The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1911-09-28

his vigilance along the line Of con-
troll and the weevil finds everything
ripe for the harvest when he comes
back.
An interesting table Of figures in
the Office Of the insect experiment
station here is contained III i bulle-
tin issued by DIR. Hunter. This
table shows how the boil weevil has
effected cctton producticnin eastern,
central and western Texas
From 1899 to 1903 eastern Texas
produced PISS per cent Of the Texas
crop. In the first figures the weevil
had not spread 20 much, and Che
others denote his deadliest period.
In 1899 TO 1908, central Texas pro-
duced '55>85 of tire Texas crop,
while 1904 TO 1909 it had dropped
to $3.50. In western Texas 1899
to 1903, 1926 per cent of the Texas
crop was produced, while from 1904
to 1909 it jumped to 1912
These last figures are particularly
significant, AS the weevil infested
the eastern and centralsections, cut
ting down production, the produc-
tion of cotton was pushed further
west. Here vast areas are beginning
to produce Gotten for the first tire.
This is the semi-arid area and Gull
tivation is through two methods, II
rigation or dry farming. irriga-
ton causes some weevils, but not
enough to become serious menace
to the cotton crop,
DEArH 10 WEEylh HERE,
Under dry farming the weevil
cannot exist He is au insect that
has am utter distaste for dTouth and
intense heat The fact that cotton
growing is being pushed into this
section where no cotton was formerly
grown, explains how Texas keeps
up her productions
Il is admitted quite generally that
if production was confined to the
eastern and central sections, where
the boil weeyil is worst, then Texas
would inevitably slump i'll produce
ton, at leastsin years when condi-
tons arc ripe for the wceyil.
Here are some specific instances
Of how cotton production has in
creased in western Texas. In1899,
Hall county, in the extreme western
part of the state, produced 1900.
Between the same years the crop in
Jones county increased from 4 600
TO SO 900 bales; in Taylor county,
from 5000 to 81, 900, IN Coleman
espnty, from 5000 to 62, O00S in.
Runnels county, from 1900 to 56,
900. Other counties in the western.
part of the state show similar records.
In fact they are producing cotton on
almost the extreme western edge of
the state,
From 1908 to 1909, central Texas,
in spite Of tie boil w'eevil, main
tanned within two per cent of the
average maintained prior to the com.
ing Of the weevil. This has been
largely due to the efforts Of the
department Of agriculture, and in
dicates that in central Texas the
control OF the weevh for practical
purposes is an accomplished fact.
Practically three years Of drouth has
gone far towards helping the control
also since that time,
It appears to be common habit
also to charge up to The boil weeviI
ALI the damage done cotton. He
does enough, heaven knows, but
there arc other enemies Of the plant
thas add enormously to the sum
total Of destruction. For instance,
this year the caterpillar has done
quite large amount Of damage.
But at the same time drouth has
been the very large controlling factor.
Another table compiled by Or.
Hunter shows very interesting fact,
regarding moisture. Georgia in 1909
showed 1903 rainfall April to July,
and in 1910 1858. Louisiana for
1909, same months, showed 1901,