COTTON 203 



crop may do for him, but on the next, hope and 

 expectancy may have departed. 



With exactness he cannot calculate he can only 

 anticipate, hope, plan for the best. 



The point is, the cotton farmer cannot estimate 

 at the beginning of the year just what his total 

 outlay for his crop will be; nor can he bargain on 

 final yields or results. This, however, the manu- 

 facturer can do, and he does so with advantage to 

 himself. 



It follows that the farmer is entitled to the right 

 of considerable margin as to cost of production 

 when compared with the price it shall bring on the 

 market. These risks which he has to encounter all 

 along the growing route are just as legitimate for 

 use in the final calculation as waste of fiber, vari- 

 ation in cost of power, strikes, depreciation in 

 equipment, etc., are essential factors in considering 

 the final cost-estimate in the cotton factory. 



NATURAL CONDITIONS THAT INFLUENCE 

 PRODUCTION 



Were it not for uncertain natural conditions 

 cotton farming would be more stable in its ability 

 to produce certain and constant results, and the 

 farmer also would be able to calculate his profits 

 on his labor and equipment in advance, and with 

 reasonable accuracy. A few of these active, ever- 

 present conditions are: 



Variation in productivity of the soil ; 



Wet or dry seasons; 



Diseases and insects affecting the crop adversely; 



Ease of securing labor, its cost and efficiency ; 



Efficiency of fertilizers for different seasons ; 



Different tools of culture for different seasons ; 



