The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-25
TIMELY POINTERS
ON BOIL WEEv|L
Agricultural Expert Gives
Warning to Farmers
METHODS OF FIGHTING
Best Plan to Fight Weevil Is Said to
BE to Rinse All the Corn Possi-
BILE In All of the South
ern states
METHODS OF FIGHTING

Columbus. Miss. February 24.-(Spe-
cial. )-R. S. Wilson, state agent for
Mississippi, representing the United
States department of agriculture. head.
quarters in this city, gives some time
ly pointers about cotton, corn, the COM
ing of the boil weevil, how to prepare
for the weevil, and other farm subjects
He says:
1T is no longer question with
thinking people but a fact that soon
er or later we must deal with tine boil
weevil in every part of the cotton
belt.
1T was hoped by many that eli
matte conditions in north Mississippi
and north Alabama We're such that
the weevil could not thrive. This hope
has been blasted as the weevil has
already invaded Oklahoma and Arkan-
sas and wrought considerable damage
further north than any part of Mis-
sssippi. According to a map issued
by the United States department of
agriculture, January l, 1910, based on
carefully gathered facts, if a line were
drawn due east from the northern limit
almost bisect the state of Tennessee.
I'VE must now turn out. at
tention to the best method of meet
ing the problem and minimizing the
calamity.
Under normal conditions we need
not expect any material damage from
the weevil under three years. In that
time those farmers who are wide awake
to the situation can adjust their ar
fairs in such way that the dam
age will be reduced to a minimum.
1T has been proven by repeated tests
that on limited acreage cotton can be
successfully grown in spite of the Wee
vii by following the methods advo-
Gated by the department of agricui-
ture Numerous instances may be cited
in the weevil district to substantiate
this
For the present the most important
step is to put the farms on a self
sustaining basis. Bankers and mer-
chants cannot and will not afford to
advance corn, meat and hay in the
present large quantities on cotton
crop after the boil weevil arrives and
while it would always have been bet
ter to produce these a t home it Is now
imperative The wise farmer will take
advantage of the two or three years
reprieve and get in the habit of sup
plying themselves before the crisis
comes"
Mr.. Wilson then says: IF | were
asked to name the most important crop
for Mississippi for the next few years
L would not hesitate to answer, Corn
at is claimed by some that this Is
not a corn country. / would respect
fully refer those making this claim to
the origin of the plan. Corn is semi
tropical plant, requires warm weather
to make It's best growth. Therefore,
with the proper culture, shot make
better yields in the south than in the
northern and western states.
ut Is urged by some that our soils
are not adapted to corn. Yet the
boys in the corn clubs last season,
taking the southern states as whole,
made an average of so bushels per
acre with quite number passing the
100 mark.
again it is asserted that the ne
gro cannot be made to grow ccrn
successfully. 1t is we'll known fact
that negro labor is used almost eX-
clusively in the delta and yet reports
from our demonstration farms in
Washington county tMississippll
showed an average yield of above 40
bushels per acre and In every IN
stance the work was done by ne
groes.
The above yields were made by FOL