Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1914-10-09
Hn Interesting Letter
Writer in "MOdern Farming" Pays Tribute
TenSas Methods of Diversified Farnin6
and Combat of Boil WeevM

! Before passing on to the story of how
the Delta planters are managing to con.
Time cotton planting despite the presence
of the weeyil in almost overwhelming
numbers, it must he told that the MAORI
ty of the planters in the several parishes
are very extensive land owners, which
i'm ordinary circumstances wonld seem ia
make the battle against the weevil all the
more hopeless. But, then, the Louisiana
Delta planters are not of the ordinary
sort, as will be seen from the information
that is to follow, which was cleaned by a
representative of Modern Farming thru
recent visit to plantations in Madison
and Tensas.
From what has been said and believed
by many doubters, the demonstration
system as applied to fighting the weevil
on the large plantations is not effective
While freely enough granted that the
small area cotton farmer can cope with
and hold the weevil in check, much doubt
has been expressed that the same success
would meet the efforts expended on a
large area of cotton. This, however, has
been proven a fallacious belief of the Del
ia planters this year, who, virtually; one
and all, where working by demonstration
methods, held the weevil in control during
the entire part of the growing season they
were able to keep the tenant or gang la
Dor in the fields That they should have
managed to do this seems little short of
remarkable when it is told, according to
planters testimony, that the weevil was
far worse this season than it ever was in
past years, being quite the worst infesta-
ton ever known in the entire State. This
was due to the mild winter, the ideal hi
bernating quarters surrounding nearly all
the plantations, and the lateness of sring
proving very favorable to the coming out
of the wintered weeyil being spread over
a larger period than usual. In previous
years all the wintered weevil had come
out in the Delta by June 20, but emery
ence was noted at later dates this season,
making the pest more difficult to handle.
While numbers OF Delta planters picked
the punctured squres and hand-picked the
weevil on crops preceding that of 1914,
before this year few made so consistent
and persistent fight as they conducted
during past summer and spring months.
In response to the educational work
done by the two demonstration agents
serving the three parishes Of East Carroll,
and Tensas, Messrs T. !. Watson
and L. w. Vance, advantages of Govern
ment methods were so instilled into the
planters that for the first time wintered
weevils were picked off last spring as fast
as they manifested their presence. In
Tensas parish alone, 102 big planter and
small farm demonstrators worked as close
ly to recommended procedure as could
be done with the prevalent negro tenant
system; and the prospect is that practical
ly every one to judge by expressions heard
will hold to the system as an established
farm institution in the future, with quite
a number OF new converts falling into
line when it comes to making the next
crop.
The planters at first threw up their
hands in despair of the idea of ever get
ting the negro hands to carry on truly
and intelligent fight against the
weevil, but Agents Vance and Watson
who are farmers as well as Demonstra-
lion Agents. proceeded to prove to the
big landed propretors how interest could
be aroused in the negroes.
Without loss of time, for there was no
time to lose, these.most active representa-
tive of the Federal department of Farm
ers' Cooperative Demonstration Work,
proceeded to show what the word coop
erative means. They enlisted the support
Of the planters in gathering the negroes
together for night meeting at their
on the plantations, and with
men, women and children congregating
to listen to "dem Government men,"
Messrs. Watson and Vance so spread the
gospel of demonstration methods the
ength and breadth of the Louisiana Del
"a country. Travelling by forced marches
rs they did, this demonstrating pair did
heir PROSECUTING every night Sundays |
included, before the parson had his say) |
rom April into July, night talks being |
he only way they could reach the labor. |
In those three months they explained to
he cotton field labor the importance and
absolute necessity of hand picking the
Seevil and squares, incidentally dwelling |
Ipon the benefits to accrue therefrom If |
hey were to raise crop. Then, after a |
while, it became easier sailing, az gradu- |
lily the word was passed around among |
he hands of the advantages that early |
,ecame apparent after they got into the
light in a whole-hearted way. In conse-
luence OF this campaign enthusiasm was
aroused in master and man alike in the |
treat Delta boil weevil fight, and it was
his enthusiastic spirit, coupled with a |
most praiseworthy determination to win !
mt, that is accountable for as good crops
,eing raised in the Louisiana Delta as |
ire now being harvested.
Report from both Tensas and Madison