SEA ISLAND COTTON INDUSTRY. 11 



not an easy matter, as they deal in a specialized commodity which 

 is taken chiefly by the export trade. Their product goes largely to 

 the spinners of Europe, who are thoroughly organized; and when 

 cotton is offered spinners direct they have replied, "Consult our 

 agent in Charleston;- he represents us." To ship Charleston cotton 

 to other of the Sea Island markets would mean placing the "island" 

 quality on a level with Georgias and Floridas and would result in 

 a loss in price of 4 or 5 cents a pound on the basis of Charleston 

 sales. Possibly the only feasible relief would be direct consign- 

 ments of cotton which is free from debt to brokers in Liverpool. 

 Such action might bring reasonable returns for the extra trouble, 

 and at any rate would prevent a farmer from feeling that he was 

 being imposed upon by a combination of buyer, banker, and factor. 



CULTURAL METHODS EXPENSIVE. 



The task system which has been the custom so long seems to be, as 

 administered now, an unsatisfactory way of getting a day's work for 

 a day's pay. . Planters have asserted on more than one occasion that 

 a laborer could finish his allotted task by 9 or 10 o'clock in the morn- 

 ing and was then idle for the rest of the day. Granting that work 

 was commenced at 4 a. m., only six hours at the longest have elapsed 

 before quitting time. Such a period is much shorter than for farm 

 labor in other sections of the cotton belt and is inadequate to main- 

 tain the farm in a state of prosperity. 



Another economic question is the excessive use of the hoe in 

 making crops on the islands. Hand labor is expensive at best, and 

 it would seem doubly so under the task system, resulting in excessive 

 cost in producing cotton. This result is clearly shown in both the 

 statements as to the cost of growing cotton by the pound and by the 

 acre. Bearing on the same point, it may be said that in Georgia and 

 Florida, where all cultivation except two hoeings is done with the 

 plow, the cost of growing cotton is about two-thirds as great as it is 

 on the islands where hand labor is so largely used. It is true that 

 conditions on the islands are different from those in other parts of 

 the Sea Island area, but it seems that it is certainly worth while to 

 make a trial of substituting horsepower for human power in the 

 growing of cotton. 



TOO MANY KINDS OF COTTON. 



The diversity of kinds of staples and differences in length seem 

 detrimental to the best interests of the island farmers, yet such 

 conditions have perhaps always existed on the islands, or at least 

 since the special varieties of seed were propagated years ago by 

 intelligent selection. There can be no objection to a few planters 

 growing the extra-stapled Sea Island cottons if they choose to do so, 



