The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-03-13
COTTON CULTURE DEPARTMENTS !.


Washington, February 28th.-Prestdeness
Finley, of the Southern Railway Company
speaking to-day Of the first years work OF
the Cotton Culture Department maintained
by the Southern Railway, the Mobile q
Ohio Railroad, the Alabama GreatSouth.
"The primary purpose Of the organixa.
tion Of the Cotton Culture Department by
the railway companies which contribute To-
its support was to cooperate with farmers
along the lines Of those companies In the
territory along the advance OF the Mex.
can cotton boil weeyil for the adoption Oil
those cultural methods recommended by
the late DR.. s. A. Knapp, OF the United
States Agricultural Department, for grow
ing cotton under boil weevl condititions.
DR., Knapp also advised that 1t would be
advantageous to adopt thoee methods In
dependently Of the presence OF the weevtl.
The results Of the first years work of, our
Cotton Culture Department have demon-
strated the soundness Of his advice In al
respects.
"fn a circular, under date Of February
10. 1912, prepared by DR.. w. D. Hunter, the
boil we.vil expert OF the Bureau OF Enton.
oIogy, and issued by Dr.: y. .. Howard,
the Secretary of Agriculture, 1t Is pointed
out that the weevils were less numerous In
1911, owing to adverse weather conditions,
and that the insect was eXterminated In
an area covering about q, 900 square miles
| in the northwestern portion OF Texas and
the western portion OF. Oklahoma, where
conditions were particularly unfavorable.
| Dr.. Hunter shows that, notWlthetandlng
these conditions, the insect continued TO
spread to the northward and eastward IN
! Arkansas, Mississippi, and Alabama. he
saws that the reduction In numbers In 1911
was duo to a combination OF climatic In
huences which can only be expected to re-
cur at infrequent intervals, and that, with
the return Of favorable seasons, the wee
vii will again multiply. He urges, there.i
fore, that IL is necessary for planters TO
continue their fight against the weeyl ac-
cording to the methods that have BEEN
ment. These are the methods advised by
the Southern Railway Cotton Culture De-
partment.
1T should be borne In mind that the cul.
tural methods recommended BY the lata
DR.. knapp and advised by our Cotton Cuir
ture Department involve intensive farn1s
ing. This is important not only as to cot-
ton, but also as to other COPS, and We ara
urging farmers to produce all OF the
grains, fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy
products, and poultry used on the farm 30
| S~N~ SSSSSsss
gardless Of market conditions In order 70
buy these things, but may be able to mar.
ket their crop when there is an economic
demand for it. It will thus be seen thai
the agents Of the Cotton Culture Departs
ment are giving advice as to farm opera.
tions generally. Their success IN this is
shown by the records made In so fields Of
corn grown in accordance with their ads
vice. The average yield obtained under
improved cultural methods was ~ Ia
bushels per acre, as compared with an eet:
mated average Of IA bushels per acre on
similar lands In the same general locaus
ties. The best corn yield reported by o9r
Cotton Culture Department was 80 bushels
per acre on field of 65 acres.
"I desire again to call attention to the
fact that the services Of the field agent Of
this Department are given free Of charge
to all farmers along the lines Of the parts
cipating companies. Farmers residing
along the lines of these companies In To-
calities where field agent has not yet
been stationed may obtain literature de!
scriptive Of the methods recommended BY
addressing Mr.. T. o. Plunkett, General
Agent, Chattanooga, Tenn.