Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-10-24
INFERIOR COTTON IS
RAISED IN GEORGIA,
IS EXPERTS VIEW

VI 4Ol y COL c1llS1 IIlctI
the use of inferior seed, together
with improper cultivation and fail
ure to combat the boil weevil eff
fciently, is responsible for this con-
dition, J. J. Williamson, Of the cot
ton firm of Williamson, Inman &
Stribling, has issued the following
statement of conditions, with sug-
gestions for remedying the situa-
ton
THE term, North Georgia. in the
cotton world-five years ago-meant
1 1-16 inches cotton in any market.
From the Carolinas to New England,
and even in the markets of Europe,
this term was unique in that it
meant a special staple; thousands of
bales were bought and sold with the
staple qualification of North Geor-
gia' only! hundreds of mills made
their types from North Georgia
cotton; bill Of lading showing the
point of origin in north Georgia ter
ritory was sufficient guarantee as
to staple to some of the most exact
ing mill buyers. No section in the
entire cotton belt enjoyed such a
splendid reputation as north Geor-
gia. In some instances south Geor-
gia and Alabama had cotton with
sufficient length of staple to ship
against these North Georgia con-
tracts. In 1920 our firm alone ship
ped $4,000 bales of North Georgia
cotton to New England and Euro
pean markets and every single bale
was classed for grade only; the fact
that the cotton was shipped from
north Georgia points was sufficient
guarantee as to staple. I venture to
state there were 100000 bales ship
ped out Of north Georgia that year
that were handled in like manner.
To-day, we have an entirely diff
ferent condition confronting us. I
do not know of a single mill that
would buy on a north Georgia
staple contract, and I do not believe
10000 bales could be found in the
north Georgia territory that would
apply to- the old description or come
anyway near 1 1-16. The prestige
this section enjoyed once in regard
to their cotton is gone, and only by
combined efforts of the farmer, the
merchants and the. banker can this
situation be remedied. Some of this,
of course, is due to the ravages Of
the boil Weevil and the shortage of
the crop, but hardly think these
are the principal causes. I really
think the chief fault lies with the
farmer and the cotton merchant;
with the farmer in that he has al
lowed his seed to run down and has
failed to maintain tho high stand
ard he formerly had; with the cotton
merchant in that during the period
of high price cotton he failed to
make the distinction in price that
he should have between the long
and short cotton. AS result, the
farmer who planted the rundown
seed received just as much for his
cotton as the careful farmer who re-
newed his seed ever SO often and
took a pride in growing good cot
ton. In this way these short va
rieties of cotton have become so gen
orally mixed with all of our varieties
that the result is approaching al
most calamity with US.
''It would be almost impossible to
estimate the loss occasioned by this
state of affairs, however, it would
run into millions of dollars in this
state alone. In the meantime, he
cotton growers in the western belt
are supplanting the Georgia grow
ers in supplying the needs of the
mills. In order to supply those mills
to which we once shipped north
Georgia cotton, our firm is now buy
ing cotton throughout Texas, Okla
homa, Arkansas and Tennessee, and
is thereby sending millions of dol
lars into those states which formerly
went into this territory. This IN
itself is bad enough, but the effect
does not end there. Customers VINO
formerly demanded-and so st1pu-
lated in their north Geor-
gia' cotton, now make definite IN
curry for western cotton. In our
capacity as shippers in various parts
of the belt this has come to our at
tention very forcibly. On my own
initiative I have been conducting eX-
periments on my own farm w lth the
view of seeing what 1 could do per-
sonally to improve the situation, ana
while I do not think any one thing
will help us, I do believe that with
the co-oreration of the farmer, the
banker, the merchant and the grow
ers' association we can, in the course
of a few wears, re-establish our OLD
reputation. o,ro
''In nv opinion, If we can procure
cotton that will give results similar
to the above we will have progressed
a long way toward bringing our
state bank to it's former basis. An
other thing necessary for improve
ment in cotton growing is the intel
Iieent use of poisoning in destroying
seryation and from reports 1 have
received from over the entire oelt.
am fully convinced that with the
proper use of calcium arsenate under
government specification, together
with the proper seed and extensive
cultivation, we can grow as 1nuch
cotton per acre in Georgia as we
ever did. But in order to procure
a good seed and to do this intelli-
gently, it will require a considerable
layout Of money for the farmer. This
is where the cooperation OF the
banker Is needed. The history OF
those sections who have co-operated
and worked intelligently under the
worst weevil conditions has proved
that cotton can be grown profit
ably.
1T seems to me that there has
not been enough publicity given to
this loss of our prestige in the cot
ton world, and that a campaign Of
education along this line would be
very opportune at this time. With
the proper work and publicity the
Georgia farmer could be made to
realize the loss he has sustained
and the Importance Of taking early
step to save himself from further
loss. To keep Georgia where she
should be in the cotton world will
depend upon the proper cooperation
of the farmer, the banker the coun.
try merchant, and all others inter.
ested."
Child Frightened to