The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-12-05
WILL MEAN MUCH
 FUR WHOLE SOUTH
Boil WeeyiI Convention Begins
 Next Week
TRYING TO FIND A REMEDY
Various Sections of Several States Are Urged to Send Full Delegations
 to the Convention at Shreveport.

New Orleans. December 4-(specialO- The National Boil Weevil convention to be held at Shreveport, La. December 12 to 15, and which will be attended by dele gates from many states both east and west of the Mississippi river, has cut out for it, a task, the success of which means the salvation and the failure of which means possibly the eventual destruction or serious curtallment of the south's great staple. This subpect will be discussed in far broader and more comprehensive manner than ever before in the effort to find ways and means to check the east ward progress of the weevil over south ern cotton fields.
 Preparations have been made to have present many of the most distinguished scientists of the country to confer with the practical planters and it is believed some substantial benefit will result and a device will be found to check if not totally eliminate the pest which threatens the very life of southern prosperity.
 All Are Interested.
 Planters, cotton men, spinners and
 
 cotton crop, favored in every possible way by ideal weather, has taxed the labor and the acreage of the south to the ut most degree. The perfect combination of circumstances, which may not be dupli- cated in generation, has resulted in a record breaking crop. Undoubtedly, the spinners will consume far more cotton Iae f,,f f-fr of the industry. and just so long as the south continues to supply all the cotton the spnners require no very strenuous or sweepingly concerted effort will be made to make India, Africa or Australia big cotton producers.
 The rapid encroachment of the boil weevil however, is having a very serious effect on the confidence of foreign spin ners who. looking ahead several years, are wondering where their supplies of raw cotton are to come from when the boil weevil will have devasted all the fields west and possibly east of the Mis- sissippi as they have done in southern Texas, and when the American mills shall have greatly increased their annual takings.
 Every year the world requires increased quantities of clothing and the manufac- turers of dry goods require Increased quantities of raw cotton
 Can Produce All Required.
 For hundred years to come the soutf can and will produce all the cotton th' cotton the world will require, provided the progressive ravages of the boil weevi be checked. In the boil weeyil infested districts ten acres in many instances fai to yield one bale of cotton. Experts as sert this will be the condition of the en tire cotton belt unless some successful method of destroying the boil weevil b' found immediately.
 Governor Yardaman of Mississippi whose telegram to President Francis O the Louisiana Purchase exposition in re gard to President Roosevelt has caused wide spread comment, will preside owe the deliberations of the convention.
 The deepest interest in the coming con vention Is being taken by leading citizen throughout the south, and by the north ern and foreign cotton interests
 Success will mean much to the south but should the delegates fall to find { remedy for the boil weevil evil, 1t wil mean nothing less than calamity to tn cotton industry of the south within very few years. Therefore many prom nent men, who have given the matte deep thought, are personally urging tn various sections of the several states t send full delegations tc Shreveport oi December 12.