The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1916-10-27
HOW GEORGIANS MET
INVASION OF WEEVIL
Continued from page one, Part ID

clare; and unless earlier fruiting crops
can be produced this industry will he
thing of the past. In South Caro-
lima, especial attention must he paid
to the Sea Island cotton. Experts
from Clemson college will give atten-
lion to this, and will be glad to ad-
wise with the growers of the Sea Is
land variety in the coast count;es.
j. ID. Price, commissioner Of agt;~
culture in Georgia, in a recent state
ment issued describes the conditions
hat he found on 800 acre field Of
cotton. The weevils were on the sob,
attacking each young boil rs soon as
it appeared on the parent stalk. Their
ravageS were so complete as they
went from stalk to stalk that the COM
missioner declares that the whole SEQ
acres, giving evidence of fine field
three weeks before the inspection.
will not make handful of cot.
ton"
Doubt Cost Him Money.
BY being skeptical about the COM
ing of the weevil and minimizing the
damage the pest could do. the farmer
during the course of three weeks
could do nothing but watch the wee
wills turn his crop into 300 acres of
barren stalks. He did not heed the
warning offered him and the result is
his years work is gone to nothing.
He estimates that he lost $4,000 on
the cotton.
There are many farmers who have
suffered likewise. Some were wise
enough to make their own food and
feed crops at home. There are many
cases reported where farmers went
into debt to grow cotton only to find
lemselves on the wrong side of the
ledger at the end of the year and
without any cotton for the market.
However, these farmers can not buy
supplies on time again next year
that is, if they propose to grow moth
ing but cotton again.
Speaking of conditions in Georgia,
the Atlanta Constitution said in an
editorial:
"Those Georgia farmers in the
southwestern section of the State, who
were disposed to doubt the warnings
given them regarding the invasion of
the Mexican cotton boil weevil will
aSSuredly think better of their attitude
another year and proceed accordingly.
Notwithstanding the fact that for two
or three years prior to the first ap-
pearance of the boil weevil in this
State, the State board of entomology
kept continually before them the fact
that it was inevitably on its way, and
that it's advent was just as certain as
death and taxes, there were not a
few farmers on the southwestern bor-
der line next to Alabama who un-
heedingly went ahead and made no
alteration in their plans. They are
now sorry they did it. To meet boil
weevil conditions next year the farm
ers in the infested territory must be-
gin work now. 1t is vitality important
to clean the fields, to plow under the
dead cotton stalks. to clear up the
stubble and rubbish and burn it. In
this way many of the weevils are de-
strOyed, and are defeated in their eff
forts to get into safe winter quarters.
This years experience has proven the
value and Importance of the warn
ings. Next year the weevil will in
wade more Georgia counties. Farmers
in the danger zone can profit. if they
will, by the experience of their neigh
bors. They are foolish to stand in
their own light, if they fail to do it."