The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-12-20
COTTON CROP
OVER-ESTIMATED
Cotton Association Presiden
Criticises Last Government
Report

Columbia, Dec 16.--Thc govern
ment estimate OF the 1913 cotton crop
IS sharply criticized by +. Nj. Mixson
president of the South Carolina Cot
ton Association. In a statement is
sued here tonight, the production is
estimated By Col. Mixson at e,342,S.3
bales Ee says that he does not be-
!;eve that there will be 100000 bales
Of spinable cotton marketed out Of
the crop.
Il spent August, septeuDe~, Oc-
tober ard November IN the West in
the interest OF the, American Cotton
Associatinc," said Col. Mixson in his
statement. y travelled all over Texas,
Louisiana, a large part Of Alabama
anG the cotton section Of Florida. l
also went into Tennessee and Arhan-
sas studied the cotton crop very
closely. Everywhere went the crop
was poor 1 found the largest aban-
.:oned acreage ever known in the his
;or3. Of cotton planting. Stock was
.:.:ncd mo hundred OF thousands OF
:.e:es 70 Craze.
After d thorough canvass and
careful study of crop conditions
made an estimate Of the probable crop
Of 9,4S9,35o bales. You can imagine
rly surprise when the government on
December II published an estimate Of
.o@0.Ga0 haics for ;he crop OF. 1919,
I,a:-;,,' o:l ginning Gguces Of S,SS3,1l2
5ai.s - ,oeceni;er /.
g., >..l.ti
.s..e....:ij :. ia error in placing the
probably crop at 100000 bales that
am going to challenge these figures
aid le. the thinking people draw their
nwn deductions.
For the last three years the gin
nings to December and the final
5T:!cit:s wee as follo,'s. In 1918 gin
i..4~ - De"e;.}her were 9,557 IA
Oates an ne ,otai crop was 1906
$50 bales, showing that nearly 20 per
lent was ginaed'after December /; in
SIT gianirgs to December l were o.
1880 and the total crop was H.
248,242 bales, showing that nearly L
per cent was ginned after December
!; in 1916 ginnings to December l
were 10,352,031 bales and the total
crop 11,363,916, showing that about
3 per cent was ginned after Decem-
ber I. Never in the history Of cotton
planting has there been such a large
percentage of the crop ginned up to
December / as has been this year.
THE States OF South Carolina,
Georgia. Florida and Alabama have
practically finished gathering their
rrops by tina. time. The States Of Ten
nessee, Arkansas, Texas and Oklalo-
ma were nearer through picking
than they had ever been before. Mis-
souri,. Virginia. California and Ari-
IONA produce but little and they had
gathered the larger part OF their
crop on December 1. The South had
less cotton 10 gather and gin than
ever in the history of the business.
II do not believe. taking the er-
tire cotton producing section into ac-
count, that there was over per cent
left to gin after December l. Now !
let's take the crop of 1919. On Decen,-
Der the government report showed
S.S33.71o bales ginned. Add 10 per
cent 20 these figures for cotton re-
naming to be Slnned after DecemD%r
!. and you would have crop Of g.
S15,O35 bales; aGd 1-2 per cent for
crop to be giincd after December l |
and you have a crop Of 9.569.703
bales. but add 5 per cent to December
! ginning figures. which. in my opin-
Jon. is nearer correct. and you have
a crop OF 9.324.373 bales for 1919.
There is another thing which
would like to cali your attention to;
this fall hundreds Of thousands of
bales of cotton sprouted on the stalk:
YOU would find the largest
of dog-tail unspinnable
cotton N the crop than has ever been
gathered before.
Il do not believe there will be s.
100000 bales of .spinnable cotton
marketed Of this crop. Take this with
the large demand of spinnable cotton
and where will the price Of cotton so
-oo'