Why is it risky to invest in a commodity? a commodity has little or no value as a long-term investment. commodity stocks cannot be traded after you purchase them. the commodity's price might drop significantly very quickly. the investment will tie up your money for more than one year.

In 1914, alabama produced 1.7 million bales of cotton, but three years later produced only 515,000, bales. meanwhile, in georgia, 5.2 million acres of land was dedicated for cotton production in 1914, but by 1923 there were just 2.6 million acres used for growing cotton. all of this was the result of the work of a tiny insect: the boll weevil. alabama and georgia first felt the effects of the boll weevil at different times. what would account for this difference in timing?