Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-10-11
WAR HAS BEEN DECLARED
AGAINST BOIL WEEV|L
Chamber Of Commerce Fires
First Gun in Fight-TWo
Methods Advanced

On Tuesday at l o'clock at a meeting
of the so chairmen Of the Atlanta
Chamber of Commerce committees, the
first gun of an organized campaign
against the ravages of the boil weevil
will be fired. The chamber of COM
merce will not only push the campaign
in every possible way, but intends to
show the farmers of Georgia how to
make up the deficit which is certain to
result, when the weevil strikes the state.
The house Of representatives" as the
general committee Of the chairmen of
the chambers so committees is known,
has already taken several important
steps toward its goal and the meeting
Tuesday will be for the furth erance in
every way Of the chambers plans.
The people Of Texas" says Secretary
Walter G.. Cooper, after three years in
which their crops have been greatly d.
minished, have found one way to fight
the boil weevil-that is, by intensified
Misunderstanding the crops in order that
the cotton may be so mature that 1t Is
not badly injured by the weevil, which
always comes towards the latter part
of the season.
Now we want the people Of Georgia
to profit by the experience in Texas,
which started after the boil weevil COM
menced it's ravages, and using the meth
cd Texas has learned start in advance OF
the weevil This will be of incalcula-
BILE value to the state.
THE second way to fight the boil wee
VII is by diversified farming-in other
words, make other crops large enough
to fill and overbalance the deficit made
by the boil weevil.
This has been done in Louisiana and
last year that state had a corn crop
estimated at 100000 bushels ana
valued at s65,O00,000 With a crop or
this proportion Louisiana not only mas
enough for her own consumption. but
about 10000, coo bush els is being shipped
to other states.
WHAT THE WEEVIL DOES.
But the important point is that when
the boil weeviI first struck that state
they had no way to meet it and suffer-
ed accordingly. Just what the boil Wee
vii will do to a cotton crop is readlly
shown by these figures: Louisiana In
1906 had a cotton crop Of $4,000 bales.
The following year the boil weevil came
to the state and in 1907 the crop was
reduced to $4,000 bales. 1870 was
even worse and the crop fell to $4,000
bales or about one-fourth or what IL
was three years before.
"These figures tell the story Of Lou
isfana's plight caused by the boil weeVli.
The only way in which the farmers
were finally, saved after terrible loss
was by the 1909 corn crop.
.~The object of this campaign whlch
the chamber of commerce is inaugural
ing. is to make the farmers OF georgia
adopt, not only the plan of Texas--ih.
testified farming, but also the piah VI
Louisiana farming
..1ya want to meet the boil weevil be-
fore n gets here, and 1t will be upon
ne IN 1919 or 1914 It is now in western
Alabama. having started in Mexico
crossed Texas, Mississippi and louisiana
Txnerts have calculated the rate at
which the weevil is travelling In an cas-
tarIv direction, and it is certain to strlke
western Georgia at least by 1914.
The first movement Of Importance,
which the chamber of commerce VIII
start will be a mammoth corn snow
which will be held at the auditorium IN
Atlanta on November %, "A ana % AT
nresent there are number OF snia4i
corn shows held In different parts VI
ceorgia each year. 1t is the purpose OF
the chamber to bring all OF THESE So
err shows to Atlanta for the 1irst sIa'0
corn show in the history of Georgia
Annroximately $500 will be spent IN
nrenniuns alone at the big show, wnlcn
=, averv way will be one of the most I'M
M q pricultural exhibits ever held IN
the state. 49,, l.. p-o.
Secretary Cooper has written TO ProI.
.Andrevv NJ Soule, president of the state
ooric,,Itural college at Athens, ana one
of the foremost agricultural authorltles
4, tho south. requesting him 10 come TO
Atlanta with his corps of instructors
ond lecture to the farmers attending Ihe
fair. .-,so,oaa
professor soule has already evidenced
Great activity in preparations 70 meet
the boil weevil.
He believes that in two years Georgia
can more than double its corn crop,
which in 1909 was estimated at "'OO0
bushels. .-o,-
Another important step TOWARD lhcIe go
irg Ceorgia's corn crop in preparation
&c Tho expected ravages of the Doll
-feevi1 has been taken by Prof. I. A.
Twin of the state agricultural college.
I+nder his leadership there have recently
been organized in Georgia more than ~
s.19o,,s, Corn Clubs" which have been
doing an excellent work. The young Iar-
Y,,ers of the state evidence great enthu-
sioer, in the work At a recent eXhlolt
in Athens more than 200 members OF
+bese clubs from two counties were In
attendance. 80 -,,,
.,Intensive and diversified farming
e. roy the slogan of the Atlanta Cham
bo, of Commerce and if the farmers DO
not heed the organizations word IT VIII
NOT he on account of any lack OF enthu-
eiasm ar hard work on the part or the
Atlanta men, who have SO consistently
NagNNN