The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-03-03
COTTON CULTURE
WAY DOWN SOUTH
Some Views That Have Been
Expressed by the President
of the Southern Railway

Washington, Ma rch 2.-Prcsident Fin
ley. of the South> rn Railway Company.
speaking OF the iirst years work Of the
Cotton Culture Department maintained
By the Southern Railway. the Mobile
and Ohio Railroad. the Alabama Great
Southern Railroad. and the Georgia
Southern and Floria Railway. said:
"Tha primary purpose Of the organi-
cation of the Cotton Culture Depart
ment BY the railway companies which
contribute to It's support was to CO.
operate with farmers along The lines
OF those companies In the territory
along the advance OF the Mexican cot
ton boil w.evil for the adoption OF
those cultural methods recommended
by the late DR.. S. a. Knapp, of the
United States Agricultural Department,
for growing cotton under boil weevil
conditions. DR.. Knapp also advised
that II woull be advantageous to ADOPT
those :. methods ind spenaently OF the
presence OF the weovil. The results OF
the iirst years work OF our Cotton Cul-
ture Department have demonstrated
the soundness of his advice in all re-
spects.
In circular. under the date OF
February -. 1912. prepared by Or. w.
ID. Hunter the boil weevil expert Of
the Bureau OF Entomology. ana ISSUED
by DIR l. o. Howard, cniet oil that bu-
reau. with thu approval of the Secre-
tary OF Agriculture, it is pointed out
that the weeriis were less numerous
in 1911. owing 10 adverse YEA Their con-
ditions. and that the insect vas ex-
terminated in an area covering about
23.puO square mixes in the northwestern
portion OF Texas and the western pur-
ton OF Oklahom where CONDITIONS
were particularly untavorabiv Dr.
Hunter shows that. Notwithstanding
! these conditions. tn, insect continued
&c spread TO the northward and east
ward in Arkansas. Mississippi, and Al
ALBANIA
" lie says tina, the reduction in num-
{ bers in l9ll was due TO "a combination
of climatic influences which can only
be eSpeeted to rccur at intrc1ueut IN
tarvals and that. with the return OF
favorable seasons. the YeuIl vail
again multiply. re urges, therefore,
that 1t Is necessary Tor planters 70
continue their hSnt against tho weevil
according 10 the methods that l.avs
been recommended by the Agricultural
= ISsc Hle lHc IICtDCuS
advised by the Southern Railway COT
ION Culture pcpartrn INT.
1t should he boyur in mind .hat inc
cultural methods recommended by the
late Or. Knapp ANA advised by our
Cotton Culture Department; involve in
tenalve farming. This is impor aunt OF
only as 10 cotton. but also as 10 other
crops, and we ara urging farmers to
produce all OF the grains fruits. vese-
tables. meats, dairy products and poui-
try used on the farm. so that they may
not have 10 Sell cotton regardless OF
market conditions IL orGe.' 20 buy
these things, but may be uDle 10 mar.
k:t their crop when there Is IL econ :,
oInlc demand for 1t. 1t Will thug be
seen that the agents or the Cotton CUT
lure Department are giving ady.ct us
TO farm operations generally Their
success in this is shown by lne rec
ords made In thirty Fl .lds OF corn
grown In accordance with their adj
vice. The average yield obtained under
improved cultural metkoas was forty
seven and half bushels per acre, as
compared with an estimated ny!rage
of fourteen bushels per acre on Sim
liar lands In the same general locali-
ties. The bes; corn yield reported by
our Cotton Culture Depnrtma vas
eighty-two bushels per aero on field
of sfSty-nve acres"