Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1924-12-21
VALLEY COTTON
CROP BRINGS Z
MILLION IN 1924
Sixty Gins Handled ST.
600 Bales This Year;
e Gins Turned Out
5000 Bales in 20

Sixty gins located in Cameron,
Hidalgo, Willacy and Starr coun-
ties, ginned the Valleys $12,-
100000 cotton crop Of the 1924
season. The crop was approxi-
mately 1900 bales.
In 1920, twenty-three gins
handled the crops of 9,128 bales.
This indicates the growth of
the cotton growing and ginningi
industries of this section in the|
past four-year period.
Cotton growing is not a new
thing for the Valley-in fact, it is one
Oh the sections oldest products-but
from 1920 to 1924 has made more rapid
strides than for any eight-year period
IN the past and has come into its own.
men identified with the industry be-
lieve.
While il is not likely that there will
De any great increase in the acreage de-
voted to the industry in the next several
years it is unlikely that there will be
sny great decrease" said I'll. r. Boyd.
vice-president of the Valley Gin Co.. Of
San BenitO, land i believe the industry
Will continue to be one of the most prof
liable crops raised, despite the rapid ex-
pansion Of the citrus and truck farming
business.
Nor and more irrigated land farm-s
erly planted In cotton is being devote
to citrus and crops which can be grown
along with the trees and this has, a ten.
dency to reduce the acreage, but to off
set this new dry land farming districts
are being opened and planted to the crop
and this likely will about balance the
decrease"
The only thing which viii prevent the
crop from being a leading source of in
come for the Valley will be for the price
TO decline until the staple could no longer
be grown prOfitably on high priced land.
said John L. LOmax, secretary-treasurer
of the same concern. "Of course if the
price should drop so low that truck o.
corn would yield a greater profit the
land would be planted to these other
crops crops"
The story of the increase in the mum
Der of bales of cotton raised in the Val
ley, including the four counties enumer-
ated above. and the enlarged investment
in gins reads like q romance.
In January 1920, when i came to. the
Valley and identified myself with The
ginning industry, there were % gins To-
Gated in Cameron. Hidalgo, Willacy and
Starr countless said Mr.. Boyd. The
year before d crop of 11.174 bales had
been ginncd. The crop was just coming
back into favor with the farmers and a
larger acreage was planted in 1920. but
the season was unfavorable and only
9.12S bales were ginned. In 1921 the
acreage was again increased to some ex-
tent, prospects for a good price being
good. and additional gins were con-
structed to handle the crop. This year
the season was more favorable and a
fair yield resulted in a crop of 23.6jb
bales.
Just here the crop came to be one
of the most valuable grown and many
acres Of ground which before that time
had been devoted to other crops were
planted to cotton in 1929. The season
""S SOou uhu IL yiCIu was ~ 'hS''
doubled. This year a crop of 81
bales was ginned.
When the planting season of 1928
, rolled around almost every farmer in
the Valley devoted more acreage than
even before to the crop. In this year
the yield was normal, the price good
and the 9O,513-bale cotton output went
a long way toward putting the Valley
on the firm financial condition which
it is enjoying at the present time.
This was the largest crop ever prodic-
ed up to that time and almost double
the unusually large crop produced the
year before.
But the limit had not yet been
reached and again this year the acre
age was increased. But a backward
snrine failed to give the plants the usual
early start and the crop was late and
very unsatisfactory in some sections.
However the average yield was far bet
fer than early conditions justified and
again q huge crop was produced. This
s.. 800 bale yield was only 1900 bales
short of the crop produced the years be-
fore and was really worth about as much
TO. the Valley as the one the year be-
fore for the price averaged considerably
better.
It is estimated that the 1924 crop
averaged % cents per pound or $3.50
per bale. Seed brought an average OF
SIS more per bale. Figured on this
estimate the crop brought $12,667, 500
I. into the Valley.
During the four years of great in
crease in YIELD Mr.. Boyd esntinneu.
Continued on Page %