Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1919-02-13
SAFETY FIRST.

One of the soundest pieces advice yet given tbs
cotton growers of the South the cotton situation
contained in letter just out farmers and business
of the cotton growing territory by Bradford Knapp
Chief Extension Work in the South under the depart
agriculture This letter appeals to the OF
self-protecon and self-interest that lie every
reduce his this year and points out the peril
doing it. 1t is of the strongest editorials on
the subject that has yet from any pen and is
produced here hope that may be of assistance in
solving this question vital this time to the welfare
of every interest of the South The letter follows
The Department is just issuing bulletin which
prepared for the purpose of putting the present
situation up to the farmers and business men 1t is en-
titled, SAFE FARMING IN THE SOUTHERN STATES
~ 80" Ask your county agent for copy.
THE present situation is the MOST DANGEROUS
which the cotton states have faced in years
have had four years of comparative prosperity partly
because of four SHORT CROPS of cotton with resultant
GOOD PRICESand partly because you produced much
of your own FOOD AND FEED During the last -four
years short crops in Texas mainly due
to drought. During the years 1911, 1912, 1913 anG
1914 the Texas averaged 441825O bales while dur
ing 1916 1916 1917 and 1918 it averaged 3645OO bales
1,253,750 bales less per annum. TEXAS HAS Hal
GOOD RAINS THIS WINTER. From 1911 to 1914, in
elusive Oklahoma averaged 1O36 $50 bales per annum
From 1916 to 1918 inclusive the average only S42,
$50 bales $4,000 bales less per annum mainly due
to drought OKLAHOMA HAS HAD SPLENDID RAINS
THIS WINTER, A big crop in Texas and Oklahoma has
always meant big crop in the whole country. THINh
THAT OVER before you decide increase your acreage
in cotton.
will the mills of Northern France and Belgium bt
restored to full working capacity at once Certainly not
Will the poor people of Europe seek food cotton first
Food of course People and will patched
clothing and sleep witM~lt pillow cases and sheets
need be- but the hungry stomach must be fed. THINE
ABOUT THAT
THE last four years have been period of gradual!
increasing prices Farmers and business have
profted out of this constant increase Cotton has jus
about kept pace with other things. pound acre
of it would buy about the same quantity of other com
modities in 1918 at 80 pound it did in 1914
~ cents pound. But during this time the farmers
had the advantage of purchasing supplies in the spring
and at level of prices and then selling cot
the debt contracted at the lower prices BE ON YoUF
GUARD NOW for when prices begin to settle down thu
situation become difficult We may be in the posi-
ton of making crop of cotton with high-priced sup
plies and settling debts out of cotton at lower
Especially will this true if we produce very LARGE
CROP and thereby do all in our power to LOWER thu
market price of cotton. Has not LARGE CROP Away
meant LOWER PRICES? THINK THAT OVER.
What about acreage? Let US look at the acreage
figures in the bulletin total for 1918 was $780,
600 Oklahoma had acres planted in 1918 than il
either 1911, 1918 1914. Texas had more acres il
1918 than in 1911 and only about 700 900 acres less thar
asl4 The years 1911 1918 and 1914 were GOOD YEARS
with BIG CROPS and generally Low PRICES with Oh.
y 100000 acres more in the whole country 1911 thai
we had in the whole country 1915 we produced 15
ed SS cents pound 1918 we had 37089 900 acre.
and produced 15600O bales and the farm price averag
ed 122 cents per pound December l. 1913 In 1914 w
had SsSS2OOO acres, only 942 900 acres more than
1915 and yet the production was 16135OeO bales an,
the farm price December 1914 was 6S cents per
on the average due in part, doubt to the war il
Europe THINK THIS OVER
With less than last year and a good seaso,
we can easily make very large crop especially will
good production in Texas and Oklahoma. In 1912 will