PAPERS OX GEOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY 231 



The accompanying table shows approximately the 

 chief cotton planting counties for 1924 and the amount 

 to be planted in each. 



Pulaski and Alexander, together, estimated from 10,000 to 1. 

 acres. 



Union County estimated acreage about 2.500 to 3.000 acres. 

 Massac " " " " "" " 1.000 " 



Johnson " " " " 1.000 " 2,000 " 



Jackson " " " " 250 " 300 " 



For Williamson, Pope, Saline, and perhaps other conn- 

 ties, no definite figures are available, but each will plant 

 a small amount. Pulaski probably will have the lar_ si 

 acreage, which will be closely followed by Alexander 

 county. 



In contrast to the cotton growing counties of the Civil 

 War period, it will be noticed that the extreme south- 

 ern counties, with their larger share of bottom lands, 

 will lead ; and the more hilly lands to the north will take 

 a decidedly lower rank. The explanation of this con- 

 trast with 1S65 is that the river bottom lands are much 

 more fertile, they are now much better drained than 

 formerly, and the construction of levees in recent years 

 gives greater protection from floods. 



In the larger producing counties of Pulaski, Alexander 

 and Union the labor in the cotton fields will be done chief- 

 ly by negroes from the South. These are experienced 

 cotton raisers who have left the South because of the 

 ravages of the boll weevil and are as a rule very poor. 

 The land owners lease the land, furnish food, imple- 

 ments, seed, teams, and get one half of the crop. In the 

 other counties the labor will be largely performed by 

 native white labor on their own farms. 



This seasons trial of cotton growing will be watched 

 eagerly, particularly by southern Illinois farmers, and 

 upon its success the future of cotton growing in this sec- 

 tion will largely depend. 



The chief hope of southern Illinois becoming again a 

 part of the cotton growing region rests largely upon the 

 oft repeated statements of experienced cotton growers 

 from the South who declare to prospective Illinois grow- 

 "You are on the same footing as we of the Gulf 

 States because we must plant early maturing varieties 

 to get the crop far enough advanced before the boll wee- 



