The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1916-11-10
WEEVlL WILL INVADE
> ALL SOUTH CAROLINA
Experts Feel Sure That Whole of
State Will Be Affected, Lower
Part Most Disastrously.
Case of Louisiana One to
Be Guided By.
(By Joe Sparks)

weevil will ever meade this State.
They are hoping against hope that
this State will not be forced to pay
the price that all other States of the
cotton belt have paid.
1t is practically certain that the
weevil will cross the Savannah river
before the end of the present season
and he will most certainly make his
appearance in Beaufort, Jasper,
Hampton, Barnwell and Aiken coun-
ties during 1917. This is the testi-
mony and the opinion of the experts
who have been studying the progress
of the pest for nearly a quarter of a
century.
Today there is a great movement
throughout the country in favor Of
national preparedness. There should
be great movement in this State in
favor of preparedness to meet the dis
aster which is certain to follow the
arrival of the boil weevil.
Normally South Carolina produces
about 100000 bales of cotton. The
opinion of practically all the experts
is that this production will be cut to
from 100000 to 100000 bales during
the first several years of infestation.
When it is remembered that South
Carolina is annually sending awav
about $1O0,O0O,000 year for food
for man and beast, the result of the
visit of the weevil will be appalling.
The campaign should begin this fall.
The farmers should begin to cut down
on expense and every dollar possible
should be saved
Doesn't Draw Line There.
Will the boil weevil invade the
Piedmont section of South Carolina
There are many farmers and busi-
ness men who scout the idea. There
are many who do not believe that the
damage by the weevil will be heavy
above the 34th parallel.
1t is a great mistake to assume that
weevll damage depends on latitude.
Latitude means nothing but the dis
tance from the equator and bodies of
water, mountains and other factors
may and do cause regions on the same
parallel to show radically different
climatic conditions. 1t is the climatic
conditions and not the latitude which
affects the boil weevil. The most i'm
portant climatic conditions which on
crate against the weevil are winter
temperatures and summer rainfall.
Anyone who cares to look into the
y matter can obtain charts from the
weather bureau which show lines Civ
ing these factors crossing parallels of
latitude, sometimes almost at right
angles. For instance, a line drawn
through northern Louisiana, indicat-
ing an absolute minimum tempera-
ture, extends more or less along the
parallel of latitude across the State
or mississippi and Alabama. In Geor-
gia, however, the line turns sharplv
to the north and extends in a north
Hasterly direction entirely across the
State of South Carolina. This means
.hat the winter in Columbia, approx
imately on the 34th parallel, is for all
practical purposes the same as that
IN northern Louisiana at latitude of
about 81 degrees. In other words.
anv region in South Carolina must
not be compared with a region of the
ame latitude in Arkansas, but with
the region about two degrees to the
south In louisiana The facts con-
cernlng Louisiana and boil weevil de-
Structlon have already been presented.
mere Is no reason to believe that con-
dltions will be different in South Car
DINA. The same is true of lines show.
ing summer rainfall. These and other
important factors bearing on the boil
weevll give clear forecast of what
aspects the problem will assume in
South Carolina. AS matter of fact
tne only region on the Atlantic coast
Which could be compared with the
latitude of Little Rock, Ark. is the
extreme northern North Carolina and
southern Virginia.
In the Three Zones.
10 repeat careful studies of tho
Doll weevil which have been conduct
ed for many years leave no doubt
whatever that it will finally reach al,
parts of South Carolina. Nevertb..
less the problem will vary in different
sections of the State. In a rough yay
South Carolina might be divided into
three zones, one including the lowe
tnird OF the State or the coast coun-
Ties; another the central third and
the remainder the Piedmont section
In the lower zone, under normal boII
weevil conditions a loss of about 75
per cent of the cotton crop may he
expected. The loss in the central zone
under the same conditions would he
about DO per cent and in the Pied
mont section at least 25 per cent. In
unfavorable seasons such as those of
hlen precipitation following mild
Wh.ers the damage would be greater
onoer such conditions even the Pied
mont section might show loss of IS
per cent of the cotton crop.
These conditions are based on
Ia VII