The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1916-08-30

The march of the boil weevll con-
tinues and is recorded in the quota
lions of cotton in New York, as 1T is
in the cotton fields A press bulletin
sent out by the United States Cham
Der of Commerce giving the results
of an investigation made by special
committee, of which A. w. Douglas
of St. Louis is chairman, states that
the steady eastward and northward
march of the insect has continued for
twenty-three years. There can be no
doubt that the forward movement
will cease only when the entire cot
ton section of the South has been
infested The invasion of the boil
weevil is being met by more intelli-
gent methods of cultivation, the re-
port goes on. But of it's ultimate eff
feet we have seen only the begin
ming. To quote the bulletin:
"The damage by the weevil to the
growing crop varies according to
weather conditions and latitude. OBJ
viously it is impossible to differen-
tiate the damage done by the weevil
and that done by other causes dur
ing any particular season. Never
theless numerous experiments In
several states indicate that the loss
caused by the weevil varies from 30
to 80 per cent, according to the
National Chamber Committee. The
same authority points out significant
ly that, in spite of these undoubted
facts, the largest cotton crops on rec
ord have been raised since the ad-
vent of this terrible pest.
$50 far all attempts to destroy
the weevil by spraying or poisoning
have met with scant success, primarl-
ly for the reason that the weevil
bores into the plant for his food,
while sprays and poisons lie upon the
surface. Burning or blowing under
the infested cotton plants in the fall
and burning all brush heaps, picking
and destroying weevils which appear
upon the young cotton, picking and
destroying the infested squares dur
ing the growing season, rotating the
crops so that the weevils find no cot
ton to feed upon when they emerge
from their alternating quarters, are
among the remedies which experience
has shown to be the most effective.
However, the main reliance of the
planter still continues to be in sum
shine and hot dry weather. He also
relies upon the assistance of some
forty-ive known species of preda-
cious insects that prey upon the boil
weevil. Many birds also help to keep
the numbers in check.
"About 1892 the weevil crossed
the Rio Grande from Mexico into
Southwestern Texas. 1t had been
known to exist in Mexican planta
tions and in Central America as far
back as 1843. The result was that
cotton growing in those countries
was abandoned for that of surer
crops. The immediate effect of the
invasion of the weevil in any section
of the South was paralysis of all
agricultural and commercial life. IT
cotton could no longer be grown sue
cessfully then it seemed that some
thing else must take its place. So
thought and endeavor naturally turn
ed to the production of grains and
forage crops.
"Such were the real beginnings of
that dlVerSlncatlOn Wnlcn, IOrClHeU
and advanced by the effects of the
European war, the National Chamber
Committee declares, has unquestion-
ably come to stay. 1t is predicted
there will be increases and decreases
in cotton acreage according as the
price of this great staple lis high
or low; but, if we are to take the
word of the authorities quoted above,
it seemed assured that crop diver
sication in the South has become an
established fact, largely so from the
realization that under diversification
alone can cotton be produced to the
best advantage.
ga number of experiments indi-
cate with fair degree of certainty
that only about per cent of the