Fibres, 



216 



[September, 19<W. 



of production of one pound of lint in 

 these examples ranges from Vic. per lb. 

 to 22 -8c. per lb., but neither of these 

 extreme results should be taken as 

 a basis. The former was the result 

 of an exceptional yield— 658 lb. of lint 

 cotton per acre, and accounting for 

 the seed at 50c a bushel, while the latter 

 was the result of a crop failure, 65 lb, of 

 lint cotton per acre. In the following 

 table we have separated the reports as 



follows:— „ , 



Net cost of production. 



General average of 45 reports ... 7.73c. per lb. 



Avenge of seven exceptionally favour- 

 able reports figuring below 5c. per lb. 4-25c. ,, ,, 



Average of 32 reports figuring between 



5e„and3e. •• ••• 6"82c. ,, 



Average of six exceptionally unfavour- 

 able reports figuring over 9c. per lb. 16 04c. ,, ,, 





General average of 45 

 estimates. 



Average of 7 estimates | 

 reporting cost 

 below 5 cents. 



Average of 3 - i estimates 

 reporting cost between 

 5 and 9 cents. 



Average of 6 estimates 1 

 reporting cost over 



9 cents. | 



Acres reported on 



1,153 





880i- 



241 



Preparation of soil (dol- 

 lars per acre) 



Planting and seed (dol- 

 lars per acre) 



Cultivation to maturity 

 (dollars per acre) ... 



Rent (dollars per acre) 



Wear and tear (dollars 

 per acre) 



1-62 

 •65 



3- 43 



4- 13 



•75 



T34 



•62 



4-09 

 3-46 



•75 



1- 5S 



■67 



2- 78 

 4-18 



•75 



1-78 



•62 



5-70 

 4-01 



•75 



Total cost to bring one 

 acre to maturity 



Yield of lino cotton per 

 acre (lb.) 



10-58 

 189 



10-26 

 290 



9-97 

 209 



12'86 



100 

 



Cost of lint cotton in 

 field (cents per lb.) .. 



Picking (cents per lb.) 



Ginning and hauling 

 (cents per lb.) 



5-60 

 2-21 



1-10 



3-54 

 1-69 



•81 



4-77 

 2-4 



1-07 



12-86 

 2-87 



1-44 



Gross cost of lint cotton 



(cents per lb.) 

 Less value of seed per 



lb. of lint 



8-91 

 1-18 



6-07 

 1-82 



7-98 

 1-16 



1717 

 113 



Net cost of lint cotton 

 per lb. 



7-73 



4-25 



6'82 



J 16-04 



I 



It is believed that with this elimina- 

 tion of the extreme figures on both sides, 

 leaving the average of the 32 replies 

 showing cost of production 6-82 cents 

 per lb., the result is a very fair re- 

 presentation based on the producers' 

 own figures of the average cost of pro- 

 ducing cotton in Texas ; though, as will 

 be seen by the table, this cost depends 

 principally on the yield per acre. No 

 one can figure on the cost of a crop 

 failure, and nothing is allowed for 

 personal expenses of the producer and 

 his family. Obviously the man who 

 raises a few bales of cotton only and 

 nothing else will have a hard time 

 getting along, no matter how high 

 cotton may sell, while the man who 

 raises his own supplies will make money, 

 no matter how low cotton may sell. It 

 is, of course, understood that nothing is 

 included in these figures for "fertilizers." 

 In the Eastern belt this is a serious 

 addition to the cost, though it is pro- 

 bably compensated for to some extent 

 by increased yield per acre. 



Messrs. Norden also call attention to 

 the publication in the Cotton, Trade 

 Journal (Savannah) for April of a state- 

 ment of cost of production said to be 

 made up from figures given by Mr. J. M. 

 Barwick, one of the leading farmers of 

 Clarendon County, South Carolina. 

 Adding rent and wear and tear to con- 

 form with Messrs. Norden's Texas calcu- 

 lations, Mr. Barwick's crop figures come 

 out as follows :— 



Ploughing, putting in fetilizers, etc., 20 



acres at $8 ... ... ... 160:00 



Fertilizers, 20 acres at $25 .. 500 '00 



Hoeing ... .. .. 30'00 



Rent .. .. .. 80 00 



Wear and tear ... ... ... 1500 



Picking35 bales at $7 50 .. .. 262-50 



Hauling, ginning, etc., 35 bales at $2 .. 70-00 



Gross cost of production .. 1,117-50 

 Less seed ... 262-50 



Net cost of production 35 bales, 



17,500 lb. cost of 1 lb, 4-89c ... 855*0 



In the light of these figures it is diffi- 

 cult to accept the Southern assurances 

 that the farmers " will go to the poor- 

 house on 8c. cotton" and that they 

 " must have 10c. to live above want" — 

 unless indeed we interpret " want" in 

 the liberal sense of the economists. 



