Evening star., 1925-03-27
RAIN AND WEEV|L
/ BIG CROP FACTORS
Size of Next Cotton Yield to
/. Be Largely Settled in
{ Near Future.
BY J. C. ROYLE.


Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW ORLEANS, March 27.-Rain
and the pink boil weevil are going
to have a decided influence on the
lives of every American in the next
weeks, whether the latter wears
shirts, shirtwaists or rompers. For
those two factors will determine the
extent of the next cotton crop and
the price of every product manufac-
tured from the great basic commod-
ity.
The prospects for the production of
cotton in the Southeastern States
have been excellent so far. But over
40 per cent of the American crop is
raised in Texas and western Okla
homa and drought conditions in those
States seldom have been SO bad. In
the last five months the accumulated
rainfall there has been less than 5
inches. In some western counties
less than so per cent of the cotton
acreage has been planted and a still
smaller proportion is up on account
Of dry weather. There is little ac
oumulated moisture in the subsoil
Corn and Oats Affected.
If this great Western territory gets
rain in the next 10 or IL days some
of these conditions may be bettered
but there should be an accumulation
ol illOlSluIt III the seCllOU dTOullu oV
inches. If this deficiency is supplied
too fast damage also will result
This is also affecting the stand of
corn and oats in central Texas
Neither crop is doing well and if
drought continues much acreage will
be planted to cotton.
Bankers in Texas say the bank
credit hazard for agricultural pur-
poses is greater than ever before be-
~ CHI 70 ar-r
already are abandoning their fields
and coming into the cities seeking
employment In the Rio Grande
Valley, where cotton is raised under
irrigation, there has been a shortage
of water in the river for such pur-
poses.
Far Less Fertilizer Used.
1t Is thoroughly obvious that far
less fertilizer will be used in the
cotton belt than last year Official
figures by State agricultural boards
of eight Of the ten chief cotton
growing States show that only about
1,o17,30o tons of fertilizer has been
used between the beginning of the
Drop year. August 1. and this month.
This is 400, 900 tonS less than last
season.
In January in many of the States
the use was IS per cent below that of
1924, and February records were sim
liar. The weevil propagation is de-
pendent largely on the weather, but
is expected. according to govern
mental authorities, to be up to nor
NAL" in sharp distinction to 1924,
when damage from this insect pest
was comparatively light.
Next Crop Still Uncertain.
These facts do not yet indicate
that there will be a short crop OF
cotton and correspondingly high
prices. The season still is too little
tigation of banking and agricultural
conditions indicate that both mill
owners and the public in general
of any idea that the South can or
will produce or continue to produce
cotton which will sell for less than
25 cents a pound.
Planters Like big Crop.
The planters of the South would
rather raise a 14,0G0, 900 bale crop al
a price somewhat less than 25 cents a
pound than to raise q short crop al
prices which f1uctuate above 80 cents
a pound. But unless cotton will sell
at % cents farmers will not be suffi-
ciently encouraged to plant an acre
age which will meet the needs of the
United States and the world. With 6
heavy crop, they may possibly make
a profit at % to "a cents, but the
cotton experts are agreed that a re-
duction beyond these limits woulo
Immediately be followed by a checl
to production.