Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-04-30

, ic pentoXide and not more than "a
of 1 per cent water soluble arsenic
and with a density of at least 80
cubic inches per pound.
The principal diseases affecting
cotton are wilt or black root, root
knot, and anthracnoSe. Wilt has
caused a greater loss in cotton than
any other disease but since wilt re-
Sistant strains have been bred the
use of these in connection with a ro-
tation of crops will reduce the in
jury from this disease to a mini
mum. The varieties recommended
above are not as susceptible to an
thracnoSe as other varieties and
when non-infecte6 seed are planted
on land not in cotton the previous
year the damage from this disease
will be materially reduced. Root
worms can be controlled by rotation
and the planting of such crops on
infected land as are not attacked
by the disease.
Any radical change in the present
ssytem of marketing must of neces-
sity be slow. There is an enormous
waste of cotton under present con-
ditions that ultimately reflects on
the PRICE, but this is the result Of
the system and not of the individu-
ais in the cotton trade. AS prelim-
mary measures looking to a better
marketing system the following
steps can be taken at this time.
1. Community production of same
or similar varieties.
2. Increased storage facilities
where cotton can be stored in bond
| ed warehouses and a negotiable re-
ceipt- showing grade and staple Sc
cured.
8. Pooling of lots of same grade
and staple in large lots.
The market price for cotton in any
community is usually based on the
character of the bulk of cotton re-
ceived on that market, so the first
step toward better prices should be
the organization of communities for
the production of the same variety
Spinners soon learn the Characters
tics of cotton from different sections
and shun such markets as produce
cotton Of inferior quality. Grade,
length, strength ard uniformity are
the chief factors C termin'ng the val
lie of cotton. A reputation for good
cotton will always attract buyers.
These qualities can be obtained
when a good variety is planted by
the entire community and a source
of pure seed established.
Cotton is a crop that rapidly loses
its uniformity unless the seed are
continuously selected. Two souc"es
of supply can be established; first,
every farmer select his own seed and.
second, where some organization ex-
lists some one man with the requisite
knowledge and experience can be Sc
lected to grow the seed and sell to
others at a price that will remuner-
ate him for his extra trouble and
skill. The breeding OF cotton is
factor of prime Importance and it is
probable that it can best be handled
by the latter method as few farm
ers have the skill and facilities for
cotton breeding.
In series of experiments conduct
ed by the United States bureau OF
markets they found that a bale CT
cotton in the open lying flat was
damaged to the extent of $40 pounds
in eight months, one placed on edge
and turned once week los 1lG
pounds, bale placed on t1mbers off
the ground and turned once & week
only IA pounds and a warehoused
bale lost only one pound.
The amount of storage space nee
essary to care for the crop in a Civ
en- market varies considera oily, de-
pending on transportation facilities,
rate of movement, etc, but it is es-
timated that provision should he
made to store at least 40 per cent or
the cotton normally handled by that
market and facilities for a hi Cher
percent are preferable.
The establishment of bonded ware
houses under the provisions os the
United States warehouse act offers
the best solution to the warehouse
problem. This not only gives the
grower storage. but enables the ware
houseman to give cheaper storage
and better protection. A nego ttabie
receipt showing grade and staple,
which can be used as coll2reral by
member banks of the federal reserve
system as we'll as non-member banks,
can be issued.
Where cotton growers have some
form of organization large lots OF
cotton of the same grade and staple
can be pooled and sold to much bet
ter advantage. The cotton grower Is
primarily a producer and cannot be
expected to be a marketing specialist,
but where organizations OF farmers
exist a marketing specialist ac-
quainted with all the technical OPP
erations of marketing can be en-
ployed, who can market the cotton