Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1914-06-23
Weather Favorable and Plant Grows Well in Most
 Sections of Belt.
ARKANSAS EXCEPTION
Outside of St. Francis Basin Crop in This State Fails to Keep Up With General PrOgress-Texas
 Greatly JmprOTed.

Good progress has been made by| the cotton crop during the past two weeks. Exception to the general progress should be noted in that part of Arkansas outside of the St. Francis basin, much of West Tennessee and some of the hills of Mississippi, says the Memphis Commercial Appeal in it's weekly review or the cotton crop situation. In the remainder of the belt much improvement is shown over conditions that prevailed two weeks ago.
 In Texas and Oklahoma great head Way has been made against weeds and grass, and while there is yet much to be done, cultivation has made such strides that the outlook for a good yield on that part oi the crop up be- fore the rains is favorable. There is much cotton that w1s planted since the rains and this Is late. Much acreage, it is stated, can never be cleaned out and this will be aban- doned. While no figures are avail able on the amount that will be abandoneu, it will probably. prove sufficient to cause reduction in acreage in those states.
 In Alabama and the Atlantlcs a series of local rains has practically broken the drouth and the outlook is greatly improved as result. Old cotton is growing rapidly, is healthy and is fruiting freely. There was much cotton not up when the rains fell. Some of this is up and grow ing, while some of it will be plowed u, and plante<.. to other crops. This is also the case in the central portion O. the belt. Taken all in all, this acreage is likely to prove sufficient to cause a reduction in the acreage of the entire belt as compared with last year.
 The crop is exceptionally well cultivated. Outside of Texas and Oklahoma, where work is being rushed, fields are almost perfectly clean and ground is in excellent tilth. Favorable weather will find the plant ready to grow in so far as cultivation is concerned.
 's Boil weevil are numerous in infest- eu areas and already some damage is being done. Farmers are making a strong fight against the pest and sin most cases expect to make a crop in spite of them.
 Arkansas.
 Owing to the. extended drOuth the plant made little actual growth dur ing the period under review. How ever, there was little deterioration, the plant having about held its own. In scattered sections partial relief was afforded last week by light to moder- ate rains. Plant is small, but thrifty, and in some sections beginning to fruit. Cultivation has been rushed during dry weather and approximates perfection. A rather considerable area planted to cotton has been or will be plowed Up owing to late planting having failed to come up.
 Texas.
 Two weeks of warm, open weather with plenty of sunshine have wrought a great improvement in the crop Work has been rushed and mucf headway has been made against grass and weeds. Still there is much tt dc however. Plant is healthy anl growing rapidly, but is still sonl' three to four weeks late. In an. sections there is much of the acreage that cannot be cleaned out and re planted, and this will be abandoned Just how much there is of this acre age it is impossible to say, Lut i will probably prove sufficient t' cause a\reduction in acreage as com pared to\ last year.
 Tennessee.
 Scattered rains have relieve drouin conditions to a certain eXten in many sections of the state, uspecl ally in the middle portion. Ill thes sections the plant has made growt and is looking we'll. Some cotton ha come up since the rains, but many be lieve this is too late to mature. Wher rains have not fallen the plant i holding up fairly we'll considerin the drouth, but good rains are bsdl needed. Cultivation practically per 1 feet and fields are clean.
 Mississippi.
 Good scattered showers greatl benefited the crop, which made goo progress during the past fortnight l Plant is growing rapidly, is stron anu IlCdlluy dliu 10 II uAtiAs7 ANN~ v l Boil weevil, however are reported Il infested areas in greater number than ever before known and are al ready doing some damage, althoug farmers are making hard figh against them. In some sections wher Grouth has prevailed some cotto lands are being plowed up and plant ed to other crops, as it is believe
 that cototn germ;nating this late vii
 not mature.
 Alabama.
 There is hardly complaint frol ] this state, aside from boil weevil 1 i southern countries. Good rains owe
 almost every locality in the state dnl 1 ing the last 10 days found the plar
 ir clean fields. with the moisture a
 that was lacking. Since the rain
 plant has grown rapidly, is stron l and healthy and is fruiting freel! !, One or two sections report lack moisture, but state that plant is doin
 we'll In the south large numbers boil weevil are causing apprehension but aside from this there seems HUI [ to be desired in crop conditions.