Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1922-06-01
PH1DIcTs, coIFoN.FAln
Commissioner Hsrris Writes of
Crop Conditions in Texas.

rg.--OsYT 'SSSsSsAhsSA4O AA 4VA08s
Returning to his Office in CO.
lumbia q few days ago, B. Harris,
commissioner of agriculture for
South Carolina, wrote for, the
press of the State the following
impressions he gained of the cot
ton crop prospects for the year
on q trip he recently made to the
Southwest:
On May 6, LEFT my Office and
started on my way to attend a
pure food and drug convention
to be held in Galveston, Texas,
OH the 8th, 9th, 10th and 1lth. In
order that i might see as much of
the present condition of the crops
as possible, from New Orleans
went over the sunset Route to
Houston, Texas, and in coming
back ! came over the Southern,
Pacific railroad to Dallas and
Fort Worth. From Fort Worth
/ came over the Texas Pacific by
way Of Little Rock and Memphis
through northern Alabama by
way of Birmingham and north
Georgia to. Atlanta.
These two routes carried me
over some Of the best cotton lands
in the following States: The Pied
mont belt of South Carolina and
Georgia, on by Montgomery and
Mobile. From New Orleans l
went through Louisiana into Tex
as. On my return trip l came
through Arkansas and Tennessee.
l saw men from every section of
the cotton belt, 80 l got direct,
positive facts in regard to each
section Of the great State of
Texas.
In south Texas, where the cot
ton is now fruiting,: the boil wee.
vii is reported in greater NUN.
ber than ever before at this sea-
son Of the year and doing greater
dnmage, as the winter was so
Warm great numbers survived it.
IL. west Texas we hear a great
deal of dope put out by the bear
spectators stating what fine
prospect they had there. On the
18th of this month they had one
OF. the worst storms that had ever
been known in that section. 1t
was reported that at least 10000
acres of cotton was damaged.
From Houston to Fort Worth,
a distance of 800 miles, l travelled
in the daylight-that was on the
18th. l crossed four rivers on
that. trip and very one of them
was out of its banks and covered
many thousands of acres Of the
best cotton land. A great portion
Of this land will not be planted
this year; if they have any more
rain it cannot be planted before
June l.
On my arrival in Dallas l call
ed at the federal farm bureau
Office which is located there and
is handling the cooperative mark
citing association farm products.
l saw the president, Mr.. Orr, and
found him a very pleasant gem
tleman and we'll informed as to
crop conditions. l asked him
what proportion of the Texas
crop there was to be planted
and to be planted over. He said
at least SO per cent of the crop
up to the 18th of this month, in
Guiding the flooded districts, was
yet to plant, and from what l
could see | think he was about
right.
l saw a great many good farm
ers, also business men, and some
bankers who had lived in Texas
for 40 years, and they have kept
in close tuoch with agricultural
conditions; they all said Texas
had, the poorest prospect Tor a
crop up to this date they had
seen in 40 years and they could
not make anything like an aver
age, crop this year, owing to the
iateness OF the planting and ex.
cessive floods and cold, rainy
weather. / saw some good cotton
dealers who don't. hesitate to say
that with ideal seasons from now
OFT we cannot make over 8 1-2 or
8 million bales this year.
Now as to acreage, if,it had not
been for sthe floods and. heavy