The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1920-06-05
COTTON ACREAGE
SAME AS LAST YEAR
Percentage Conditions Poorest
In Thirteen Years Labor
Situation Worse

In Thirteen YearS-Lab0r
Situation Worse
| New, York. June Estimates Of
tcotton acreage by special coreespon-
F9ents in the Journal of Commerce for
May, received under an average, date
! of May s25, show that the acreage will
be the same as that of q year ago.
which contrasts with our estimated IN
| crease irsApril Of 2.63 per cent, and
indicates that the acreage planted
probably win mot exceed 3.s60,0eo,
/ last years total. Per centage condi-
| ton also reflects unmistakably the bad
weather ofstlle past two months, and
| is the poorest in thirteen years-6S;
against 1875 the previous years, 81.2
| in 1913 and 50 in 1917. The ten-year
average is. 1913.
Undoubtedly this showing is disap-
pointing, but it must not be forgotten
that, while the outlook is unpromis-
ing, it is not too late for considerable
recuperation. It is generally admit
ted that, few weeks OF warm, dry
weather would go far IN repairing the
earlier damage and Improving cotton
prospects generally. Farmers are fac
ing not only the handicap of back
ward season and unfayorabie growing
weather, bit the labor situation is
steadily becoming worse Only ideal
| weather for the remainder of the sea-
son can prevent complete loss of cot
! ton planted in some sections and seri-
Gus depreciation throughout the great
Ter part OF the cotton belt.
| AS against this it should be noted
that the presence OF ample sub soil
moisture in such States as Georgia,
Arkansas, Mississippi and alabama is
likely 10 prove vs1uabie in Es:tf;stssnsl-
/ ing possible drought conditions later
in the seanson,, and that IN portions Of
! Texas, where drought has 50 serious
y retarded operations refreshing
rains have fallen over large. areas. SO
/ that cotton is reported TO be coming
up satisfactorily. Elsewhere it has
stopped raining and planting is being
pushed rapidly to completion. Missis-
/ sippi is still more than three weeks
! late and feeling the II effects OF con-
tinuous rains and low temperature. In
Arkansas and Tennessee the same
general conditions prevail.
| Many fields are flooded and seed IN
some sections is rotting in the ground
! with the result that scntch replantins
will have to be done. However, since
the writing Of these reports, material
! Improvement has .aken place and It is
stated that cotton, especially IN the
.uplands, is doing we'll. rhe Carolinas
are in better shape SO far as crcp
prospects aer contelpsi while in Ok
| iahoma substantial gain m acreage
is reported, 8 (, with per centage con-
4 difions at 74.0. against $50 year ago.
/ Texas shows .y2i+l in acreage g. -
and Alabama 15 though condition in
both cases is poor, 6S.5 and 61.6, re-
spectively as compared with 77.5 and
ISL last year Florida showed the
heaviest cut in acreage, namely, IT,
with condition 72.5, against $50. Geor-
gia came next with a reduction of 5.5
and a per centage condition Of only
63.S, against S2.9 in 1919. In other
{ States, such as Arkansas, Tennessee
and Mississippi, the condition is far
below that Of a year ago and in each
instance small losses in acreage are
shown.
Taken as a whole the report is not
satisfactory In the opinion OF most
experienced observers. warm dry
weather during the first half Of June
is essential if earlier drawbacks are to
be overcome. Farmers are greatly
Handicapped by the inability to obtain
labor. Farm labor is not only scarce
but often unreliable and very ineffi-
cient. Many correspondents pronoun-
ced the outlook the worst ever seen
and report farmers in numerous in
stances to be turning their attention
| to the production Of fo' and forage
crops Owing to the late start and
cold wet spring, serious damage is exL
pected this year from boil weevil.
which in the usually infested regions
are appearing in unusually large num-
bers for this time of the year. In this
connection, however, it is interesting
to note that still more energetic steps
are likely to be taken for the eradi-
cation of this pest.
According to the government re-
port, indicated yield will be approx
mately 10.S00,000 bales. based on the
final Official estimate of acreage. This
com pares with an actual production in
1919 Of 11.399,755 bales, 12,040,532 in
1918 and 1874 $50, the banner year
of 1914.
TO RTR.N VERA