The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1907-02-02
FIGHTING BOIL WEEvILS.
Demonstration Farms Proposed to Show
the People flow to Destroy
the Pest.

ing all he can DO TO nave auuftiOHa
demonstration farms operated il
this, the Fourth Congressional Dis
trict, la order to counter act the raw.
ages of the Mexican boil weevil. A
number Of these farms were operated
in different parishes of North Louisi
ana Inst year, and it is hoped that
more work along the same lines will
be done during the. coming season.
Congressman Watkins is doing
what he can in the interest OF the
work, as will he shown by the follow
ing letter which he addressed to the
members of the Committee on Agri-
culture from the lower branch OF
Congress:
> Washington, d. c., Jan. II, 1907.
Dear Sir:-On December / 7th, | filed
bill H. r. 22672, asking for an ap-
preparation Of fifty Thousand dollars
To construct demonstration farins
in the Mexican cotton boil weevil ter
ritory, as an emergency fund, to be
immediately available.
As hearing was set for January
18th, and DR.. Knapp, OF Louisiana,
who has charge of this work, was
notified to appear on that day, ex-
pected to appear with him before the
Commit tee aud urge the appropria-
ton. DIR. Knapp having arrived on
the 14th, and for his accommodation
the hearing having been re-fixed for
that day, as DIR. Knapp, DIR. Gallo-
way and Others presented their views,
now wish tn emphasize my claim
for this appropriations.
Unless these demonstra ton farms
are enabled to be operated at once
the desired results can not he accom-
piished. To conduct a successful
demonstration farm there must be,
first: Thorough preparation Of the
soil. Second: Early planting. Third:
Rapid and thorough cultivation.
Fourth: The rows must he wide
apart. Fifth: Thecrop must be high
ly fertilized. Sixth: An early varie- 1
ty If seed should be planted, and
seventh: All the stalks and rubbish
should be destroyed after the crop is
gathered.
You will readily see that this pro-
gramme requires early preparation,
which must be tuade before the gen.
ernl agricultural appropriation bill
goes into effect. Ii this appropria-
ton IL made Immediately available
and the demonstration farms are
sufficiently numerous and properly
conducted, the boil weevil can be kill
ed out and choked off in Louisiana
before it reaches Mississippi.
That the people are in earnest is
evidenced by the fact that an daily
receiving large number Of letters,
besides petitions and memorials sign
ed by farmers, merchants, bankers
and people Of all avocations in my
district.
That the demonstration farms will
accomplish the desired results is
shown not only by the statements
made to your Committee by Doctors
Galloway and Knapp, but by the
statements nj Colonel Charles Schulrr.
Secretary of Agriculture for the State
of Louisiana. he says:
..In DeSoto parish there are $50
demonstra ton farms. They do more
good than schools. They are super
vised by a man paid by DR.. Knapp,
and they will he in every parish in
which cotton is raised before long.
1t is very important that the demon
str,tion farms he established. One
planter planted forty acres and made
four bales. His neighbour put seven
acres in cotton and made five bales"
The first man planted and cultiva-
ted in the old way, and the second
used the demonstration methods.
A negro living on Colonel Schuler's
place raised 16 bales of cotton on "a
acres of top land, following the dem
onstration plan; a neighboring negro
on the same kind Of land, not adopt
ing the demonstration plan, nude
only 800 pounds of seed cotton ON
u acres. He proceeds to givea num-
Der Of illustrations of II similar kind.
While the white farmer greatly bene-
fits by these demonstration farms,
the negro is more particularly bene-
fitted. He is u great imitator, and
when he sees thing done and knows
that it can be accomplished by the
white man, he goes about doing the
same thing for himself.
There are about as many negroes
depending on agriculture for living
in Louisiana as there are white peo-
pie; and they will be the greatest sui
iers from the ravages of the boil
weevil, rs they cannot put their tai
ents to work to advantage in any
other line than raising cotton.
II this fifty thousand dollars asked
for is appropriated to be immetliate-
l.. :, -. n. bla II will do mora srnaAd