Imperial Valley press., 1924-02-04
COTTON BROKERS
CLAIM PRICE TO
ADVANCE SOON
Much Depends on the
Ravages Wrought
by Weevil

In Il resume Of The cotton -itua-
tioa, issued today, the r. j. West
Company with offices in taIeNico
and Phoenix, Arizona. predicts -
material advance in the market
quotations in the near future. The
report follows in fun:
Cotton prices have been fluctuat-
ing between $3.50 and 1900 for
March contracts since the first of
the wear, Guc TO thr weakness IA
the Liverpool markets and the slack
ness OF the goods trade in the Unit
ed States. Liverpool weakness has
been caused by the change II the
British government with the con
troll passing into the hands of the
labo. party, and Il nationwide rail
road strike which wen. into effcc,
this week has had q further unset
tling influence on the market.
The statistical position is too
strong to permit much decline in
prices and the technical position is
such that the market VIII advance
materially on any better news es-
peciallv in the goods demand. Con-
sumption figures for December were
much higher than anticipated, 81
000 bales having been construed
during the month, Il decrease from
November, but showing that there
has been no decided curtailment in
mill operation. What curtailmcat
has taken place has been in the New
England mills. which has been off
set by continued overtime in the
mills in the cotton producing states.
Ginning to January Is was 9,946.t62
hales, about in line with exrec "a
tions.
Coming Crop Is Question
The question uppermost in the
minds of growers today : the pros
peet of crop and price for tAc COM
ing wear. The his lesson taught the
mast two years is thaT crop Guesscs
before the end Of August. are abso-
lutciv worthless now that the weevil
has covered the entire belt. Ia TIC
wears gone by Texas was the big
gamble, summer drought usually
meaning onlv hal q crop. Now, in
he otbcr two thirds of the cotton
area, dry summer would be q boon
= hold the weevil in cheek and give !
the plant a chance to mature its |
fruit. In the states east Of the Mis-. |
7issippi River, annual rainfall dur
ng July and August for the past !
.en years has averaged 1897 inche,
"hi'e the average for Texas was
,nly 5J3 inches. Last summer
fexas experienced Il drought which
lGrncd Up the crop and kept dow
he boil weevil, while east of III
liver the wcevil destroyed tie crop |
What reasonably dry summer ma-
produce, remains 10 be demonstrat |
d but il is well TO remember thai |
IpiE and August are normally we
months in the cotton. belt.
! large acreage is predicted for
he south this year as we'll as uthe |
otton sections. Last year the larg-
g acreage ever known in the Unit
d states WIS planted. Throug'
hortage cf labor and other adverse |
over 100000 acres were
bandoned, the largest abandonment
yer known. Shortage of labor wa
he biggest factor last year in caus
nc such abandonment. Labor con
itions this year will be no letter
han last wear, although many south
IN papers are jubilant over the re.
urn Of many negroes from the
lorth. 1t is true that many hav
cturned bnt with the advent Of
pring and warm weather those
anne negroes will start back noltl !
md each one that returns will in
luce another to 90 with him, and b
he time cropping season comes
abor shortage will be more acute
han ever.
Cotton cannot be made and the
'oll-wcayil even partially controll-
ii, without Intensive cultivation.
nd intensive cultivation under pre-
ent conditions in the south canno
e provided for an increased acre
ge. In the opinion Of some autlo-
it:es a large acreage is a sure wav
0 defeat II large crop. They bcliev, |
more cotton could be made if
mailer acreage was TO be planted
nd more attention given to cult
alton and fighting the weevI.