The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-07-13
COTTON BOIL WEEVIL
2IUsT BE FOUGHT BEFORE TT is
TOO LATE.
Only 9 Few Years Separates Far
! uers Of this State From the Dread
ell Pest, q

President Chas. s. Barrett, Of the
Farmers Union has just issued an
add ress to the farmers concerning the
lapp roaching boil .Weeyil As ne says
this pest will reach Georgia probably
In 1912 and then South Carolina Will
fee. its presence the next year. This
INSECT cuts down the cotton crop be-
tyee en- one-half and one-third In the
SECTIONS where it flourishes. Now is
the time for the farmers OF South
Carolina and Georgia to band togesn-
er in an effort to defend their lands.
1t will not be fighting an unknown
foe, for even the remedies have been
discovered. The farmers of the cas-
tern cotton belt can reap AL the AID
chat the western farmers have dis
covered after years Of constant war
fare against the pest. The remedial
me measures to be taken against the
boil weevil can be obtained from the
state agricultural station or from the
United States Department Of Agri-
culture. Every farmer should pre-
pa.e for the fight, and get his lands
in the best possible shape Presl-
deat Barrett's address follows:
9 Reliable and non-alarmist experts
calculate the cotton boll-weevil will
eo7er the entire cotton belt within
i've years. 1t will probably be in
Georgia in the Fall OF 1912, perhaps
sooner.
e The ostrich-head-in-the-sand poll
cy is foolish, almost to the point OF
cr.minality. It is better to face facts
now than to suger the penalty later.
Southwestern cotton states have,
by the loss Of many million dollars,
discovered the most feasible fethods
yet devised for combating the boil
Tneyil. Their experience is ours for
the taking.
Unless the portion of the Cotton
Belt, as yet untouched by the boil
wsevil takes steps in. time the ad-
v,nt of this insect is going to pro-
dice temporary panic by wholly de-
ranging cotton culture, as yet the
financial backbone Of the Southern
States.
I deem it my duty to issue thess
plain warnings and to urge every far
ner in the territory likely to be at
fected to go about putting up defenses
this year and without delay.
The detail remedies will be furnish
ed YOU by your state agricultural de-
partments, experiment stations, or
the federal department Of agricul-
ture. Roughly speaking, they are
few and simple. They consist In US
ing an early maturing variety OF
cotton, that the crop may be gather
ed before the weevil has attained It's
greatest power for damage; inten-
siye cultivation, which will produce
a maximum fiber to the acre; burn
ing over of old fields after the crop
is gathered; and above all, cultiVa-
tion of other crops not susceptible
to the weeVil.
The Farmers Union News, pub
lished at Union City, recently pub
Iished statistics showing that Geor-
gia spends annually for products orn-
er than cotton more than S170,00O,-
900 year. Every bit Of these prod
ucts can be grown in and every dol
lar of that sum should be kept in
Georgia. The amount we virtually
give away to other sections for the
food and farm products our own
acres should bring forth Is nearly
s20,000,000 in excess of our return,
in Georgia, for the cotton crop.
What Is true Of Georgia is relative
ly true Of other states not yet touch
ed by the weevil. AS T have previ-
ously commented, the trend toward
scientific agriculture, diversifcation
and intensive cultivation is impress
sive. But 1t is only on the thresh-
hold of what it should be.
And the boil weevil is forcing our
hands! 1t is compelling us, in self
preservation, to turn to system we
should long ago have embraced vol
UNFAIRLY in self-interest.
I feel that the peril is so real that
the warning should be commensurate
ly solemn. Begin to fight the boil
weevil now. If you do not it is go
ing to dig great holes in Southern
p1pgres and prosperity.
Chas. S Barrett.