Imperial Valley press., 1920-03-11
ACRES
PIMA COTTON IN
1920, PREDICTION

With what Is CONSIDERED Dy cottOn
men as practically certain prospects
Of Pima long staple cotton selling
for 81 pound, and even more, at
the opening Of the 1920 ginning sea-
son next fall. every district in the
great California; Arizona cotton belt
is alive with interest as planting time
approaches.
Estimates made by theCalifornia-
Arizona Cotton Development commit
tee of GA South Spring street, Los
Angeles, indicate that not less than
500, 900 acres will be planted to cot
ton this season of which the major
part will be Pima long staple Gotten.
That the competition among auto
mobile tire manufacturers for long
staple cotton will be the keenest the
tire industry has ever experienced is
certainty, cotton experts say. AL
ready information is circulating that
some of the big tire manufacturers
are determined to obtain their neces-
sary supply of Pima cotton regard
less Of what the price may be. 1t is
claimed to be a proven fact that the
use Of Pima cotton in the manufac-
ture of tires adds so much to their
strength and wearing qualities that
the big factories are determined to
maintain their high standard Of quail
ity regardless Of the cost of Pima
cotton.
after all is said and done the price
Of long staple cotton must be re-
Elected in the cost Of tircs." said one
cotton man recently. "Owners would
rather pay more for good tires con-
tanning strong, durable fabric or cord
than paw less for tires containing
cheaper and less durable materials
The present situation, which is
giving the Southwest farmer in the
cotton districts the opportunity of
his life to make big profits, is due to
the shortage Of the Sea Island cottor
crop and Great Britain's control of
the output in Egypt, cotton men say. /
American tire manufacturers were
Quick to see there would be tremen /
dous shrinkage in their usual supply
of long staple cotton this year, so
they lost no time in turning their at
tention to California and Arizona.
With two of the larger concerns ac-
tually contracting for acreage in this
section and agreeing to pay the high I
est market price when the cotton is
delivered. and guaranteeing a min
imum price which is considered to
be in reality an insurance to the /
farmer without cost to him, highly
and profitable situation
for the former has been developed, it
is pointed out.
But on top Of this, representatives .
of other tire factories, it is said. are
in the field with instructions to bid
up the price at the opening of the
ginning season and to "buy long
staple cotton no matter what price
they have to pay"
Farmers who contract for their cot /
ton in advance will be greatly bene-
fitted by this competition, it is
claimed. because they are not bound
to sell at the minimum price guar
anteed in their contract, but at the
highest market price" This is con-
sidered a big advantage to farmers
cash advances to grow their
crops under contract, as they have
the use of the contracting company's
money and still are independent so
far as the market is concerned.
Surely cotton men are pointing out,
this is the golden age for Southwest
farmers, and they are being urged to
plant Pima long staple cotton and
"plant it now"
Following are a few simple rules
for growing Pima cotton, which are
sent out by the California; Arizona
Cotton Development committee:
"Do not use too much water. If
too much water is used during the
growing season the plants will grow
tall and woody and there will be few
bolls on the stalks.
"Do not nurse the plants along with
water, but watch them carefully and
at the first sign of whiting in the
morning, turn on the water. Whiting
ut night means no harm to the plants.
"Plant the rows from to 4 Y feet
apart, and later thin out the plants
in the rows until they are about %
inches apart.
"If this practice is followed the
yield will be greatly increased and
the staple will be improved"
The committee announces that
farmers wishing information from
time to time during the growing sea-
son are at liberty to write to the COM
mittee's headquarters and such infor-
nation as they may desire will be sent
them free