The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-04-19
The Marketing Of Crops

re the convention of the American "ntsomery, April I4, Ie2O.) ten grown in other countries. more Iarfcularly Egypt and India
 the average cotton farmer in this country has but a limited knowledge St market conditions; his resources are small and his necessities usually great Those to whom he sells are comparatively few in number: they nave the advantage of large, financial resources and of familiarity with all conditions affecting the market, not only in this country but throuEhout the world The farmer has all the odds against him at every stage, and yet his existence and the continuation CT his activities are essential not only tor the comfort but for the life of ! every other class.
 It is therefore a matter of vital ne- cessity that the efforts of the farmer De supported and stimulated, that he De assured of preserving the full meas ure of his harvest, and that he be af- Iorded market for his product on terms sufficiently remunerative to warrant his staying in the business = farming.
 Loss of potential crop because of urouth or storm is unavoidable loss by insect damage partly so; but loss cf any portion of crop actually pro- oueed and harvested can be avoided snd should be avoided its loss repre- sents reduction of the resources of the individual and a shrinkage in the wealth of the world. In the present cir cumstances when the world is suf- 1erlng from the effects of more than four years of the most costly and Wasteful war it has ever experienced. 1t is doubly important that no product or the farm be wasted for lack of cars.
 IMPORTANCE OF CROP
 The great crop in which you are interested furnishes the basic raw ma terial for an industry which produces an important element in the supply of foodstuffs and fats. The consumption nf cotton and cotton seed products is q process which is going on every day ID the year. the manufacture of cot ten seed products is continuous for a period of seven or eight months while the manufacture of cotton goods never ceases. The whir of the spindle and the click of the loom are heard around the world. and there is not a minute in the course of the year when the machinery of the cotton mills. from a world wide viewpoint, Is still. The production of cotton involves about six months of the year. and as a rule period of eight months is the gex- treme limit between the planting of tke seed in the ground and the final picking
 In view of these facts. how many months of the year should be devoted to the marketing of cottons Shall there be mad rush, as was the case n bygone years, on the part of the cotton farmer to dispose of his en- tire crop by Christmas, or shall the marketing of cotton, like it's manufac- ture and consumption, extend through out the entire year?
 If no facilities are provided for the Physical care of cotton, for it's pro- lection from weather damage, from it's loss by theft or fire, if the finane al necessities of the producer are urgant and if there are none to extend Am 9 helping hand, then, indeed, must he sell as his father did in the old days as soon as his cotton is ginned and baled at whatever price his customer IF q narrow, market is pleased to of- fer him.
 ADEQUATE WAREHOUSING
 There are some steps which ar es-. sential for the salvation of the eot- ton farmer. Adequate warehoasn1E capacity must be provided at loca toaa convenient to the farmers a sNsfans of good roads must be developed and local transportation facilities previst&H tc enable the farmer to conves 1ls cotton to competitive points. ss important, too that congestion the local centers be avoided by mealA af adequate railroad transportation fs cilities. Whatever may hay3 bean tke sins of the railroads in other days they have been chastened and today most of them are in need Of larger net operating revenues. They are great arteries which are essential for the life of the nation, and they should be permitted to live, to extend thei. activities and to afford the necessary facilities. ocean transportation is an- other important factor in the cotton. business, and the present is the first season since that of 1913 that any thing like a normal amount of ship ring has been available
 The cotton growing industry has experienced many vicissitudes during the past quarter of century Some Of you may remember the days of 41S- cent cotton in the middle nineties These were days when the shadows of the wolf and the sheriff menaced rany of our farmers those were the days when stern necessity dominated he situation, when the crop move ment was virtually over by Christmas.