Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-07-13
war ON The WEEVlL
P1ans Outlined by Government Agents
ConEress Appropriated s1eo,o0O for
the Campaign and Gave the
Secretary Of Agriculture
Full Authority.


Dr. Beverley +. Galloway chief Of the
bureau of plant industry of the DEPART
mcnt of agriculture after consultation
with a number of special agents engaged
in working out the cotton boil wcevil
problem, has authorized tho course his
bureau will pursue in this work during
the coming year. SAYS the regular WASH
ingion correspondent of the Boston
Transcript.
At the last session of Congress 100000
was appropriat ed for the p,Irposc of meet
ing the emergency caused by the invasion
and spread of the boil wocvil in tho South
The wording of this appropriation is such
that il gives the secretary of aurjcult,lro
authority not only to investigate the
habits of the wccvil itself tho wor, of
the entomologists but also To- make stud
leg in the divcrsiiication of crops cstab-
lish demonstration farms and carry on
nvcstig at ions in the breeding OF improv-
ing varieties of cotton; also to study and
suggest methods of preventing several of
the most serious cotton diseases
For the purpose of administration the
work is divided in the department bet wccn
the bureau of entomology and tho bureai,
OF plant industry. The work of tho bu-
ronli of plant industry will he carried or,
along n number of different lines one If
the features which Dr. Galloway consid-
cis of importance is the work that Will
be done on co-operative farms. hv induc
ing farmers to adopt better methods of
cultivation. Improved cultural methods.
the planting of early maturing varieties
OF cotton, proper fertilization of the soil
and similar methods Of insuring vigorous
growth and early maturity of cotton will
nc special features of this work Rcpra.
scntatives of TN, department visit farm
Ing communities and induce. progressive
farmers to set aside certain portions of
their fields. from ) to ~ acres usually. to
ne planted and cultivated in accordance
with plans furnished by IN. government
employees. Tho farmers entering into this
arr.inGcm cnt arc visited from time to time
by agents Of the department who rivo
special instructions as to how the crops
should l." managed At the close of tn.
season the Yields on these demonstration
fields are compared with tho Yields from,
fields cultivated in the usual way. Last
year more than 5.nO1 farmers co-operatcl
with the experts in this way. and this
year an equal number will he engaged in
the work
An other line of investigation is in con-
ncction with the breeding Of types of cot.
ton which will be earlier and better adapt-
ed Ia meet now conditions presented nv
the boil weevil
OF the standard varieties Of cotton many
have slIccumhcd readily To Tn. wocvil
and it is important to procure types which
Will he prolific and at the same tim. he
early maturing. The important breeding
work will be conducted mainly in tbs.
vicinity of Waco Texas
Diversification farms are planned TO on
courage the growing of other crops be-
sides cotton with a view tn modifying
the single crop system Of the South. The
farms will be conducted in such a WAY
as to cndeavor TO make them n CONNER
cial success. Tho department nuts very
little money into tho farms directIv
Agents organize the work and dcvclop tho
plans and the farmers themselves AFRO
encouraged to do the rest TWENTY-FIVE.
or 30 of these farms are already in opcra
ton presenting object lessons Ia the
farmers throughout the South who carr.
to take advantage Of the opport,,nity.
Besides the ravagcs of the boil woeyil
there are certain diseases of cotton which
cause damage each wear. one of these.
tn, so-caled root rot. has proved destr,n-
tive in certain portions Of Texas and other
cotton growing States. The bureau of
plant industry is making an nttempt to
develop types Of cotton resistant to this
disease
Further Investigations are being made
Of cottons found in Guatemala and other
Central and South American countries.
Some remarkable types of cotton have