The Semi-weekly leader., 1910-08-17
THE COTTON CROP
As SHOWN By the TINES DEMOCRATS
MONTHLY REPORT FOR LAST
SIX WEEKS
The Boil NeeVIl DoIng Great Damag.
ID South Mississippi.

On Monday the New Orleans
s.Democrat published the re-
ports Of its correspondents on ths
progress of the cotton crop during
the last SIX weeks. The consensus
of opinion is as follows
I. Outside Of the droughty dis
tricts of Texas. distinct improve.
ment has been the rule; but, with.
il the droughty district Of thai
State. the deterioration has been
very great.
2. Except IN OkIhoma, where
timely rams have made the outlook
almost ideal, the crop is spotted.
3. With the exception of Texas.
the movement promises to be late
because Of the backWardness of the
plant. Farmers would. in most
cases, sell freely if they could.
4. Much complaint of destruc-
tion by boil weevil comes from
parts of Louisiana and Mississippi.
but the pest seems to have done less
damage than usual elsewhere.
REPORT FROM LINCOLN.
Brookhaven, Miss. Aug. 10.
The cotton plant has improved ma
treially in growth during the last
month. and where it was not hope
lessly overtaken by the grass and
weeds during the wet weather 5f
July, is we'll worked and clean. In
fact, the weed looks about the
same that it usually does at this
season Of the year. but close in
spection shows that it is materially
lacking in boIIs. This is partly
due to the wet weather, which
caused the plant to run to stalk
and partly to the ravages of the
boil weeviI and sharp-shooters.
Most farmers have made d game
fight against the boil weevil, and
the discouragements Of wet June
and July. but have been badly
handicapped in their inexperience
by too much cotton acreage for a
wet season and boil weeviI condi-
tions. According to the best esti.
mates it will be the outside limit
if this territory gathers a half Of a
normal crop.
Marketing will not begin freely
until Sept 10 or is. Most farmer
will be willing to sell at fourteen
to fifteen cents.
PIKE COUNTY.
Magnolia, Miss, Aug. 10. The
cotton plant has deteriorated con-
siderably during the past two
weeks, owing principally to the
ravages of the Mexican boil Weeyil
and other insects. Destruction Of
form, bloom and boil, has been
greater than was at first expected.
The damage is greater in some sec
tions than in others. Here and
there may be found farmer who
claims to have no boil weaviIs at
all, and attributes the shedding Of
squares to the morning rains fol-
lowed by the intense heat Of the
sun IN the afternoon, and to the
natural growth Of the plant. An
examination Of some Of these fields,
however, has shown that the WeeviI
was there in great numbers. One
farmer reports having cut open
twenty two boil and found only two
good ones in the lot, the Others
having rotted after being punctur-
ed BY the WeeviI. Another farmer
examined twelve bolls and ali were
rotten. On a stalk carrying twenty
bolls. six were found to be infected
by the weevil-the others we're not
examined. One farmer says he has
field from which he gathered
twenty bales last year. and he feels
-sure that he will not get over one
bale this year. These, Of course,
are extreme cases, but the most
optimistic Of the farmers inter-
viewed express the opinion that the
yield will be only one-third of last
years crop. The plant is large
and growing rapidly. but cofnpara-
lively few blooms can be- seen, and
it is thought a that DID cotton has
made all that it will make. the bolIs
on the bottom limbs being an that
could be depended upon The early
maturing variety Of cotton is be.
ginning to open. but as a rule the
crop is about two weeks late, and
it will be Sept. Is before FREE
movement begins. The present
prices seem satisfactory to some.
while others desire 10 hold for stil
better prices.
AMITE COUNTY.
Liberty, Miss. Aug. 10. Since
last report the Reevil has don,
great damage to the cotton in fact
there has been almost no fruifinl
during the last 5 days. The coun
ty will not make more than one
third Of the normal yield
Labor is plentiful. The Weathe|
IS extremely bot with plenty b
rain
C0PIAH.