The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-03-18

= Lessons from the Cotton Crop
s of 1909.
* * * x = x * X
The season. of 1909, while one of
the worst We have ever known tor
the cotton crop in all but the At
lantic States, taught some valuable
lessons:
First-It demonstrated that crop
of cotton, under heavy boil weevil
infestation, could be made after
July 1st, provided the farmers pick
up the punctured squares and work
the field Extensively. In fact, there
were very few bolls on the cotton
plants in Louisiana and Southwest
Mississippi on July 1st, 1909. The
weather then became dry and warm,
and such as followed the instructions
of the Government Demonstration
Work made a fair crop Of cotton,
both on the aluvial bottoms and
On the hill lands, and the planters
who failed to follow such instructions
made very little. Louisiana has al
ways had years Of short cotton
crop, due to adverse weather condi-
tious. The crop Of 1905, though
practically unaffected by the weevil,
was only 51l, ,736 bales, which is less
than half the product Of 1904. Ow-
ing to loss of labor and fear Of the
boil weevil, about thirty per cent. less
than normal acreage was planted to
cotton in 1909 and when practically
NO cotton was made up to July lst,
such. was the alarm that large area
Of cotton was plowed up and plant
ed to other crops. The amount
plowed up or abandoned is estimated
by good judges at forty per cent.
But allow that it was twenty per
cent, deducting from the probable
crop in such a season, to wit, 5ll,-
738 bales, the thirty per cent. mot
planted and twenty per cent. plowed
up or abandoned, and the crop Of
Louisiana, without allowing any
thing for weevil damage, should
have ben about 286,574 bales. As
far as can, be ascertained the crop
was about 100000 bales. This
clearly proves that the fright is
more damaging than the weevil.
The second item emphasized by
the experience Of 1909 is the i'm
portance Of picking up and burning
the punctured squares. There never
had been any questions but picking
up the squares in the fore part Of
the season would check the weevils,
but it was proven in 1909 that it was
efectivee after the field was fully
infested if rapid cultivation was con-
tinued.
The third item of value demonstra-
ted by the season Of 1909 is the I'M
portance Of having the land we'll
drained so the crop can be worked
as soon as the rain ceases. Under
boil weevil conditions the heavy
black land and the poorly drained
fields should be devoted to other
crops, because intensive working of
the crop is necessity. There must
be no weeds and no grass in the
crop.
Fourth-The past season has added
its conclusive testimony in favor of
the plan for making cottou under
boil weevil infestation which plan,
approved by the United States De-
partment of Agriculture, is as fol-
lows:
/. The destruction Of the weevils
in the fall by burning all rubbish
and material in and about the field
which might serve for alternating
quarters of the weevils, and break
ing (plowing) the soil as deep as
conditions will allow.
2. The shallow winter cultivation
of the soil if no cover crop is used.
8. Delaying the planting till the
soil and temperature are warm
enough to make it safe.
4. The planting of early-maturing
varieties of cotton.
5. The use Of fertilizers.
6. Leaving more space between
the rows, and on ordinary uplands
having a greater distance between
plants in the row than is usually al
lowed.
I. The use Of the section harrow
before and after planting and on the