The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1907-01-31
THE BOIL WEEvIL.

Congressman j. T. Watkins has furnish
ed the newspapers of the Fourth Congress
sional District with copies of the following
letter, with request to publish the same:
WASHINGTON, D. c., Jan. II, 1907.
Dear Sir: On December II | filed H.
R. 22,672, asking for an appropriation OF
$50. 900 to conduct demonstration farms in
the Mexican boil weevil territory, as an
emergency fund, to be Immediately avail
able.
AS a hearing was set for January u,
and DR.. Knapp of Louisiana, who has
charge of this work, was notified to appear
on that day, expected to appear with him
before the committee and urge the appro-
priation. DR.. Knapp having arrived on
the 18th, and for his accommodation the
hearing having been re-fxed for that day,
as DR.. Knapp, DR.. Galloway and others
presented their views, l now wish to en-
phasize my claim for the appropriation.
Unless these demonstration farms are
enabled to be operated at once, the desired
results can not be accomplished. To con-
duct successful demonstration farm there
must be first, thorough preparation of the
soil. Second, early planting. Third, rapid
and thorough cultivation. Fourth, the
rows must be wide apart. Fifth, the crop
must be highly fertilized. Sixth, an early
variety of seed must be planted; and
seventh, all the stalks and rubbish in the
field must be destroyed after the crop is
gathered.
You will readily see that this programme
requires early preparation, which must be
made before the general agricultural APP
preparation bill goes into effect. If this
appropriation is made Immediately availa-
BILE, and the demonstration farms are suf-
ficiently numerous and properly conducted,
the boil weevil can be choked off and killed
out in Louisiana before it reaches Missis-
sippi.
That the people are in earnest is evil
denced by the fact that l am daily receiving
a large number of letters, beside petitions
and memorials signed by farmers, mer-
chants, bankers and people of all avoca-
tons in my district.
That the demonstration farms will ac-
complish the desired results is shown not
only by the statements made to your COM
mittee by Drs. Galloway and Knapp, but
by the statements of Col. Charles Schiller,
Secretary of Agriculture for the State Of
Louisiana. He says:
In DeSoto Parish there are 100 demon
stration farms. They do more good than
schools. They are supervised by man
paid by DR.. Knapp, and they will be in
every parish in which cotton is raised before
long. 1t is very important that the demon
stration farms be established. One planter
planted forty acres and made four bales.
His neighbor put seven acres in cotton and
made five bales.''
The first man planted and cultivated in
the old way, and the last used the demon
stration methods.
A negro living on Colonel Schuler's
place raised Is bales of cotton on "a acres
of top land, following the demonstration
plan; a neighboring negro on the same
kind Of land, not adopting the demonstra-
ton plan, made only 1854 pounds of seed
cotton on q acres. He proceeds to give a
number of illustrations of similar kind.
While the white farmer greatly benefits
by these demonstration farms, the negro
is more particularly benefited. He is a
great imitator, and when he sees thing
done and knows that it can be accomplish
ed by the white man, he goes about doing
the same thing for himself.
There are about as many negroes de-
pending on agriculture for living in Loui-
siana as there are white people; and they
will be the greatest sufferers from the raw
ages of the boil weevil, as they can not
put their talents to work to advantage in
any line than raising cotton.
If this $4,000 asked for is appropriated
to be Immediately available, it will do more
good than twice the amount after the crop
has been pitched for the season.
Earnestly requesting that the appropria-
ton be granted, to be made Immediately
available,
| am, most respectfully,
]. T. WATKINS, M. C.
Gems Of Thought.
Bible: The triumphing Of the wicked is