Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1910-03-23
1909 COTTON CROP LESSONS.
Some Things Learned by the United
States Department of Agriculture.

Wv osesISob caught oouC fdludUIS lSS-
sons:
First 1t demonstrated that crop
of cotton, under heavy boil weevil In
festation, could be made after July
1st, provided the farmers pick up the
punctured squares and work the
field intensively. In fact, there were
very few bolis OH 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 gov
ernment demonstration work made
fair crop of cotton, both on the allu-
vial bottoms and on the hill lands,
and the planters who failed to follow
such instructions made very little.
y Louisiana has always had years of
short cotton crop, due to adverse
weather conditions. The crop of
1905, though practically unaffected
by the weevil. was only 511,73S
bales, which Is less than half the
product Of 1904. Owing to loss of
labor and fear Of the boil weevil,
about 80 per cent less than normal
acreage was planted to cotton In
1909, and when practically no cotton
was made up to July 1st, such was
the alarm that a large area Of cotton
was plowed up and planted to other
crops. The amount plowed up or
abandoned is estimated by good
judges at 40 per cent But allow
that it was 20 per cent, deducting
from the probable 'op IN such sea-
son, (to wit, 511,73S balesl the 80
per cent not planted and 20 per cent
plowed up or abandoned, and the
crop of Louisiana, without allowing
anything for weevil damage, should
have been about 2S6,574 bales. AS
far as can be Hscertained the crop
was about 100000 bales. This clear
ly proves that the fright is more dam
aging than the weevil
The second item emphasized by the
experience OF 1909 is the Importance
OF picking up and burning the pune
turcd squares. There never had been
any question but picking up the
squares in the fore part Of the sea-
was proven in 1909 that it was ef-
fectivc after the field was fully in
tested If rapid cultivation was con-
tinucd.
The third item of value demon
straied by the season of 1908 is the
importance Of having the land we'll
drained SO the crop can be worked
as soon as the rain eases. 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 nece ty. There must
be no weeds and no grass in the
crop.
Fourth. The past season has add
ed it's conclusive testimony in favor
Of the plan for making cotton 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 breaking (plow-
ing) the soil as deep as conditions
will allow.
2. The shallow winter cultivation
of the soil if no cover crop is used.
3. 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 hay
ing greater distance between plants
In the row than Is usually allowed.
7. The use Of the section harrow
before and after planting and on the
young cotton.
s. Intensive shallow cultivation.
8. Agitation of the stalks by means
Of brush attached to the cultivator.
10. Picking up and burning the
squares that fall under weevil con-
ditions, especially during the first 80
or 40 days Of infestation.
II. Controlling the growth of the
plant, If excessive. by deep and close
cultivation while the plant is young.
10. Selecting the seed.
13. The rotation Of crops and the