The Washington herald., 1910-04-17

President W W. Finley, Of the South
ern Railway. has addressed a letter 10
editors Of Southern newspapers, farmers
and business men along the route Of his
railroad with reference TO the cultiva-
ton Of cotton. He treats specially Of the
depredations Of the boil weevil and sug-
gests careful study Of the publications
Of the government on how TO control
this enemy OF the cotton plant.
That part Of President Finley's letter
in which he discusses the relation Of cot
ton TO other agricultural production in
the South Is OF special interest and is
here reprinted in part.
THE world demand for cotton is con-
stantly increasing. Or. s. A. Knapp,
Of the Agricultural Department, has esti-
mated that it doubles once in about
twenty-five years. This means that the
farmers Of our section viii be called upon
for larger supplies in future years. The
practical question is how this increased
demand can be supplied so as 10 yield
the largest margin Of profit 10 our farm
ers.
Grains and Forage Higher.
"Coincident with the increased demand
for cotton the prices Of grains. forage
crops and meat products Of all kinds
are advancing. I do not believe, there
fore, that it should be the policy Of
our farmers TO increase their cotton
production by planting larger areas. 20
the exclusion Of other crops or the
neglect Of livestock growing.
I would suggest that more attention
be given 20 the diversification Of crops
and TO live stock and that cotton pro-
duction be increased by the adoption
Of those methods Of seed selection, soil
preparation and cultivation which will
result in larger yields per acre. There
is reason 10 believe that the demand
for cotton will generally maintain the
price at a level that will make inten-
sive cultivation profitable, but, II con-
ditiOnS should be such as TO depreSs the
price in some seasons, the farmer who
has grown his own corn and meat. and
who has live stock and other farm
products FOR sale. viii be affected much
less by the low price OF cotton than viii
be who has nothing for sale but cot
ton and who must buy meat for his
family and feed for hs work animals.
7 believe the South can keep pace
with the growing demand for cotton
and can. at the same time. increase its
output of other farm products.
How to Treat Boil WeeviI.
1T may be objected that the possible
spread of the Mexican cotton boil wee
vii east Of the Mississippi River will
tend TO reduce the average production
per acre in the areas affected and make
il impossible 10 keep pace with the de-
mand for cotton without increasing the
acreage at the expense Of other crops.
I believe that a study Of the effect OF
the weevil in the localities where It
has been longest present does not sus-
tain this objection. In fact while he
weevlI is the most serious insect nest
that the cotton grower has been called
upon 20 combat. 1t has been demon
strated that by the adoption Of proper
methods it can be so far controlled thar
substantially as large yields per acre
can be obtained as before its invasion.
and, what is Of more importance to the
South as whole, the methods that have
been developed in fighting the weevil
are identically those which will serve
to increase the production per acre in
those localities where the insect is IN
known.
They are methods. therefore. the
adoption of which In regions where the
weevil exists is imperative. but which
may be adopted with profit by the cot
ton grower in any part OF the South.