The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-07-02
CROP CONDITIONS
IN COTTON BELT
American Cotton Association
Gives Facts in Detail
Regarding Crop
1919 ACREAGE
S IS 2s,252,o51
1919 ACREAGE
Investigation Shows Boil Wee
viii Conditions Most Serious
on Record

- st. Matthew's June 20 Liz Aoi-
lowing report made by the American
Cotton Association is probably the
most accurate report ever issued on
creo conditions NOT being in the form
OF an estimate, as is the case w-hMtet
of an estimate, as is the case with the
government reports, but being based
ON actual facts. and conditions The
American Cotton Association has q
more thoroughly organized and larger
representation in every section or the
cotton belt today than any private
reporters, and employs far larger
number Of representatives than the
government. Through these personal
representatives, and with the assist
ance Of leading experts, 1t mas Sc
cured the most direct and correct in
formation that IS possible 10 secure
otherwise concerning the cotton crops.
Through these sources, the assocla-
ton has completed It's detailed con
dition report up TO June %, which
is as follows:
..ondition of cotton crop for the
entire belt up to June 25. 69.3 per
cent. Abandonment Of acreage
planted 6.5 per cent. In our last re-
port issued May 25, acreage planted
I'm 1918 Is shown as 30.216,0S7. The
abandonment OF 6.5 per cent must De
dedneted, that IS 1,964,O46 acres
which brings the total acreage III cot
ton planted in 1919 down to IS
252, ,051 ackes.
..The growing crop Of cotton is two
{ 20, three weeks late throughout the
belt. AS a result of excessive mois-
fure the plant is diseased and under
sized. Plants show the result OF q
lack of tap roots and diseased ROOF
system" Throughout the section es
the belt using commercial fertilizer.
the plant plainly shows the result OF
lack Of potash. The fields are very
gIassy.
Labor is extremely short and con-
citions are highly unsatisfactory. Ihe
labor situation renders these cond1-
lions even more serious. The great
demand for labor will be far more
pressing in the harvesting OF the
crop. The farmers realizes that ne
is.:facing condition which is lm-
possible for him to solve. Even with
an extremely small crop with present
labor conditions it vii. be absolutely
impossible to harvest same without
serious loss.
TT has been impossible to prepare
lands properly or to properly cult
gate the plant on account OF eS-
treme shortage OF labor.
with reports that the boil wee!1
conditions were the most serious Oh
record. special Investigations were
made by leading experts Throughout
the entire cotton belt. AS z result
they report as follows:
BOIL meeSshAdamage will exceed a.
previous records ased~Wiu cayer~af fai
greater territory in the belt than i
was thought possible during the !,ses-
ent year, This IS probably due to
mild winter, wet spring and late
start of the plant. The damage from
the boil weevil will reduce the cotton
crop to a. far greater extent than IN
any previous year. Over large
section OF the belt inroads o. boil
weevil will bring about crop dis
asrer. There is also considerable
damage from root lice and root rot
The trade should give special at
tention to the fact that considerable
territory, especially in Alabama, ls
planted this year in cotton, which
territory has absolutely been abandon
ed for the planting of cotton for
years on account of the serious in
roads Of the boil weevil. The unsa tis.
factory price for peanut oil resulted
in the planting Of these lands in cot
ton this season. Reports snow thai
the boil weevil is rampant in this ter-
ritory and the damage is enormous,
and that the acreage SO planted can
not possibly swell the production OF
cotton to any extent.
THE condition Of the California
crop being very high results in rails
ing the general condition. The acre
age planted in California being very
small, it cannot affect production to
any material extent
J. Skottowe Wannamaker,
President American Cotton Assoca-