The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1912-05-08
J. A. EVANS. GOVERNMENT EN-
PERT. TELLS WHAT MAY BE
EXPECTED IN GEORGIA.

The address recently delivered
before the Bankers Convention OF
Group Four by ]. A. Evans, repre-
septing the United States depart
ment of agriculture, was replete
with interesting statistics and
fuu of vital information for South
west Georgia farmers. Mr.. Evans
anneared before the convention on
. snecial invitation, but as the farm
ers of this section were not given
the opportunity of hearing him we
publish the substance Of his re-
marks:
Mr.. Evans spoke for nearly an
hour urging the bankers to lend
every possible aid to the farmers IN
fighting this pest that will inevitably
visit the farms of the southern and
central sections of Georgia and leave
path of devastation wherever II
comes The bankers are the con-
SENATORS of wealth, and as they are
co-dependent with the farmers 1t is
their duty to cooperate In every
manner possible in promoting the
hest methods of agriculture. WealIh
sDrings from the soil, and when the
farms fail to produce the necessary
nroducts the farmers and bankers
likewise suffer.
1.-The wise man foresees the Dan
ger afar off and hideth himself; Dut
the simple pass on and are pun
ished. 80, -. bo,1
To cope successfully with the boil
weevil demands farsighted 1nVesuga-
tion. and it is only a question OF
few wears before it will visit South
west Georgia. The time to commence
the battle is now. 1t has been estl-
mated that the boil weevil travels at
the rate of 1875 miles year east
ward. and this means that 1T Will
reach this section next year, or per-
haps in 1914.
Mr.. Evans showed that the only
salvation of the farmers is through
the diversified method of farming.
When our farmers awake to the fact
that the best results are to be had
through this plan they will in a
measure solve the boil Weevil prob
lem. Some farmers cherish the DEUS
i've hope that the boil weevil will pos
sibly never reach Georgia, but this IS
a mistake, for it is bound to come,
and it is for us to face the inevitable
boldly and prepare for war in time
of peace"
In 1902 Southwest Texas was Wis
tied by the weevil The entire neigh
borhood was devastated farms aban-
doned. farmers and their families re-
duced to poverty. More than 5000
negro laborers left Adams county,
Mississippi, when the boil weeVil
came, the result being that 1t was
impossible to produce the necessary
labor to gather even the small crop
produced, and the entire situation
was demoralized.
The boil weevil, Mr.. Evans eX-
planned. would be at home on the
lands of South and Central Georgia
and when it gets here it will be mere
to stay. The soil of this section Is
peculiarly favorable for it, as there
are no extreme drouths and the eli
mate mild and warm. We have
long growing season and plenty Of
rainfall. The boil weevil lives anC
breeds only on the cotton plant, anc
under such ideal conditions it il
bound to thrive and do as much OF
more damage in South and Contra
Georgia as anywhere else in the cot
ton belt.
The natural result of the toll wee
wills visit is an astonishing decrease
in cotton production. This decreas'
continues for three years, reaching
it's lowest point the fourth year, ant
climbing back again until at the enc
of six years ii will possibly be 81
per cent of tho normal. At the enc
OF the third year of the boil weevi
South and Central Georgia will pro
duce from 10 to 20 per cent as mucl
as before the weeyil came.
To substantiate his prediction Mr.
Evans submitted some very interest
ing and amazing statistics covering
conditions already shown in othe,
portions of the cotton producing sec
ton. Taking, for instance, ten coun
ties in east Louisiana between the
Wachita and Mississippi rivers. The
ten counties produced cotton as fol
lows for the six years from 1906;
1906. 900 bale
1907. 1892 bale
1908. ,065 bale
1908. 65,205 bale
1910. 72,70O bale
.109,7 2S bale
It will be readily observed tina