Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1910-12-09
THE BOIL WEEVIL
IN MISSISSIPPI.
MR.. M. A. CROSBY, ASST AGRI
CULTURlST
In the Department Of Agriculture Visits
the Weevil Stricken District and
Writes His Impression.
Editor of The Bedcdn.

-
Writes His Impression.
Editor of The Bedcdn:
In compliance with your res
quest l will cndeavor to present tt
the readers of the BEACON som,
of the facts regarding the boil wee
vii damage which l picked up OF
a recent trip through the south
western part of the state. The OBJ
ject of this trip was to study, frs
hand, the conditions existing il
that weevil stricken land, and as
certain what the farmers were do
ing to make living, now thai
profitable cotton growing is nj
longer possible there under ordi
nary methods of cultivation.
1t is very difficult indeed, fol
one who has never visited weevil
infested section of country to real
ize the extent of the devastation
and ruin wrought by these insect
pests. The weevil first came
across the Mississippi river into
Adams and Wilkinson counties in
1907. The next year it spread
over Amite, Claiborne, franklin
and Jefferson counties. These
counties will this year produce on
ly from one-twentieth to one. twen-
ty-fifth of a normal crop. just
imagine, if you can, what the state
of affairs would be here if NOxu-
bee county's cotton crop were to
be suddenly reduced to 800 or 1000
bales. You might then be able to
form some idea of what the boil
weevil has done for southwest
Mississippi. This is not very
pleasing picture to paint for COM
munity which is now dependent on
cotton and practically certain to
be invaded by the boil weevil with
in the next two years, but never
the-less it is a true one. The wee
vii is just as certain to come as
death and taxes, for nothing has
ever been discovered to effectually
check his advance.
When the weevil was bringing
ruin, destruction and desolation
to the Louisiana plantations, the
planters of southwest Mississippi
scoffed at the idea that it would
ever cross the Mississippi river and
kept on planting cotton to the ex-
of other crops. When it
was known to have actually
crossed the river the hill planters
said Mr.. Weevil would not bother
the hill crops and in spite of all
warning they kept on planting
every available foot of land to cot
ton. But they soon found that
the wcevil is no respecter of per-
son or locality. He is impair tial
and treats all alike. What has
been the result9 Crop failures, loss
Of labor, abandoned farms, and in
many cases, financial ruin and loss
Of home. One gentleman in Adams
who had been planting
about 5000 acres, and realizing an
annual profit of some $50, 900, told
ne that he lost $40, 900 the first
year after the weevil spread over
hat country. He has been losing
learly as much every year since
~ hoping against hope and stick
ng to cotton. Had he not been a
nan of considerable wealth he
would today be bankrupt.
This is the dark and gloomy side
f the boil weevil problem, but as
very cloud is said to have it's sill
er lining, so too, has this cloud,
hdlgh to many it will appear inf
itesimal. 1t has been demonstrate
d in many places that by rigidly ,
blowing certain well defined I
lethods, it is possible to produce
bout one half of a normal crop of !
ctton under boil weevil condi- !
ions. On my recent trip l was s
Did Of one man in Claiborne s