The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1911-10-12
BOIL WEEV|L IN
GEORGIA IN 2 YEARS
GEORGIA INSPECTION PARTY RE-
TURNS FROM A TRIP
THROUGH THE WEST.
CORN IS The REMEDY
Cotton Pest Travelled Twenty Miles
Nearer 10 Georgia This
Year.

John G. Reese has returned from a
three weeks trip through Texas, Lou
isiana, Mississippi and Alabama,
studying boil weeyil conditions and
writing series of articles on his OBJ
servations.
Commissioner of Agriculture T. G.
Hudson and State Entomologist 3. L.
Worsham accompanied Mr., Reese
through part OF the trip, securing in
formation in advance for the state.
While away Entomologist Worsham
secured the services Of George D.
Smith Of Tallulah, La, as assistant
entomologist. Mr.. Smith has been &C
lively connected with the government
service since the boil Weevil invaded
Louisiana and has had charge of the
experimental work and general in
vestigation in that state. He is a
splendid young fellow, and Georgia is
to be congratulated on getting him
in advance of the weevil's arrival.
Unless the unforeseen occurs,
Georgia will have the boil weeyil as
problem within two years" said Mr..
Reese. THE fact that the cotton cater
pillar has stripped the plant in Ala
bama will serve to hasten the east
ward march of the pest. The weevil,
finding no plant life to feed upon, will
extend his zone of migration over a
wider area than under ordinary cir
cumstances.
IAN investigation made by a gov
eminent man at the beginning of the
migration some weeks ago discovered
the weevil twenty miles nearer the
Georgia line. 1t is estimated that at
the end of the migration this year
and it continues until killing frost
the weevil will be half way across
the southern portion Of Alabama.
Any hope that science will find way
to check it's march is futile, and Geor-
gia farmers have rare advantage in
getting ready for it's coming. Let them
begin now in every section, and the
weevil will not paralyze agricultural
conditions for two to four years as 1t
has almost everywhere else I visited.
In many respects the weevil is a
real blessing, because he literally
makes the farmer get out of the old
all cotton crop. found no progressive
farmer in Louisiana or Mississippi
who did not hold that view, although
many resented the necessity for
changing the old easy-going way OBJ
tanning for generations.
Before the weevil came Louisiana
bought all the corn used in the state,
Now they are selling some corn. A big
packing plant established at Natchez
since the weevil came is giving re-
markable stimulus to hog and cattle
raising throughout Louisiana and
Mississippi. Beginning on $4,000 cap
ital, the packing plant has increased
to 100000 and must shortly make
another very large expansion.
"A sense of false security has come
over large part of Texas and some
other sections regarding the boil vice.
viii because climatic condition has
done much in the past two years to
control it. DR.. Hunter, the undisputed
authority on the weevil, says that as
soon as the dry areas again have nor
NAL moisture the pest will move ir-
resistibly back into the temporarily
pre-emptied territory We might as
well face the stern fact that when
the weevil comes he is here to stay,
and it must be fight always there
after to control him so cotton can
still be raised.
Il note that the government gin
ners' report shows about 100000
bales in excess of the cotton ginned
for similar periods for three years
past. Over vast area in Texas, Lou
isiana and Mississippi every pound of
cotton is out right this minute. That,
to my mind, explains the abnormal
amount reported ginned to this date.