The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1910-01-26
BOIL WEEYu PEST
HAS COTTON PLANTERS TOO
FRIGHTENED TO FIGHT.

FRIGHTENED TO FIGHT.
DR.. Knapp Urges Farmers to Take
Heart and Combat Blue Devils
and Insect Pest.
Boil weeY;ls have cost the United
States untold hundreds OF thousands
OF dollars II the destruction OF the
cotton crops. but most OF it is &c
be charged asains. the "bluC' tha:
the insect puts up. or rather. the
fear that its approach inspires.
According to d.. Seaman 4. Knapp
OF the department OF agriculture. the
average cotton planter was defeated
before &c eve. began to fight the
peat. or all the drawbacks that eon-
.ron, the cotton planter. Dr.. Knapp
Is convinced that pessimism is the
worst. Ee said 80 plainly and en-
phatisally at Memphis Wednesday in
al address oa the weevi! and the
evils that follow in IFS train.
The srst and most serious OF
these" he said. lis the wave o.
d:seou1agemen. and pessim:su IN ad
vance o: the weeril. Many homes,
but mistaken men affirm IN advance
OF the weevil. Iha, cotton can not
De successfully made where the wee
vii appears. Immediately the banf
ers and the merchants withhold
credit. Labor is compelled TO ieare.
The farmers do half work and cre-
queatly abandon 2 portion OF their
crop. This frequently results in =
loss OF 20 per cent before the wee
Vi! has done any damage"
This 'beaten-in-advaace'' attitude. |
Dr.. Knapp went on to say. resulted
in the humiliatiag surrender OF /;
planters and their throwing up o.
the sponge" IL the second year. |
with the result that the wesv!l IS |
permitted q :ree territory n which |
70 ravage and multiply and t5e crop |
falls TO 25 per cent OF It's average.
Much OF this loss IS failure to |
plant. and 10 cultivate" be said, !
with an earnestness that impressed
his audience. Il will give you au-
merors examples in proof OF what
say by quoting reliable government
figures and instances n Texas and
Louisiana"
The speaker then submitted q /
mass Of statistical Information touch
ing on conditions IN many counties
IN Texas and q number OF the par
ishes OF Louisiana He insisted that
from 80 20 40 pc. cent OF the de-
cline in production in the second
year OF the weevil was due entirely
20 encouragement and the consequent.
inability TO obtain advances from the
bankers. All OF this depression. Dr..
Knapp declared. was charged TO the
boil weeyil. while It -tshtcully should
be charged against the planters who
succumbed TO opposition and threat. |
eaed invasion.
Following up his a-ratgnment oil
the planters themselves. DT. Knapp |
furnished seven rules for the guild |
ance OF those who would tsht tho
pest successfully. They are az FOL
lows:
!. Early destruction OF the stalks.
?. There must De better drainage |
.. the soil so there will De good
stand and the crop can os workel
sooa after rains.
5. There must be excellent pre-
para;ion OF the soil !o- planting
Plant early as the seasor WI! per
nit and be safe.
4.> Seed o. an early maturing Va
r!e,y NUS, be used: one that putt
out It's fruit limbs low on the stalk |
and fruits heavily. Rows wider
apart :haa usual. The seed also
mus, be o. the best 7ral!ty.
5. Cultivation ssould be in:ea-
sive.
s. Do not lay c the cotton as
usual. but continue 10 cultivate until |
the bolls begin 10 open. Cotton Is
thus made all the time. II the rules |
OF producing cotton are followed a |
good crop can be made.
In addition TO giving rules for
the fight on the boil weevil Ind the
production OF good cotton crops in
the face OF all emergencies. Dr..
Knapp advised his hearers not TO
forget that cotton was far from the
only crop worth while culuratins.
He declared the plantation should
produce all the food necessary 70.
men and live stock. and that. in ad-
o;;:on. the other crops should pay
most o. the running expenses os the
plantation.
Concluding. be said the delta lands
were the most valuable on ;he con
,;reat. They were iat-iasicalls
worth $500 al acre even II the
boil wcevil were an inch deep over
every foo, OF the soil.