The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1919-07-17
COTTON CROP is SHORT;
HOLD FOR HIGHER PRICE

crop conditions that should be Of
vital interest to every cotton grower
in the state.
He says the farmers have won their
fight for 1919 and should now get
ready for 1920. Here is his state
| ment:
am farmer and l 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 condition
have ever known them, as to what
they Will make per acre. Why do I
say this?
First we will begin with the prep
aration of the land for a seed bed,
Taking it over the entire belt, it was
one of the poorest prepared seed beds
for planting that have ever known.
Second, since the planting sea-
son opened until the present time,
there has not been one week, all told
OF ideal growing weather and the
hrst ninety days of the young plants
life will determine whether it will
yield abundantly 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
4 good fruitful stalk.
Crops rarely improve after the
10th of July, as they are like young
animal, which, if neglected the first
six months of it's life, will never de-
velop into what it would have done if
it had been we'll 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 short, no matter which Of the two
seasons we will have.
Cotton cannot 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.
Nov | wish to remind the farmers
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 fig
ure-35 cents, Some of the mills
had to buy and l heard of spots in
South Carolina selling for 35 cents.
Conditions are deplorablc, however,
when spots sell for 30 cents in New
York and October futures for 35
cents This shows that the bears are
trying to put Il 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 sec
ton will pay all warehouse charges,
per cent interest and then bring a
handsome dividend to the holder if
he will keep it until next June.
eve will see higher cotton in 1920
han we have since the war between
he States period. No one knows just
what the top price will be, for we
have IA worlds famine in cotton and
the bear spectators have at last re-
allied it,
"Thc governments crop condition
report as of June 25 was 70 per cent
against S5.S last year. BY July 25
the public will find that the condition
report would be nearer correct at
6S instead of 10. 1t is impossible,
as | have said, for the crops to re-
cuperate in the next 20 days. The
rains are continuing in the Western
and Eastern cotton belt states.
"As the price has been set for the
1918 crop, and as our prediction as
to the price has been serlfed, we
will pass that up and will now ope
our guns to protect the 1919 crop, to
help to make it bring more money to
the South shan any other crop that
has ever been produced, even though
We do not make more than 10000, 900
bales.
with the organization of the
American Cotton Association, which
is now going to be pushed to COM
pletion by August 25, and the export
cotton corporation and the $400,0OO-
| 600 corporation to finance distressed
cotton, if there be any such, the peo-
| pie of the South will get their hands
upon their own purse strings. They
will say, for the first time in the his
tory of the cotton belt States what
their product will be sold for. The
producer when he has such monop-