The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-10-29
Cotton Gin
ners' Report
More Than Four-Fifths of
Crop is Already in Sight

Washington, Oct. 25.-Cotton of
this years growth ginned prior to
October IS amounted to 5,477,397
bales, exclusive of linters, compar-
ed with 5,754,5S2 bales last year
and 4,929,1O4 bales in 1909 to that
date, the census bureau announced
today.
Round bales included numbered
99,371, compared with 14o,O99 last
year; American Egyptian includ-
ed numbered 7,498 bales, compar-
ed with 1872 last year. and sea
island included numbered 1904
bales compared with 334 last year.
The ginning report included a
paragraph stating:
'"The department of agriculture
on October 3. 1921, estimated that
the condition Of the cotton crop on
September 25 was 42.2 per cent
of a normal, the lowest condition
ever reported, which forecasts a to-
tai production of about 6,537,00O
bales Of 500 pounds gross. Reports
indicate that large proportion OF
the crop has been ginned."
The heaviest ginning on record,
prior to this year, was that of 1916
when 7,303,1S3 bales, or 64.3 per
cent. of the crop, were ginned prior
to October 18. The neXc largest
ginning to that date was in 1918
when 6.S11,351 bales, or 57.2 per
cent. of the crop were sinned.
Ginnings by states follow: Ala
bama, 426,152; Arizona, s,5G7;
Arkansas, 449,4S4; California, A.
OH; Florida, S,127; Georgia, 6S7.-
129; Louisiana, 1915; Mississip-
pi, 512,O07; Missouri, 4o,S3S; North
Carolina. 444,964; Oklahoma. 347.-
146; South Carolina. 494,261; Ten
nessee, 15S,660; Texas, 1,740,766;
Virginia, 1906; all other states, 81
07a.
Concerning the cotton situation.
Secretary Wallace of the depart
ment of agriculture. said today:
''The cotton ginned to October
1S, as shown by the census report,
namely, 5.447.397 bales, running
weight, is 83.S per cent. of the
October forecast of total pro-
duction by the department of ag-
riculture, which was 6,537.O0O bales
of 500 pounds weight.
$50 far as our records go, the
highest percentage Of cotton gin
ned to October Is was 46.3 per
cent. in the year 1916, when the
crop was a small one. The small
est percentage ginned up to Oc-
tober IS was 37.7 per cent in 1903.
"Our people in the department
who are qualified to judge Of such
matters, say that there can be no
reasonable doubt that this years
cotton crop is more largely gin
ned to date than ever before. In
the first place. the crop is a very
small one and under such condi-
tions the percentage ginned to
date would naturally be large. In
the second place, the season has
been unusually forward and re-
ports from practically all sections
of the cotton belt indicate that
picking has been practically COM
pleted. In Texas both picking and
ginning is much further advanced
than usual and about completed
except in the northwest corner of
the state. In North Carolina rapid
progress in picking has been made.
In Alabama picking is finished in
most southern and central sections
and is elsewhere we'll advanced,
with ginning progressing rapidly.
In Mississippi picking and ginning
has made rapid progress. In Ark
ansas the cotton is all picked in
some localities and three-fourths
picked in other localities. In Okla
honna picking is reported as having
progressed rapidly