34 tACKENG AKD MAEKETING OF COTTOW. 



with the handling after it has been gathered that consideration may 

 with propriety be given the efforts being made by the Department 

 of Agriculture in this direction. The application of scientific meth- 

 ods to cultivation will undoubtedly result not only in producmg 

 more and better cotton, but in the uplift of the farmer materially 

 and morally, the elimination of much of the wastefulness that attends 

 the present system of mairketing, and in the promotion of trade at 

 home and abroad in this great national staple. The growing of cot- 

 ton of certain types in particular localities in which climatic condi- 

 tions are favorable to such types is not only rational and logical, but 

 will prove educational, and therefore highly profitable to the farmer. 

 The fact that the general average output per acre is ordinarily about 

 1 80 pounds of lint cotton, and that, except in the case of a sea island 

 growth, it is largely without definite quality or character, furnishes 

 strong and sufficient reason for remedial action. It is believed by 

 many who have given thought to this general subject that such action 

 . can be best inaugurated by the Government through the Departments 

 of Agriculture and of Commerce and Labor, the former directing 

 effort to the adoption of better methods of cultivation and the latter 

 to the expeditious and economical handling of the cotton when ready 

 for market. 



FOECEFUXi rLIiUSTEATIONS. 



Numerous illustrations could be cited to establish what can be done 

 with proper cultivation. The Department of Agriculture has given 

 a number of practical demonstrations, and the agricultural depart- 

 ments of several of the States have given similar demonstrations. As 

 previously explained, demonstrations have been made at various 

 points in the cotton belt of the value of planting certain types of 

 cotton. As a result of these demonstrations numerous cases are re- 

 ported of largely increased output of a high class of cotton, thus 

 establishing that the yield can be increased without undue increase 

 in the cost of production. Evidence that more and better cotton can 

 be produced by improved methods of cultivation is furnished by sales 

 made this season at Clarksville, Tex. What is known as Red River 

 County seed is largely planted in that State. This type has been 

 found to produce the best results, and Texas planters are oeing urged 

 to employ it. This class of cotton sold at Clarksville for IS cents per 

 pound because of its staple, while cotton of equal grade brought the 

 same day only 10 cents. 



According to the revised estimate of the Bureau of Statistics of 

 the Department of Agriculture, the area planted in cotton in 1911 

 was 36,681,000 acres, of which 636,000 acres were abandoned, leaving 

 36,045,000 acres as the area from which the crop was harvested. The 

 average production of lint per acre in 1911 was 208 pounds, as com- 

 pared with 171 pounds in 1910. The last crop not only exceeded 

 that of any previous year in aggreate weight and in average yield per 

 acre, but prices obtained were generally satisfactory to the growers. 



GKADING AT THE GIN. 



There is reason for believing that an organization on lines suggested 

 in this report would not only tend to cure the evils described but 



