Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 204, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 September 1917 — We're Growing Sea Island Cofen in America Nowadays [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

We're Growing Sea Island Cofen in America Nowadays

by W.A.Orton

■f ■ - SEA Island cotton differs from the ordinary upland cotton in many respects. The plant is taller,'the leaves smoother and more deeply lobed, the flowers brighter yellow, the bolls smaller, longer, and tnore pointed, the seed nearly bare of fuzz, and the staple longer and "cUner. ft is more CldSeiyTeTafyd to Egyptian cotton, which it resembles in ■ appearance. _i— The original home of the plant is thought to have been the West Indies. When first introduced into the mainland of America, it is reported to have been considerably different from the present form. Through several generations the planters have selected seed from the earliest, most compact, and most productive plants with the longest and finest staple, until the character of the plant has been radically Changed and greatly Improved. A well-regulated water supply Is the most Important factor Influencing sea Island cotton. Thorough drainage ’ls essential. On this account more and better cotton Is grown on the slightly elevated margins of the Sea Islands than In the lower central portions. Tile drains make possible the cultlva-

tlon of land otherwise too wet. In the interior, cotton is grown only where there is stiltable drainage. On the other hand, a liberal and regular supply of water is needed, and wherever cotton is planted on the dry hills in the upper edge of the Sea Island cotton belt inferior results are secured, the staple becoming shorter and harsher. The lower lying lands are better, provided they have adequate drainage. Soils very rich in humus appear to be unsuited to Sea Island cotton, producing too rank a growth; but a deficiency of humus is also a sm-ious objection, as such land produce" a small plant with a tendency to the shedding of bolls and to rust. Atmospheric humidity appears to be a prominent factor Influencing the quality of the staple. On the Sea Islands, fields having an ocean exposure are said to produce- a finer and glossier staple on account of the moistureladen ocean breezes, and in the interior one advantage of the lower lands Is douhtTesstherf moisF air .which is conserved by protecting forests and near-by swamps. In the absence of sufficient moisture in the air the staple becomes harsh and shorter. This is further shown by the fact that a wet season is more favorable to Sea Island than to Upland cotton, while the Upland varieties do better in a dry season. The relative production of Upland and Sea Island cotton in- tire northern counties fluctuates with, the season and the changes in acreage due to varying market conditions. The mixing of seed and the hybridizing which result from planting cotton of both types in the same community are a serious handicap to the growers of Sea Island cotton. In this respect portions of Florida where only

Sea Island cotton is grown possess a marked advantage and the introduction of Upland varieties should be discouraged. In addition to the effect of the high prices in stimulating the industry and of low prices in depressing it, a factor which must be considered in connection with the production of cotton in either old or new sections is the supply of available labor. Until present methods are revolutionized a relatively large amount of fairly cheap labor is required, and it is a great advantage If the laborers have had long experience with the crop. Throughout the Sea Island cotton belt there is now a growing scarcity of labor, which is likely to restrict the acreage planted. The farmers must meet the tew conditions by the adoption of labor-saving machinery iif planting and in cultivation, but there will continue to be dif-‘ Cculty in getting" the cotton picked.

The development of trucking and lumbering industries restricts the less profitable cotton crop, and there is a steady exodus of laborers to engage in railroad building, etc., making the labor, problem still more serious. . a The cost of cotton production Is greatly increased by the prevailing credit system, owing to the high cost of supplies and the reduction of the farmers’amhition and efficiency. Thechange from credit to a cash system now going on is a great gain for good farming and should be encouraged. The common practice of renting land for a share of' the crop greatly hinders the adoption of improved methods. It means instead of the continuous planting of cotton without attention to seed selection or soil improvement. When the owner cannot operate his farm himself, he should retain strict oversight over the work done by his tenant and provide, through a written contract, for a specified system of rotation and seed selection.

If the period of renting were three or five years instead of one, there would be more incentive for the tenant to build up the soil. The owner who keeps his land in a high state of cultivation has no difficulty in securing the best Class of tenants. „ There is a tendency among cotton buyers to pay an average price for all grades of Sea Island cotton, especially in the smaller markets. This means that good cotton brings less than its value, and inferior or dirty cotton too much. This practice Is an injustice to the fanner who produces a superior article, and it tends to discourage him from selecting for quality. Unless buyers are willing to pay full value for the bests cotton, farmers cannot be expected to improve their seed in any respect except to secure larger yields per acre. It is an advantage to the farmer who has a superior grade of cotton to securq competitive offers from large buyers- before selling. In this direction much good can be done by farmers’ organizations. Tn .Georgia, and Florida the breeder

should work for a staple not less than one and five-eighths inches dr more than one and three-fourths inches in length. In South Carolina each planter is guided by his own preferences, sotne planters choosing the medium kinds on account of their greater productiveness and others finding it profitable to grow the extra fine and long varieties. Experience has shown, however, that these fine strains, having a staple two Inches to two and onehalf inches long and selling from "Hie Sea Islands at 40 to 60 cents per pound, are not profitable in the interior. As compared with the medium sorts, they are less productive and more subject to disease, while the bolls are smaller and the cotton harder to pick. The fine staple requires more care in handling than the interior farmers are accustomed to give, and the interior markets will not pay as high prices as Charleston. In the past the best results in the interior have been obtaln-

ed with strains classed on the Sea Islands as medium fine, such as Hinson and Seabrook. In the cotton market the ’term “staple” refers to the length and fineness. of the fiber, and these points are influenced most by seed selection. The term “grade,” on the other hand, indicates the appearance of the cotton as regards cleanliness and color, qualities influenced mainly by the manner in which the cotton has been handled. The price is considerably influenced by the grade. The best practice in handling the crop may be briefly’ stated by describing the method followed on the Sea Islands, which should be adopted in the Interior in so far as the labor conditions will permit. • Picking is done whenever enough cotton is open, about every ten days. The cotton is gathered as free from frash as possible and carried to the storehouse, where the. next morning each picker sorts his own picking, throwing out diseased or yellow locks and pieces of bolls, leaves, and other trash. The cotton is then spread on arbors to dry in the sun. It is watch-

ed and turned frequently, and usually dries in one day. After sunning, the seed cotton is assorted by women, who remove any yellow of leaves, etc. If very dirty 4t is whipped over a coarse wire screen stretched" across a small box to take out the* sand. Very fine cotton is again sorted dr overhauled by another set of laborers. The cotton is then bulked and allowed ta remain fropi 1 four, to six weeks before ginning. -During the ginning, one or two hands inspect the

cotton as it passes to the gins, to remove impurities, and one of two others “mote” the lint as it passes from the gin to the press, by picking out yellow tufts, etc. By all these means a high grade is maintained for Sea Island cotton, which Is reflected in a price per pound several cents higher than that paid for inferior cotton.

Map of the Sea Island Cotton Area of the United States. Each Dot Rep- £ resents an Average Production of SOO Bales.

A Bale of Sea Island Cotton in the Interior Cotton Region Ready for Shipmerit.——— ——

Ideal Form of Cotton Plant. The Leaves Have Been Removed in Order to Show Branching.