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County Agent J. L. Dove advises that the cotton acreage for this county, upon which there is a splendid stand, will approximate 800 acres. This new venture for a staple crop does not confine itself to any one section of Caswell, but fields have been seeded in Milton, Dan river and Leasburg townships, and while the money crop of tobacco is below normal on account of the dry conditions, the cotton is growing well.
The crop which is now being crown is not at all in the nature of an experiment, because it was demonstrated last year that cotton could be grown with a marked degree of success and also of such a grade as to command high prices.
The correspondent visited recently the farm of J. C. Bryant, three miles east of Milton. The crop grown by him last year was as follows: On 22 acres he grew 25 bales, or twelve thousand five hundred pounds. This he sold for 30 cents per pound, making a gross sale for $3,750. He sold the excess seed for $550, in all the crop, cotton and seed, bringing $4,300.
The cost of the crop was as follows: Fertilizers $350, labor $80. Net return $3,850. This cotton was raised by a share cropper, Mr. Bryant receiving for his rental $1,930.
It will be of interest to give a comparative statement. Mr. Bryant had this share cropper on his farm for several preceding years and planted tobacco. Mr. Bryant's share of the tobacco money was for one year $60 and the next $450. This year Mr. Bryant is planting 50 acres in cotton. He has a splendid stand and will soon complete his first chopping. The hot dry weather appears to hasten the growth, and while much of the tobacco of his neighbors is suffering severely, he is watching his cotton grow.
Another very fine thing about the crop of last year is that the crimson clover, seeded in the cotton fields has left the lands in a condition which is very desirable for the present crop. Mr. Bryant believes that the soil fertility in his field has been increased more than 50 percent.
W. L. Thomas of Milton, is the largest of the county's cotton growers. He has under good stand at present 148 acres, and has set up a gin at Milton for the baling of his and other growers' cotton.
Senator Robert T. Wilson is another pioneer in this movement and his field, near Purley, in Dan River township, is indeed a beautiful one.
Mr. Dove, county agent, is asking the farmers of the county to inspect the fields of these planters and make a careful and painstaking investigation. He believes that it will be a practical thing for much cotton to be grown in Caswell. -- Yanceyville Cor. Danville News.
Source: The Reidsville Review (Reidsville, Rockingham County, North Carolina), 13 June 1923, Wednesday, Page 1.
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