The log cabin Democrat., 1921-03-01
BIG REDUCTION IN
 ACREAGE CERTAIN CHEAPER 10 BUY COTTON Than to Attempt to Produce it at Present Prices is the Opinion of
 Faulkner County Farmers.

While there are evidences of con siderable activity in some sections ano lack of activity in other sections ot Faulkner county in the circulation and signing of pledges to reduce cotton acreage in accordance with the pro- visions of the Memphis. plan-to one third of the cultivated land-there are also indications that many farmer. of this county will do more than this. They will plant no cotton whatever.
 For a bale of strict middling Sep- tember-picIed white cotton of slightly better than inch staple there was of fered on the streets ef Conway Mon day eight and three-qaarter cents per pound One year ago the same kind of cotton would have broueht six times this price Cotton of middling to strict low niddling grade, off col or, is commanding six to seven cents a pound. This price will barely pay for the picking and ginning. The net 1 loss to the grower of such cotton is his years work and expenses, which probably amount to not less than 20 cents a pound and in some instances 30 cents pound for the cotton.
 Several weeks ago a farmer turned over his entire crop of cotton to tEe merchant who furnished him. The merchant had the crop picked and gin ned, amounting to five bales After paying the cost of gathering and ginning there was just $26 left to b. credited to the farmers account. And instances like this are common.
 The price of cottonseed is equally Giscouraging. It has now dropped to S15 per ton, the lowest in almost a decade and about one-fifth the aver i age price of the 1919 crop.
 With such q situation continuing through planting time there will be no need for pledges or organization to secure a radical reduction in cotton acreage. It is estimated that 10 per cent of the cotton produced in this county last year is still in the hands of the farmers who grew it. Numbers of them still retain their entire 1920 crops. These men naturally figure there Is little sense ib growing anoth- CT crop of cotteH when they already have one in their possession that can- not be sold today for one-third what 1t cost to produce.
 There is likewise little inducement for the man who was fortunate enough to sell his crop early last fall to grow another crop. He can go out on the streets of Conway today and buy for himself crop of cotton of Whatever size he may plan to produce at cost far less than he could pos sibly make it this year. At the same time he will eliminate all risk of boil weevil, drought, flood, etc The time that he would have put in the cottor field he can use to grow feedstuff clear land, work in public work, o1 he can even loaf and come out ahead
 One thing seems certain here and that is that the credit merchants are not going to furnish farmers fol large acreages in cotton. Ordinarily because cotton is the only crop that can be quickly turned into money ir this section, the credit merchant in slsts upon certain acreage, usually about three-fourths, to be put in cot. ton. But this year it is the other way. A farmer approached a Con way merchant the other day seeking to be "furnished' this year. He was a good man, had good team and under normal conditions would have had no difficulty in obtaining all the credit he wanted.
 "How much do you think you neeC during the year?' the merchant ask ed him.
 About $500,' was the reply.
 How much cotton do you expect tt make?"
 Well, l intend to plant for 10 bales, the farmer answered.
 | will advance you the $500, al right the merchant said But w, will take $400 of it and buy you 1( bales of cotton right now-you can possibly make it that cheap and vol will be taking no risk of a short crop You put the cotton away and go abeat making all the feed you can, and us, the time you would be working tn cotton doing something else. If yo, and your team cant make more tha, $1.5O day you will be doing bette than raising cotton.'
 Interviews with numbers of farm CTS during the past few days revea the fact that they are thoroughly aliv, to the situation and that they realiz there is enough cotton in the world to day to last two years if not anothe bale was made this year. They realiz also that they are up against the mos , difficult proposition they have face, Tn many years, but they are going t , get bV' Many of +hapo bavo O l;++I