The new South-news., 1908-11-07
RESEl1s REPORT or TEXAS BOIL WEEVIL FIGHT

s'-7' "a" S'-NN' acres in cot
ton and conversed with over a hpn.
drea farmers. To man they say moth
ing can defeat or destroy the boil
"eesil some years they win som,
years they lose. The only method tc
pursue y 70 plant early. chon on,
tast. then start your cuitiVator work.
ing =" to 60 acres 10 the hand aad
sweep II over 5 to tl4 times Never
let up on plowing. hu, work the crop
unti 1t natures. even unu cotton
begins 10 open. then pick up vour
sacks and 70 TO picking. They sur.
render the top crop from the start.
never count on any but tn beoitom
and middle crop. This year the crou
VIII average third OF a hale to the
acre.
In 1904 season were good, boil
weevils let up, and she made a
bumper crop OF s6.2s1 bales. Now
comes the other years of continued
rain, combined with boil weeviis. In
1905 she only made 3e.e2O bales
falling off since 1904 OF the enor-
nous sum OF 1921 bales. or n
money value to the county. count
ng seed and lint cotton at $1,000
per bale. OF $2,3is,050. Think of
that to one county. caused by a little
bug. that the brain OF man is pow
ericss TO combat.
Many OF her farmers determined
to diversity still further. and the
county planted 1o.t.s acres in on
IONS, a pretty good sized patch for
one county. Asked what onions were
worth IN Chicago and ST. Louis. and
was told 30 cents a hush. d, hence no
announcement is held out to divcrsi-
iy IN perishable crops and the farm
ers OF Collin will curtaii their onion
crop in 1909.
In Mckinney DR.. Thompson gave
me his opinion of boil weevi,s. said
they had been in ~onin for years.
and no method had become known To
rounteract their rayages; they dam
aged according to season. To illus
trate lie knew OF 20 acres plant
"a IN 1906 that made IA bales: this
same 20 acres 'Sas planted in cotton
IN 1907 and made less than two
bales. He knew of II acres planted
IN cotton in 1906 and made nine
bales: this same land was planted
in cotton in 1870. and made one bale.
nr. Gibson says when boil wcevils
frst appeared ii looked like starva-
tion for three years. Said he chang
ed his tactics and raised everything
on the farm that would support the
farm; Topped off all expenses; con-
dftions improved, the boil weevil
grew less, better crops were made.
but the economy continued. and he
has recovered his losses and his farm
Is on paying basis. Makes less
cotton. but the price of cotton has
been better until this year and that
was great factor. VIII collect his
rents this year and his land will net
him $3.50 to $500 per acre rent.
His crop Will average one-third of a
bale TO the acre.
Corsicana is the county seat of
Navarro. and has about $4,000 pop-
.ulation. NaSaryo in ] 300 had a pop-
uiatiou OF 43.374 souls and raises
ss,olS bales OF cotton. She has rails
ed much less since from results OF
boil weevil. Navarro is a black .and
rolling prairie country and her lands
are very rich and fertile. The first
farm ! visited was that OF w. S. Fer
guson. After introducing myself
and stating my mission wos to learn
how TO combat the boil weevil. he
said. -he would like for some one to
show him. and he said 1t like he
meant II. too He has been fighting
the boil weevii for seve. years. and
is much at sea about whipping them
as he was seven years ago Asked
him II he made any money raising
cotton. Ills reply was, Some years
| make and some years lose all
have made on cotton. II did not di-
yersily my crop. would lose out al
together" Before the boil weevil
came, Re said that he averaged one
half bale of cotton to the acre, but
since their advent, he did not aver
age more thar one-third of a bale TO
the acre; that he had adopted diversi
fication with truck left OF and stuck
to staple crops; said he raised plen-
ty or corn, oats and hay, the mules.
horses and hogs. Oats paid well when
seasons hit right; raised 40 bushels
to tie acre. and sold them for the
past three years at 40 cents a bushel
His hogs paid well. and mules and
horses paid handsomely. He ran his
place part cash and part credit. but
could not say cotton was a paying
crop.
Mr.. Furgerson. what is your
mode OF farming?" He said, Il plant
Rowden and Kings improved cotton.
Plant just as early as the spring will
admit. even take the chances OF be-
ing caught by frost. when the cotton
is up and ready to chop. put II to one
stalk and work II as quick and rapid
ly as possible Plow all the time. /
use cultivators and work 40 acres
to the hand. II we have seasonable
rains you will get ahead OF the boil
weevils and make fair crop of cot
ton. one-third bale to the acre; some
acres will do better. II rain comes
on you In excess In June and July, the
Jig is up. and the boil weevil will
get you. and no money will be
made"
said. "Mr. Furgerson. would you
mind giving ME your cotton results
for the past three years. 40. sir.
in 1906 mad In 500 acres in cotton
III