Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1920-09-05
By MARTIN V. CALVIN.
Statitician Georgia Department of
Agriculture.

Through years and years, public
| interest in, and public discussion of,
| the cotton crop have been kept alive.
The degree of interest developed and
| the depth of discussion practiced
have been after the manner of the
intensive system in farming.
Why so universal an interest?
Why the ceaseless discussion? Why
so great activity in advisory, COM
mercial and other circles as to the
size of the crop, cost of production,
and price per pound of the staple
which producers, as one man, should
dmand?
The answer is: Because cotton
is world crop. 1t is the crop on
which the eyes of the business world
are fixed year by year. To the seem
ing neglect of corn, oats, hay, ETC.,
cotton has been grown on its native
heath in this country, for long Sc
ries Of years-exclusively, almost.
Why? For the reason, as | have fire.
quently pointed out, that cotton, up
to the beginning of the world war,
was the only Southern crop that had
Standing at bank" that is, was
clothed with the dignity of collateral.
During the world war, strong eff
forts were put forth in behalf of
recognition by banks of crops other
than cotton. This was with view
to negotiating and obtaining loans
in support of the widespread demand
for larger and better crops of the
cereals, hay-making grasses, forage,
notably food crops of every pos
sible variety.
To the honor of our splendid bank
management be it said: Those eff
forts were crowned with high de-
gree of success. Be it also said that
the whilom zone crop" produc hrs re-
sponded to the demand for systematic
crops Investigation periodically
and enthusiastically, and in most
substantial manner.
1t is not pertinent to this article
that mention be made of any of the
numerous crops-for long time neg
lected in the seeming for the reason
assigned i, e. that cotton was strict
! ly the money crop-which were
grown in the proportions of a crop
throughout the cotton states during
the world war, and are still being
successfully grown.
Intimately identified with all those
crops, more especially with cotton,
was the great factor in profitable
crop Professionalism grade CONNER
cial fertilizers.
Because of the fact just stated, I
determined to submit for your en-
tertainment and information a bunch
of exceedinly interesting figures and
:, facts.
1t can not fail to interest you to
know to what extent, in tonnage, high
grade commercial fertilizers were
used during the eight years-1912-
1919, both inclusive, in the United
States You will doubtless be some
what surprised to learn that com
mercial fertilizers are used to con.
stantly increasing extent in State;
other than the cotton producing
states. In referring to the geograph-
ical divisions of the country, East,
ern States will stand for Northern
and Eastern States
During the eight years named, Sc
$4,000 tons of high grade CONNER
cial fertilizers, inclusive of cotton
meal, were used. Of the total
The 10 distinctive cotton states us
ed $50 per cent.
The 6 Southern states not wholly
cotton 1873 per Gent.
The ] O-~Eastern States used 20.5
pei cent.
The % Western States used go
per cent.
In other words the sixteen South