The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-12-27

Ing 7.041,O acres apd producing g..
43S.3S6 bales Of cotton. In 1914 the
acreage had increased to 11,921,O OC
acres and the crop to 4,592,112 bales
An analysis OF the Texas situation by
counties shows that the boil weevii
seriously reduced the crop in those
counties which were In cotton before
the, weevil appeared.
/ In Louisiana where the acreage re-
manned practically the same during
the same fourteen years period, the
cotton production fell from q total OF
706.769 bales to 449,458 bales. In East
Feliciana parish, section which in ele-
vatioh and summer rainfall CORE
spends to Central South Carplina.; the
production in 1909 was 2s.k49 bales.
In 1915 1885 bales. In the adjoin-
ing parish of East Baton Rouge the
production in, 1908 was 1854. bales
and in 1915 was 1,s44 bales. In Mad
ison parish the production in 1902 was
r21.S44 bales In 1916 $500.
These figures prove more eloquent.
~ than can any argument the net re-
suits Of the boil ,weevil invasion OIL
cotton production.
However, there is a bright side Of
this Louisiana picture, for while the
seton crop of the State was greatly
reduced, the total value Of all crops
produced in the State greatly in
creased, This Is, shown, by the FOL;
lowing figures which are taken from
DR., Hunters compilations. For the
tour years prior to the invasion by the
boil weevil (1s99 to 1905 the aver.
age value Of all crops was $8S, ss4,15o
per year. For the first Ave years OF
infestation (190S to 1907, inciusive),
the average value was $ss,778,27s.
For the next five years (ls0S to
1912, inclusive), during which the ef-
feots OF the weevI were most, Sc
ri0us. the average was $7s,1li, 900.
During 1918 and 1914 the average was
$24.SS4.472. These figures teach the
important lesson that while the boil
weeYh may reduce the cotton yield Of
a State. It does not necessarily reduce
its; ability to produce equal and even
greater wealth.
N industries in the State are more
seriously threatened by the coming
Of the weevil than are the cotton oil
mills and ginneries. 1t will be inter-
esting to note the effect Of the boil
weeyil on these industries in several
States where the boil weevil has been
present for a number Of years,
LIN 1905 there was 2,07S operating
git1neries in Louisiana and 149 idle. IN
lSlS there were only 1855 operating
sinneriss and, sSI idle. During this
neriod. therefore. s7SS ~ginreriesr ca.
tttkty Disappeared, Putting the avst-
o. - Ktnnery 1t ta.Soo, the
n tnnsrs1 .aioas stats
81 louisiana was $i.sSoSoo. IN 1900
there were twenty-five OH millsin OBJ.
Grafton. This year there are only four.
teen. showing eleven mills either idle
or abandoned. The average value Of
oil mill is about $4,000. making a
total loss on ginneries and oil mills
50, 2ss.oo6.l
In Mississippi in 1895 there were
$3.50 active g~inneries and $40 idle. In
1915 there were only 1904 active GIN
neries and ba4 idle. During this same
period, therefore. in Mississippi, 1,4i4
ginneries disappeared, entailing a loss
to the state OF $685. 900. In the
same State there were eighty-four oil
mills before the advent OF the boil
weevil, and this year there are only
Afty-sour operating, showing thirty
oil mills abandoned or destroyed.
The total loss on ginneries and oil
mills in Mississippi was approximately
s4~.435,ooO. 81
In South Carolina there are sixty
OIL mllls, owned by local capital.
These mills crush o%ne-fourth of the
seed produced in the State. The
other three-fourths is bought and
crushed by corporations such as the
Cotton Oil Company. the Buckeye
Cotton Oil Company and the Union
Seed and Fertilizer Company. These
CORPORATIONS own large mills and can
better tide owe a bad situation. The
small mills owned by South Carolin-
ians DO not occupy such a position.
So far as the oil mills are concern
ed, therefore, the matter resolves it.
self into the proposition of raw ma
terial. The mills are worthless unless
they have something to work, and If
the boil weevil materially reduces the
raw, material available some other
80 GEL II 2 "