Fitzgerald enterprise. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1895-1912, 1911-08-10
Spread Of The Mexican Boil
Weevil.

possibility of the further spread OF
the Mexican cotton boil weevil to
the eastward is taking steps to adj
wise farmers in the territory along
the lines of the Southern Railway
Company, Alabama Great Southern
Railroad Company, the Mobile 4
Ohio Railroad Company and the
Georgia Southern and Florida
Railway Company, in localities to
which there is even a remote pos
sibility that the weevil may spread
as to the methods that must be a
dopted for maintaining cotton under
boil weevil conditions Farmers
west of the Mississippi River, where
the Weevil has been present Tor
several years, have learned how to
grow cotton successfully in spite OF
its presence. They have learned
this lesson generally at the cost OF
short crops for two or three years.
In the fall of last year President
Finley organized a Cotton Culture
Department in charge of Mr.. l. y.
Plunkett with headquarters at
Chattanooga, Tenn, with seven tleld
AGENTS to work in those localities
where it is possible that the weevll
may eventually appear. Mr., PUNK
EFT and all of the agents have had
practical experience in growing
cotton under boil weevil conditions.
All of the expenses of the Cotton
Culture Department are borne by
the participating railways and the
services of it's agents are absolutely
free to all farmers along the lines
of these railways.
The work of this Department has
been so successful and tre services
of it's agents have been so highly
appreciated by the farmers that
President Finley has determined to
extend the work further eastward
| Mr.. R E. Grabel has been appointed
agent of the Cotton Department at
Macon, Ga, to work along the line
of the Southern Railway between
Macon and Brunswick, and along
the Georgia Southern and Florida
Railway in Georgia and North Flor
ida. Four additional agents are to
be employed for work along the
lines of the Southern Railway, the
Alabama Great Southern Railroad
and the Mobile and Ohio Railroad
in central and eastern Alabama
Unless circumstances should make
some other arrangements advise
able these agents will have thell
Headquarters at Attala, Admission
, Tuscaloosa and Maplesville Ala
Mr.. Grabel has had practical ex
perience in growing cotton in Dol
weevil territory and four other mel
with like experience are to be Sc
lected for the Alabama agencies
The weevil has not spread to any
of the localities to which these
agents have been assigned anC
there is no reason to expect its
early appearance in them. The
purpose of establishing the work
in these localities is to enable the
armers to be thoroughly prepared
for the weevil if it shall at any
time enter their fields.
Fortunately, the cultural methods
advised by the Cotton Culture De
partment are identically those which
the late DR.. S. A. Knapp. of the
United States Agricultural Depart
ment, recommended for increasing
the production of cotton whether
the Weevil be present or not. Far
mers throughout the cotton belt
therefore, find it profitable to adopt
these methods, even though the wee
vii may never sprerd to their farms
AS further step in aid of the
Cotton Culture Department, Presi-
dent Finley has prepared circular
letter incorporating DR.. Knapps adj
vice which is being distributed tc
farmers in all cotton growing terri
tory along the lines of the railways
above mentioned. Farmers along
the lines of these Compaies may