Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-05-22
DR.. STELL OBJECTS
To Killing Boil Worms and Letting Big
Bugs Go.
Farmers Advocate, Paris, Tex.

concerted action to exterminate the boil
worms in the four counties Of Red River.
Lamar, Fannin and Delta. The call urged
that inasmuch as the boil worms were get
ting worse from year to year. II steps
were not taken It would soon be that we
could raise no cotton at all in those coun-
ties; that the railroads congresses, oil
mills, cotton buyers and business. men
would put up the necessary money II the
farmers would apply the remedies. There
was a meeting called for all parties inter-
ested in those counties to meet Prof. F.
w. Mally on a given day In Paris. Said
meeting was held, and Prof. Mally was on
hand. Committees were appointed, etc. As
1 had no confidence whatever as to any
good results from such action I stayed
out-thought I would just lay low, keep
still and watch the battle go on against
his wormship as the money for the war
was to be put up by those who felt able
to do So and the farmers to only do the
fighting.
But how is It now? We are told that
certain variety of early corn, recommend
ed by Prof. Mally for the trap rows
has been purchased and will be sold to
the farmer at the dow price Of 10 cents
per pound. There are Sc pounds of shelled
corn to the bushel so we see the farmers
must pay $50 per bushel for an early
variety Of corn to plant late. when it
does seem that anyone should know that
4
ed early the result would be the same, that
is to bring the corn to the silk state in
proper time. This know can be done.
Common corn is a difference, then, of $4.75
in the price OF one bushel OF corn, which
would be s4T5 difference in the price of
100 bushels-pretty good sum it seems to
me- when one variety will answer the pur-
pose the same as the other, IL planted at
the proper time, unless IL be that the boil
worm has a choice in varieties. 1t seems
from Prof. Mally's experiments that he has
found out that the boil worm chews to-
bacco. eats red pepper, and drinks beer
(see Prof. Mally's report on the BOIL
worm of Cotton" Bulletin No. 49, Now,
IL the professor could only teach them to
smoke the deadly cigarette there might be
some hope of DISCRIMINATING them by that
route. I am quite sure ii cannot be done
by feeding them on corn and peas.
1t is altogether a mistake about the
boil worms doing more damage to cotton
now than they bid many years ago. 1t is
entirely owing ITO the seasons. OF dry
summers they do no damage Of conse-
quence on our black lands, and Of wet
years they do much damage; but not one
half the damage to cotton of wet years is
done by boil worms and sharp shooters.
Our black lands would not produce good
cotton crops Of extreme wet seasons If
there was not boil worm in the state.
When I found that the farmer would
have 70 go down in his pocket for $50 to
pay for one bushel of corn to feed the
boil worms on. concluded I would inves-
tigate this subject a little, even If my
own mind had been fully made up; and
believing the better plan would be to get
the desired information, I wrote and sub
mitted a few questions to cotton planters
of Caddo and Bossier parishes, Louisiana,
the same gentlemen upon whose planta-
lions Prof Mally made his experiments
I T.
Point, Caddo parish, and Mr.. NJ. A. Cur
it's, Of Bossier parish. Their answers are
as follows:
/. Both say Prof Mally's plans for
discriminating the boil worms were put in
operation on their plantations.
@ Mr.. Curtis did not continue the plans;
Mr. Glassen continued the plans two
year.
3. Both say the boil worms have not
! been exterminated.
4. Both say Prof Mally's plans for ex-
terminating the boil worms are not being
conducted now by any one in their section
to their knowledge.
3. Both agree that the boil worms do
not damage the cotton the same each
yearw.
s. Mr.. Curtis says the damage is much
/ worse OF wet years; Mr.. Glassen says
some worse of wet years.
Mr. GlasseIl says: THE worms were
worse here in 1893. than have ever seem"
| Now here IS the gist of the answers Of
these two gentlemen Of whom Prof. Nal
/ ly speaks in high terms as aiding him to
| prosecute his experiments by setting aside
parts of their plantations. Prof. Mally's
plans were put in operation, continued
| two years, did no good, but the worms
were actually worse the last year than
| ever before, and everybody quit In disgust
no one now using Prof. Mallys plans.
| Renosnober IL was in 1891 when Prof. Mally
prosecuted his plans in Louisiana. Now,
/ when his plans have been entirely aban-
doned by the cotton planters of Louis
/ lana as worthless, will the farmers of
| this section take them up at a big eX-
pense and a whole lot of foolishness?
/ Would It not be a good thing, while our
/ aforesaid friends bosoms are actually
heaving in deep and earnest sympathy on
account of the boil worm, just to invite
i them to drop the little bug matter and
/ give us zone strong pull, hard pull. and
| null altogether after the big bugs? You
| see, the little bugs only prey upon the
cotton crop one to one and one-half
months Of wet years, whereas the big two
legged kid-glove silk-hat bugs (the cot
ton bears) put I'm their Infamous work
every year, and from the first day of
| January to the last day of December-the
l whole twelve mOnths-and II there were
| is months In the year. they would occupy
all the time. Neither does It matter to
i them whether II is a short or a long
crop, they are doing all they can to de-
press prices. They are the bugs that need
determination worse than any other bugs
know of. It would be a blessing to the
farmer II all these rascals had died of
collie, Group, spasms, OF summer COM
plant while they were in their cradles.
Yours for an energetic war on big bugs.
W. W. STEEL.