CHAPTER XXIV. 



WHAT DOES IT COST TO MAKE COTTON? 



You may think it is an easy matter to calculate 

 the cost of cotton-growing and the profits that are to 

 come. But you will do well if you put a good 

 deal of study on this problem, and then as a final 

 proof that your solution is correct, make actual 

 field tests, not for one but for many years. Nor 

 need you then feel absolutely certain of your pro- 

 cess of reasoning. 



Why do we say this ? 



Just remember this fact: you are dealing all the 

 while with natural and artificial conditions, and 

 while wise farm management endeavors to control 

 these, it still remains true that cotton farming is 

 dependent on natural causes which vary constantly, 

 often to such an extent that the most careful cal- 

 culations will be upset. 



For proof of this proposition you need consider 

 only the production of cotton during the last few 

 years. The yield in bales and production per acre 

 is shown in the table following: 



YIELD OF COTTON 



Year Production, Product per acre, 



in bales pounds 



1898 11,235,383 240 



1899 9,439,559 189 



(200) 



