The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1908-11-07
PRESENTS REPORT OF Texas BOIL WEEYlL FIGHT.

sAS' foi TIE past three years InGy
have had too much rain.
l guess l saw 10000 acres in cot
ton and conversed with over a hun
dred farmers. To man they say moth
ing can defeat or destroy the boil
weevll. Some years they win. some
years they lose. The only method to
pursue is to plant early, chop out
fast, then start your cultiyator. work
ing 40 to 60 acres to the hand and
sweep it over to 12 times. Never
let up on plowing, but work the crop
until it natures, even until cotton
begins to open. then pick up your
sacks and go to picking. They sur
render the top crop from the start,
never count on any but tn beottom
and middle crop. This year the crop
will average a third of bale to the
acre.
In 1904 season were good, boil
weevils let up, and she made a
bumper crop of S6,241 bales. Now
comes the other years of continued
rain, combined with boil weevils. In
1905 she only made 1920 bales,
falling off since 1904 of the enor-
nous sum Of 46,321 bales, or a
money value to the county, count
ing seed and lint cotton at $4,000
per bale, of S2,316,050. Think of
that to one county, caused by little
bug, that the brain of man is pow
erless to combat.
Many of her farmers determined
to diversity still further, and the
county planted 1U,OvJ 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 35 cents bushe., hence no
encouragement is held out to diversi-
fly in perishable crops and the farm
ers of Collin will curtail their onion
crop in 1909.
In Mckinney DIR. Thompson gave
me his opinion of boil weevils, said
they had been in ooilin for years,
and no method had become known to
counteract their ravages; they dam
aged according to season. To illus
trate: He knew of 20 acres plant
ed in 1906 that made 4 bales; this
same 20 acres was planted in cotton
in 1907 and made less than two
bales. He knew of IA acres planted
in cotton in 1906 and made nine
bales; this same land was planted
in cotton in 1901 and made one bale
DR.. Gibson says when boil weevils
first appeared it 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-
ditions 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. Navarro in 1900 had pop
ulation OF 43,374 souls and raised
S8,013 bales of cotton. She has rails
ed much less since from results OF
boil weevil. Navarro is black iand
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 was to learn
how to combat the boil weeyil, he
said, "he would like for some one to
show him. and he said it like he
meant it, too He has been fighting
the boil weevil for seven years, and
is much at sea about whipping them
IS he was seven years ago. Asked
him If he made any money raising
cotton. His reply was. Some years
make and some years | lose all !
lave made on cotton. If did not di-
my crop. would lose out al
together" Before the boil weevil
.ame, he said that he averaged one
lalf bale of cotton to the acre, but
since their advent, he did not aver
Lge more than one-third of bale to
he acre; that he had adopted dfversi
ication with truck left or and stuck
o staple crops; said he raised plen-
y of corn; oats and hay, the mules,
lorses and hogs. Oats paid well when
easons hit right; raised 40 bushels
O the acre, and sold them for the
,ast three years at 40 cents bushel.
His hogs paid well, and mules and
lorses paid handsomely. He ran his
,lace part cash and part credit. but
ould not say cotton was a paying
rOp.
"Mr. Furgerson, what is your
node of farming?" He said, Il plant
sowden and Kings improved cotton.
'lant just as early as the spring will
dmit, even take the chances OF De-
ng caught by frost, when the cotton
) up and ready to chop, put it to one
talk and work it as quick and rapid
v as possible. Plow all the time.
se cultivators and work 40 acres
O the hand. If we have seasonabie
aims you will get ahead of the boil
7eevils and make q fair crop OF cot
on, one-third bale to the acre; some
cres will do better. II rain comes
n YOU in excess in June and July, the
iig is up and the boil weevil will
et you, and no money will De
lade."
I said, "Mr. Furgerson. would you
mind giving me your cotton results
or the past three years, no, Sir,
n 1906 | had in 800 acres in cotton. |
,oIl weevils not bad that year, and
made 2O7 bales. In 1907, had in !!
90 acres and made S5 bales; too |
nuch rain and boil weevils in 1907.
n 1908 / have in It's acres in cotton