10 Growing Sea Island Cotton Under Florida Conditions 



Economic Considerations 



Prior to the spread of the boll weevil over the Cotton Belt, 

 the production of Sea Island Cotton was confined to a com- 

 paratively small area in the Southeastern part of the Belt. 

 In this area, quite a few of the counties grew Sea Island to 

 the practical exclusion of upland varieties, while the adjoin- 

 ing county grew upland almost exclusively. 



As an illustration, Madison County, Fla., produced an aver- 

 age of six or eight thousand bales of Sea Island cotton each 

 year, and very little upland, whereas the adjoining county of 

 Jefferson produced considerable upland cotton and practically 

 no Sea Island. 



No satisfactory explanation has been advanced for this pe- 

 culiar condition. Sea Island cotton grows much better in some 

 localities than in others, but the adaptability or non-adapt- 

 ability of the plant itself by no means explains all the peculiari- 

 ties of its distribution in pre-boll weevil days. 



Several factors, however, contributed considerably to the 

 stability of the distribution of Sea Island and upland cotton. 

 Once Sea Island or upland cotton becomes predominant in a 

 community, the other finds itself at a disadvantage. Different 

 types of gins are required, and buyers pay the most attention 

 to the staple that can be bought in greatest quantity. Labor 

 trained to grow, pick and handle upland cotton is not always 

 satisfactory for Sea Island and vice versa. If given a fair 

 trial. Sea Island, no doubt, would be found to produce satis- 

 factorily in many localities where it has never been grown. 

 However, when such trials are made, it should be borne in 

 mind that it is a new crop, and too much should not be invested 

 in it until it proves its worth. Broadly speaking, it is most 

 promising where there is an abundance of well drained soil, on 

 which cotton tends to fruit well without producing excessive 

 stalk, and where boll weevils are not abnormally numerous. 

 In addition, an abundance of cheap labor must be available 

 during the harvesting season. 



The Boll Weevil Problem 



That the boll weevil is the most important single factor in 

 the production of Sea Island cotton in the Southeastern Belt 

 is apparent from the fact that the Sea Island industry was 

 virtually wiped out in three years after the arrival of the 

 pest. 



