The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1909-03-24

however, was based on the migration
! of the insect in Texas, which is prac-
! tically woodless. In Louisiana and
| Mississippi the advance into new ter
ritory has been much more rapid,
/ the territory in those states infested
during the past three years produc-
! ing considerably over 100000 bales
as compared with 100000 bales pro-
duced in the new infested area in
| Texas during the same period. 1t
/ has already been shown that the an
nual advance of the weevil into new
territory in all states since 1900 has
covered an area producing 1000
bales. On this basis it will only take
about nine years for the whole of
the cotton belt south of the 35th
degree of latitude to become infest-
ed Excluding western Texas and
OkIahoma) But assuming that the
advance eastward is at the rate of
only so miles per annum, then in
twelve years the whole of this re-
gion, extending to the North and
bSouth Carolina state line will have
become infested, and each year
would spread over an area as fol-
lows:
In 1909, area producing 10000
bales, possible loss 381, 200 bales.
In 1910, area producing $4,000
bales, possible loss 100000 bales.
In 1911, area producing 416, 1000
bales, possible loss 2O8,OOO bales.
In 1912, area producing $4,000
bales, possible loss, 218,000 bales,
In 1913, area producing $4,000
bales, possible loss 1879, 1000 bales.
In 1914 area producing $4,000
bales, possible loss PIT, 900 bales.
In 1915, area producing 01,0OO
bales, possible loss $4,000 bales.
In 1916, area producing 10000
bales, possible loss 100000 bales.
In 1917, area producing $4,000
bales, possible loss 100000 bales.
In 1918 area producing 5O5,OO0
bales, possible loss $4,000 bales.
In 1919, area producing 5000
bales, possible loss 242,OO0 bales.
In 1920, area producing 100000
bales, possible loss 100000 bales.
Average, SAB, 900 bales, with pos
sible loss 271,00O bales.
(Note.-The above figures are
based on the record crop of 19O4.)
OF course it would be impossible to
estimate with any degree of accura-
cy the damage that will result from
the eastward advance of the weevil
But past experience has shown that
the yield in Texas has been reduced
rs pounds, and that of Louisiana As
pounds per acre, due mainly to the
ravages of this pest. 1t can, there
fore, be reasonably assumed that
every year for many years to come
the production of cotton in the newly
infested territory will surely be not
less than %, but perhaps as much as
As pounds to the acre. Meanwhile
the annual losses in the territory al
ready infested will continue, the
measure Of which will be determined
only by weather conditions and the
intelligence exercised by the plant
ers
DR.. Hunter has stated that a care
full examination of the statistics has
indicated that the weevil causes a
loss in production for a few years
after its advent of about so per cent.
of the area infested If we are
guided by past experience the aver
age annual loss on the basis of the
figures given in the table above,
which are conservative, will amount
to no less than 10000 bales each
year as the weevil travels eastward.
From these deductions it must be
admitted that the cotton trade of the
world is confronted with a very
serious proposition-the limitation
of the supply of cotton from the
United States for some years to
come. 1t is even doubtful, look at
it from whatever standpoint we may,
whether within the next four or five
years this country will be able to
produce another fourteen million
bale crop. We have the acreage to
produce it, but the labor supply is
limited, and what there is will be-
come as demoralized as it is now in
Louisiana and Mississippi, and this
decentralization will increase with
the eastward invasion of the weevil.
1t will reach it's worst stages in the
best and richest cotton lands of the
belt where cotton culture is carried
on almost exclusively by negro labor.
The only hope of keeping the crop
up to the average OF the last four
or five years (say 1917 million
bales, commercial crop seems to be-
in an increase of acreage in western
Texas and Oklahoma. And this may
be offset by a decrease in other
states caused by the invasion of the
Weevn.