The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-10-04
INVASION OF BOIL
 NEEV|L CONTINUES
Mississippi and Alabama Are
 Feeling Ravages
Advice of Government Agricultural Ex- perfs Is Heeded and Farmers Are Raising Something
 Besides Cotton

Columbus. Miss. october S.-(Special) The Mexican boil weevil. since the first to the middle of August last, the date the pest commences its onward march of destruction and invades new territory, has been authentically found in Ie Fibre and Montgomery counties, Mississippi. and has crossed the state line in southern Mississippi and is now working its har- vest of ruin in Mobile county Alabama. The weevil is also in Leake and Attalla counties, Mississippi, and is working north and east.
 Notwithstanding the ravages of the weevil in southern Mississippi. those far mers who have followed advice given free by the United States department of agri- culture, through its special agents and on their demonstration farms, an aver age of two-thirds of a bale to every acre is possible, this fact having been dem onstrated this year
 That the cotton crop in Mississippi will be about 20 per cent more yield than that of last year; that the people over this entire state are following the sound ad- vice, Produce more and buy less;' that there is a decidedly more general air of prosperity everywhere in the state than existed 12 months ago. and that by an other January many Of the failures or 1909 will be matters of history which are buried with dismal pasts and which will all be liquidated with the profits of the present crops are the interesting fea- lures brought out in an interview this morning with R. S. Wilson, state agent for Mississippi and Alabama. represent ing the agricultural department in the farmers cooperative demonstration work
 "1f the people of the infested districts would act on the experience no possibili- ties or experiments are given them) our hundreds of demonstration farms have become intimately acquainted with, the weevil would be handled in Mississippi without question. It Is scientific fight. No great fight against any pest or germ has ever been won without straight-out campaign. Take the fight against the yellow fever in the south and in Cuba Many people laughed at the mosquito theory. Many people hooted at the way the government attacked the scourge, but months and time have proven the great invasion the experts made completely routed the invasion of the epidemic. It will be the same in fighting the weevil The army of experts who have devoted months, nay, years. to studying this pest which is eating our dollars by the thou sands, will be successful in the end. We will route the weevil just as the yellow fever experts have successfully coped with that malady All the government asks is to follow its free advice, which Is easily obtained"
 This from MT Wilson will show the work of the demonstration farms in somewhat a new light. It conclusively exemplihes these men know what thoy are talking about and what they are doing and MT. Wilson's line of reason ing is comprehensive
 MT. Wilson arrived in Columbus Sat urday after weeks trip through Hinds, Claiborne. Adams and Pike counties, Mis- sissippi, the heart of the infected dis trict On this trip he secured more di- rect information and in his talk this morning he said T am going to give you the benefit of practical results so you can write a story which will be ben efcial to all farmers
  of the weevil's invasion. Owing to rav- ages and most unfavorable weather con ditions their total cotton crop will not exceed 50 per cent of normal However, those planters who have followed gov ernment instruction have obtained sur prising results.
 As illustration, T. B. Erwin, whose postoffice is R. F. D. No. 1, Terry, Miss, will make almost normal crop on limited acreage. From one plat of three acres almost bale and a half has al- ready been picked. and this Is not quite half the cotton on this plat. Even with the weevil to contend with, this Is one man who has averaged a bale to the acre.
 But how can this be done?" Mir. Will son will tell you these four things. This man accomplished this by last fall de- stroying, by burning, all his cotton stalks Clean the field thoroughly. Pick the first weevils from young cotton in the early spring; also pick and destroy the first crop of punctured squares. Then culti- vate the plant intensely until along In August, when it has reached the undam- ageable stage.
 About the same results have been ob tained by A. B. Champan, Route No. 1. Terry, and E. A. McNair, Learned, Route No. 1.
 Claiborne county, Mississippi, infected in 1908 and one of the first In the state to be attacked by the boil weevil, was heavy sufferer from the pest last year. As result very limited acreage was planted this season. A great deal of that planted Is a failure, but in the opinion of MT. Wilson a failure was unneces- sary.
 AS proof of his assertion he says: "One has only to visit farms of such men as J B. Allen, D. Humphries and c. c. Gosa, near Port Gibson. MT. Allen showed me plat of nine acres of Simp- l<ins cotton from which he will gather fully eight bales of cotton. Tn fact. the casual observer would hardly notice boil weevl damage. This is by no means ali of his good cotton. I saw considerable portion of his plantation and did not see any cotton that will not be profitable. His smalesp yields will be from long staple cotton. MT. Allen has reputation as long staple grower. having origi- mated that variety which bears his name. While his yields of long staple this sea- son will be very much smaller than that of short staple he still contends he will realize almost as much from it, owing to fancy prices" That is another mans