The Grenada sentinel., 1906-10-13


s;ssippi means a changing Of condition
and methods. When the weevil cam
to Texas the people were not prepare
for him and the resultant damage wa
immense. Now, after several year
contact with the pest, it is considere'
by some in the shape of q blessin!
rather than a curse. AT first the prize
of lands tumbled to less than half thei
former value and it looked as if th'
country was ruined; however, with 1
general diversification of the crop anC
an intelligent handling of cotton, The
ravages of the weevil have been mini
mized and the country is again becOm
Ing prosperous. There is no reason
why Mississippi should not profit by
the experience of Texas. If our people
would take an interest in the matter
and acquaint themselves with the con
ditiOn that must be met, the damage
would not be near so great. 1t was for
that the writer tried SO hard to get as
sistance from the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture in waging a cam
paign of education, preparing our peo-
pie for the advent of the weevil before
he got here. There is no desire to
frighten farmers or to unnecessarily
alarm them, only to create an interest
that will insure their becoming famil-
iarized with what is necessary to pre-
vent the great damage done in Texas.
The preliminary meetings of this cam
paign will be attended by prominent
people who are prepared to give the re-
suit of many years experience with the
pest in Texas and Louisiana. These
are to be followed up by precinct meet
ings in the territory that will first feel
the effect of the weevil. By this means
the people can be prepared to handle
the matter sensibly and to their advan-
tage. 1t is to be hoped that the inter-
est will be such as to warrant a contin-
uarce of this campaign.
The writer in his official capacity has
been endeavOring TO create an interest
in the approach and sure advent of the
boil weevil; not to cause unnecessary
but for the purpose of ac-
quainting our people with the habits Of
the insect and the proper methods of
fighting him. The Aberdeen Examiner
along this same line offers the follow
ing good advice:
Don't worry over the approaching
bell weevil; simply put your house in
order and defy him. The evil, almost
unless some strange phe-
nomena arrests its progress, will only
be temporary. With climate and soil
ike ours, all things are practicable in
n the way of culture The fact is, you
can plOw prairie lands deep, harrow and
roll them, and get more out of your hay
crops than most of you can on your cot
ton, and as 80 the labor question, that
will cease to worry you until the gen.
eral revival Of cotton planting. Two
years of boil weevil on the prairie will
make that section the greatest stock
section of the Union. AS to the sand
ands. we do not believe: that they will
De invaded by the weevil." "
This is excellent advice, especially |
hat part relating to getting your house |
n order and defying, the weevil. The
ldvent of the weevif will undoubtedly |
mean diversifcation of crops and |
necessarily rotation, and may after all !
'rove blessing to" our. State if taken
1t has proven so in Texas
nd it stands our people in hand to
'rofit by the experience of that great
'tate. Don't worry, but be prepared.
At intervals during the past few
ears the writer has called attention to