The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-04-16

compared with 1908 was in the dr.
western part of the State where the
weevil is least prevalent, while in tho
eastern counties where the insect is
most numerous there was the least
falling off. DR.. Knapp estimates
roughly that the falling off liz the
eastern part of the State whcrn tne
weevil was worst was only abouc per
cent; in the central part, about 23 pcr
cent, and in the western part, where
the weevil is less prevalent, abou: ii
per cent, tending to show that the
short crop in Texas in 1909 should
not be charged to the Weevil but to
Fluctuations in yield d TO weather
conditions are inevitabl whether .he
weevil is present or n&-. Thus, Cal
noun County, Ala, which has never
had a boil weevil in it, had an un-
favorable season in 1902 AMI produced
S,S11 bales, but two years later. un-
der favorable weather conditions the
yield of the county was mere than
twice as much-1S,5S7 bales.
In localities west Of the Mississippi
the appearance of the weevil was fol.
lowed by a decline in production, but
with the adoption of the methods rec
commended by the Agricultural De-
partment and the State officials i'm
proved results were soon attained.
In Limestone County, Texas. the
normal production before the boil
weevil appeared was about $4,000
bales. In 1902 the county produced
52,562 bales. In 1908 the weevn cut
the crop down to 1903 bales. The
Agricultural Department methods of
combating the insect were introduced
and the production rose TO 1892
bales in 1904; 3S,11O bales ~ the sea-
son of 1905, when the weather con-
ditions were favorable; 3G,252 under
the unfavorable weather conditions
of 1907; 7O,525 in 1908, when the
weather was favorable, and 5O,1S4
dtions of 1909.
Harrison County, Texas, had a nor
NAL production Of about 10000 bales
before the weevil appeared It did
not become destructive until 1906,
when in spite Of favorable weather
conditions, the crop was reduced to
1871 bales. The next year with
combination of the weevil and unfav-
orable weather conditions it fell to
1888 bales. In 1908, with a favor
able season and the general adoption
Of Agricultural Department methods
it rose to 1878 IA bales, and in the un-
favorable season of 1909 the crop
was 16,9S3 bales.
In De Soto Parish, La, the normal
yield before the appearance of the
weevil was about $4,000 bales. The
veevil and generally unfavorabIe con-
ditions cut this down to 6,343 bales in
1907. The adoption of Agricultural
Department methods resulted ir a
crop of 13,625 bales in 1908, and, al
though weather conditions were less
favorable in 1909 the parish produced
14,19O bales, showing the same ten
dency to return to normal productive
ness noted in the Texas counties. At
the same time, in those localities
Where the weevil has been D. ,ent for
d series Of years, there has been a
marked development of diversified
ag:sculture which has been highly
beneficial to the farmers.
The above vgureS show that III the
region west of the Mississippi the ap-
pearance of the weevil has generally
been followed by a marked decline iii
production for from one to three
years, until the farmers could learn
and put into practice the methods
necessary for it's control This en-
phaszes the Importance of the immc-
diate adoption of those methods in
the regions where it has not vet an
peared. If it should subsequently
spread to them it will find the farm
ers prepared and the damage will be
minimized, and the exeprts of the
Agricultural Department are agreed
that, in the meantime, the production
of cotton per acre will he larpeIv in
creased. I think there can be no
doubt that the cotton growers west
of the Mississippi river, could have
maintained substantially their normal
production if they had not waited
until the appearance of the boil wee
vii before adopting improved meth
DDS. | believe, therefore, that it is of
the utmost Importance that the farm