12 FACTORS THAT LED TO THE SHIFTING OF COTTON GROWING FROM THE EAST (OLD COTTON BELT) TO THE WEST (NEW COTTON BELT)

• There was a lot of rain in the East which used to destroy the cotton bolls as opposed to the West where rainfall was moderate to allow cotton grow well.

• The damp climatic conditions in the East were responsible for the multiplication of pests and diseases e.g. the cotton boll weevils, cotton Steiner and the pink boll worms which used to destroy the crop. This forced many farmers to shift West wards where the area was still free from pests and diseases.
• The exhaustion of soil fertility in the East accelerated the shifting of Cotton growing from East to West.
• The sunny weather conditions in the West for quick ripening of the cotton bolls paved way for the shifting of cotton growing from East to West.
• The severe soil erosion in the East which was due to heavy rainfall and mono-cultural systems led to low yields forcing farmers to look for new areas which are not affected by soil erosion.

• The American civil wars of 1861 – 1865 which led to the destruction of many cotton
  plantations in the States of Georgia and California forced many farmers to shift West wards.
• The new Cotton belt had fairly flat landscape where mechanization could be practiced.
• Presence of fertile virgin land in the West.

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