Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-04-19

| insect were introduced, and the pro.
| duction rose to 41,902 bales in 1904
| 3S,110 bales in the season of 1905, wher
able: 1920 in 1906, when weather con-
ditions were favorable; 36,253 under
the unfavorable weather conditions OF
1907: 70,525 in 1908, when the weather
was favorable, and 5O,1S4 under the un-
favorable weather conditions Of 1909.
Harrison county, Texas, had a nor
NAL production of about 10000 bales
before the weevil appeared. 1t did nC-
become destructive until 1906. when. in
spite of favorable weather conditions
the crop was reduced to 1871 bales
The next year with a combination OF
the weevil and unfavOrable weather
conditions it fell to 1883 bales. In 1908
with a favorable season and the gen.
eral adoption Of agricultural depart
ment methods, it rose to 1884 bales
and in the unfavorable season of 1908
the crop was 1898 bales.
In De Soto parish, La. the normal
yield before the appearance of the Wee
vii was about $4,000 bales. The weevil
and general unfavorable conditions
cut this down to 6,343 bales in 1907
The adoption of agricultural depart
ment methods resulted in crop Of 13,
625 bales in 1908, and although wealth
er conditions were less favorable In 1908
the parish produced 14,190 bales, show
ing the same tendency to return to nor
NAL productiveness noted in the Texas
counties. At the same time, in those
localities where the weevil has been
present for a series Of years, there has
been a marked development Of diversi-
fled agriculture which has been highly
beneficial to the farmers.
The above figures show that in the
region west of the Mississippi the ap-
pearance Of the weevil has generally
been followed by a marked decline in
production for from one to three years,
until the farmers could learn and put
into practice the methods necessary for
it's control. This emphasizes the i'm
portance Of the immediate adoption of
those methods in the regions where II
has not yet appeared. If it should sub
sequently spread to them it will find
the farmers prepared and the damage
will be minimized, and the experts of
the agricultural department are agreed
that, in the meantime, the production
of cotton per acre will be largely in
creased. l think there can be no doubt
that the cotton growers west of the
Mississippi river could have maintained
substantially their normal production
If they had not waited until the appear
ance Of the boil weevil before adopting
improved methods. l believe, there
fore, that it is Of the utmost i'm
portance that the farmers east Of the
river should adopt these methods
whether they are in territory immedi-
ately threatened by the weevil or not
The methods that the United States
department of agriculture strongly
urge upon cotton growers everywhere
with a view to obtaining increased
yields without increasing acreage and
in connection with diversified farming
and which, at the same time, are the
methods necessary for the control OF
the boil weevil, are that seed shall be
carefully selected with a view to the
production Of early varieties with the
dwarf habit, fruiting close to the
ground and producing large bolls OF
cotton with a good length of staple;
that preparation Of the soil should be
commenced by deep pioughing early In
the winter followed by narrowing once
or twice during the winter; that the
seed bed should be thoroughly prepared
and the seed planted as early as the
soil has become warm enough to in
sure rapid germination; that shallow
cultivation should thereafter be COM
menced as early as possible, and should
be continued constantly until some OF
the bolls begin to open; that eXces-
sively wet lands should be drained OF
devoted to other crops; that farmers
throughout the cotton belt should
practice diversification and crop rota-
ton, and that they should generally
give more attention to live stock.
The department of agriculture has
published pamphlets containing full in
formation as to these improved meth
ods of growing cotton. l shall be glad
to procure copies Of these circulars and
send them to any cotton growers who
may write to me at my office, Wash
inston, d. c., and l am authorized to
state that they will be sent direct tC
any grower who will address an appli-
cation to the agricultural department
at Washington. Yours truly,
w. W. Finley, President.
WASHINGTON d, c. April II.