Evening star., 1925-10-13
SOUTH PR0SPER|NG
WITH BUMPER CROP
Cotton, Corn and Hay Yields
Bringing Wealth to
Planters.
Special Dispatch TO The Star.

MEMPHIS. Tenn, October r.
Bumper cotton, corn and hay crops,
the greatest yield in a decade, are
bringing countless millions Of dollars
to Southern planters this month. The
production is so vast that farmers are
unable to harvest their fields. al.
though all the railroads are rushing
lrainloadS of negroes and Mexicans
into Arkansas and Mississippi.
This is the first til3a IN the history
of the South that farmers have been
compelled to send labor agents to the
border and import Mexican farm
hands.
Thousands of motor trucks are pour
ing through Memphis. loaded to ca
pacity with cotton, taking 1t to ware
houses and to shipping depots on the
Mississippi River and the railroads.
Gins are running day and night and
still the f1eecy staple taxes their
capacity.
Not only is the yield the greatest
in years, but the quality Is up to a
higher standard.
Mortgages TO Be Lifted.
Mortgages will he lifted on hundreds
and hundreds of farms this Fall. The
Southern farmer has more loose
money than has come into his hands
for 90 years. His economical future
is roseate unless he squanders his
surplus dollars in fine automobiles,
Florida lands and frivolitieS as he did
during the whirlwind of World War
prosperity.
A bale of cotton to the acre is moth
ing to speak of. Thousands of acres
are producing two bales to the acre.
Mississippi County. in Arkansas,
has produced a SIT .000, 900 cotton crop
this year-a total of 900 bales OFF
167 900 acres. the greatest yield In the
history of that section. That Is not
all. Mississippi County, Ark, has
produced this year its greatest alfalfa
crop and one of its biggest corn crops.
The record cotton crop in that county
before this year was $4,000 bales in
1922. Last year the county produced
81 900 bales for 1e5, 200 acres.
Can't Harvest All.
Fields of alfalfa, already cut, have
yielded as high as nine and a halt
tons of alfalfa to the. acre. actual
weight baled. In Crittenden County
Ark, one man produced 1,400 bales
on 700 acres.
Throughout southeast Missouri
there have been bumper cotton, corn
oats and fruit yields. Down in Mis-.
with the serious problem of harvest
ing their cotton They have raised
SO much that thousands of acres Will
be left to rot in the fields. -..
Half hundred agricultural agents
from as many counties in Arkansas.
Mississippi. suotheaSt Missouri and
west Tennessee. in attendance at the
TriState Fair here. report the most
wonderful cotton and alfalfa year in
periods of 10 to % years. They have
produced their, own feed crops. and
they will enter the crop season next
year in better financial condition than
they have enjoyed for half a century.
Bagginss Is Needed.
Outside Of the fact that the cotton
crop is Of such vast proportions that
planters are unable to gather it. an
other cloud is beginning to cast itself
over the brightest prospects the cot.
ton producing States have had in
years as the scarcity of cotton bag
ging grows. Memphis is practically
empty of the packing necessity, and
little hope ls held for early relief from
the shortage. Calls for bagging are
coming in from every part of the
South and Southwest. Only ore
shipload of bagGlng is due in southern
ship will bring in 100000 yards of
bagging material. a sufficient guam
tity for only 100000 bales.
The army of agricultural agents
here this week report that planters
are continuing the forward movement
OF diversified crops, and they point
to a great expansion of dairying and
the production of fruits and vege.
tables.
Up in the Ozarks the farmers have
planted 100000 new peach trees and
millions Of grape vines. The grape
market in this country is the best in
history, and the demand is getting
stronger.
Another thing the planters are doing
more and more-improving their soil
with vetch crops and fertilizers. They
also are selling all their cotton seed
to the oil mills and buying pedigreed
seed exclusively.