The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-04-03
Consolidated Aug. 2. 1881.

of hales in spite of the boil weevil.
What about the possibility Of ex-
terminating the weevil and what are
the probabilities Of its ever eachlng
South Carolina?
Well, it is headed in this direction,
and in fact, in every direction where
cotton is grown, and is advancing its
vanguard at the rate Of about sixty
miles a. year. You can calculate about
when to look for his appearance in
this State. There is little hope OF ex-
termination, except by abandonment
of cotton growing over the entire in
fected area for one year, and we can
not hope for such s. drastic measure
except as a last resort. The farmers
have become reconciled to the pres
ence Of the boil weevil and are going
to remain in the field and put up q
! hotly contested fight for supremacy,
and predict that they will be sue
cessful. All are unanimously oppos-
ed to the boil weevil issue and will
fight it to a finish. The railroads run
boil weevil specials and the govern
ment has established boil weevii pen
itentiaries. The State officials, and
the railroads, bankers and merchants
are au lending their aid and working
in the utmost harmony with the
farmers.
Tell me about the boil weevil pen
itentiary?
Oh, that is all a practical joke. You
see our government entomologists are
making an elaborate study Of the life.
history and hibernating habits Of the
weevil as well as the conditions fa-
vorable or adverse to its multiplicar
ton and dissemination. For this pur-
pose they have established in various
places large wire gauze insectaries OF
breeding cages where great numbers
Of weevils are kept under observa-
ton. Now it is a significant fact that
the coIored man looks upon the boil
weevil with considerable intrepid
ton, and when the weevils become
too numerous in the fields the darky
takes leave. It seems to be a case Of
incompatibiiity Of association. A few
weeks ago an old darky down in Tex
as allowed his curiosity to dominate
his intrepidity and ventured suff1-
ciently. near one Of those breeding
cages to behold the great numbers of
weeyils that were under surveillance
and he at once concluded that it was
boz weevil penitentiary and so
dubbed it on the spot. AS result the
name. has been quite universally
adopted for all of the entomologist
boil weevil breeding cages through
that section of the country
.Mr. Gardner, what is your mis-
sion in South Carolina?"
well, I have stopped off here for
few days only to look into the use
and abuse of the fertilizer practice.
I understand that the farmers Of
Sumter county and in the whole of
South Carolina for that matter, have
become hopelessly addicted to the
fertilizer habit They have reached
that point where they can no longer
grow crops without the liberal use Of
commercial fertilizers or manure and
each succeeding year records an in
crease in the fertilizer bill of the
State, which now aggregates several
millions Of dollars annually. When
one-fourth or one-third of farmers
capital is Annually invested in ferti-
lizers, t...e' problem Of their most
economical use not only justifies the
careful consideration Of the farmer,
but also demands the best efforts OF
men of scientific attainment, who are
engaged in agricultural investiga-
tions.
"Nost Of your readers are doubtless
aware that the bureau Of soils is now
making a soil survey Of Sumter and
Lee counties. The work has been un-
der way for nearly three months, and
it will require about three months
more work for its completion. There
are four trained soil experts in the
field with Mr.. Frank Bennett in
charge. The other members Of the
party are G. w. Tailby, Jr., j. L. Bur-
CESS and w J. Latimer. Similar soil
surveys have already been made Of
Darlington, Charleston, Lancaster,
York, Cherokee, Orangeburg and sew
eral other counties IN the State. The
results of these surveys are publish