The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1914-01-13

ten of the large cotton Icing
parishes the crop amounted to $780,
OBS bales, valued at SIS, 100000,
during the year Immediately preced-
ing the advent of the weevil in each
of these parishes. The aggregate
production of these ten parishes for
the following four years amounted
to only 211,253 bales, valued at ap-
proximately $65, 100000. The loss
to the cotton growers in these ten
parishes, attributed very largely to
the boil weevil, amounted to more
than $5O,OO0,O0O for the four years.
MISUNDERSTANDING 1906, 1907
and 1908 the boil weevil was dis
persed over an area covering about
one-third of the state of Arkansas.
In four selected counties of the state
the crop for 1906 amounted to 49,
426 bales. By 1903 the crop of these
counties had been reduced by the
weevil to 1862 bales, and in 1910
it was 1896 bales. The aggregate
value of these two crops was abour
$4,5OO,0O0, whereas had each equal
ed the crop of 1906 the cotton for
these counties would have brought
into them more than $1O,600,000.
Texas.-The boil weevil first APP
peared in the state of Texas in 1892,
and during the next Is years caused
an enoromus loss in the cotton crop
of the state. In seven selected coun-
ties in the northeast section of the
state the production in 1906 amount
ed to 232,063 bales. This was re-
duced to 114,701 bales in 1907; to
153,347 bales in 1908; to 145, 1852
bales in 1909. The aggregate value
of the crops in these counties
amounted to about $4,000, 900. II
the production of 1906 had been
maintained the value would have
been approximately $40, 100000.
Probable Effect in Areas Threatened.
Alabama.-The boil weevil now
covers the southern portion OF Ala
bama. Selecting six counties in the
eastern part of the state, which are
in the direct path of the weevil, the
production during five years has
amounted to 1925 bales, which
sold for about $45,000,000. If the
ravages of the weevil in these coun-
ties should result in reducing the
production in the same proportion
as in the selected counties in Missls-
sippi the cotton produced during the
four seasons following the spread or
the weevil throughout these counties
would amount to 100000 bales, and
the financial loss. computed at 500
per bale, would be more than S22,-
600, 900.
Georgia. Selecting five important
cotton producing counties in western
Georgia, which are also in the path
of the weevil, the loss in the pro-
duction during four seasons follow
ing the invasion of the insects would
range from 100000 bales, based on
the experience of the counties IN
Texas. to $4,000 and 100000 bales,
based on the production in the Sc
lected counties in Mississippi and the
parishes in Louisiana, respectively
The resulting financial loss in these
counties would be, therefore, from
s1O.0OO.OOO to $40, 100000.
South Carolina.-The production
of cotton during the last five years
in the five most important cotton
growing counties in South Carolina
was 1,47S,72S bales, value OF ap-
proximateIy 100000. Should
the boil weevil infest these counties
with a resulting loss in cotton pro-
duction such as occurred in the Sc
lected counties in Mississippi, the re-
duction in the crops during the four
seasons following the dispersion OF
the insects would be $4,000 bales
valued at $42,0OO,000.