Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1921-01-12
No Future Ahead For King
Cotton Says Coker Company.
The following analysis of the cot
ton situation has been received by
The States from the Coker Cotton
company of Hartsville:

AS the staple situation has shown
very little change since our letter of
December 1, we thought that our Gus
toners might like to have us discuss
the cost of the productionof cotton
and it's relation to the present and
future situation. We believe that few
outside the South, and by no means
all in the South, realize the distress
ing features of the present situation
or are able to diagnose their effect
upon the civilization of the South
and of the future of the cotton in
dustry. A brief consideration of facts
however, will promptly convince
every one interested in the industry
where in the North or the South, that
there is. no future for it at present
prices and that a continuation of
present conditions would threaten the
civilization of the South.
Government statistics show that
the average production of lint cotton
in the South is between one-third and
four-tenths bales per acre, but in or
der to show how impossible the pres
ent situation is we are going to first
discuss production figures under the
ideal conditions of bale per acre
producing at Is cents-a price above
the present market.
The bulk of the crop of the South
is produced on a share crop system,
the most popular share contract in
this section being one under which
the landowner furnished, the land
buildings, planting seed and fertilizer
and the tenant furnishes the live
stock, tools and labor. Ginning and
baling expenses are divided. Land
lord and tenant divide the cotton
of the seed. Under this plan let US
see what would be the returns to
landlord and tenant on 20 care crop
of cotton producing one bae. per
acre.
AS to One Horse Farm.
The farm will contain about 80
acres including, little woodland and
a few acres of corn and other minor
crops. If the land is good enough to
produce bale per acre of fair val
uation for the farm, including build
ings, will be between $4,000 and
$4,000. A minimum charge for rent
on the cotton land, therefore, to COW
er interest, repairs and taxes would
be not less than s25 per acre. The
landlord expecting bale of cotton
per acre would buy not less than $40
worth of fertilizer per acre for the
cotton, and, as he must exercise su-
pervision over his croppers, charge
of SIS per acre for supervision should
be made. The total of these expenses
is $50 per acre. His returns will be
one-half bale of cotton at Is cents
$3.50; seed, $40; total, S47.50, less
one-half ginning-$3; net income,
$44.50. These figures show net loss
to the landowner of $3.50 per acre.
Some may object to the charging of
rent and supervision to crop expens-
es. To this we answer that these are
necessary preliminary expenses for
crop production without which capi-
tai can not be secured.
To make this crop the tenant fur
nishes a mule and feed costing per
year $125; depreciation on imple-
ments, taxes, etc., s25; hire for pick
ing ten bales of cotton. $50; one
half ginning, $50; total $500, besides
the labor of himself, wife and three
children.
Receipts from ten bales of cot
ton at is cents per pound $3.50
Expenses besides labor of fam
lily - = 9ooo
Balance = $500
Divide this amount by 365 and you
get the magnificent sum of S1.O7 per
day with which the tenant must pur-
chase clothing, shoes and household
equipment and must supply a large
part of the food for the family and
besides must pay the doctor and the
preacher if they are paid. 1t is true
that the tenant raises some corn, a
few vegetables and sometimes has a
pig or few chickens. The pitiful
poverty under which most of them
live, however, keeps them moving
from place to place, the average term
of farm tenancy being about two