the export
cotton corporation and the S40O,-
100000 corporation to finance dis
tressed cotton, if there be any such,
the people of the South will get their
hands upon their own purse strings.
They will say, for the first time IN
the history of the cotton belt States
what their product will be sold for.
The producer, when he has such
monopoly, has the rights to say what
he will take for his labor-as much
so as the manufacturers have to say
what they will take for their pro-
duct "