Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-10-27

| to max them, though there is no serious
| objection TO mixing them. Crimson
| clover could be cut and made into a
| good hay. The bur clover we think
will give it's best results when sown
on Bermuda sod for the purpose Of inn
proving it for winter grazing
| A TEXAS FARMERS SUGGESTIONS.
The attention of our farmers is called
| 10 the following letter from MIR. X. {.
scott. of Wcatherford, Parker county, TEX
WHERE the boil weevil established itself
several years ago. Mr.. SCOTS advice Tor
the most part is sound and II Needed by
our farmers would enable them to meet
the boil weevil invasion with a high de-
gree of success and efficiency, thereby
minimizing all losses. His suggestion Win
reference to the planting Of cotton should
be needed. This Will be suicidal thlng
for our farmers to 10 because the weeyil
has so established itself In Georgia that
| lis damage 10 the cotton crop next year
promises to be serious. On the other hand,
IL the farmers grow an abundance OF fooh
supplies, raise as much live stock as posi-
nile and Only raise limited amount Of
cotton, he will be much better Off than
II he raises all cotton and finds his cotton
virtually destroyed by the boil weeNll.
The crop season in this part of Tex
as is drawing to a close and VIII emu
about two months earlier than usual,
owing to the shortness of the cotton
crop which is only about 40 per cent
of a normal crop, that per cent pelns
equivalent TO a bale to six acres.
The cause of the short crop this year
is on account of our having an extreme
Iy cool wet spring which rendered cot
ton quite late and an army of boil Wee
wills to puncture the squares from early
until late Owing to the prevalence OF
boil weevils last year the farmers were
cautious enough not to depend almost
entirely upon a cotton crop for living
and the fair yields of all other crops
and the good price obtained for cotton,
renders a majority of them at least in
dependent
1t appears to me that the southern
farmers have the brightest prospect be-
fore them that 1 have ever seen, provid-
ed they will make an intelligent use OF
the advantages they have; but l am
fearful they will spoil good thing by
planting cotton next year to the neglect
of other crops.
1t has been a hard job to teach the
farmers of this section the importance
of following a diversified system or
farming, making their farms self-sup-
porting, but l am pleased to be able
TO say that they have at last gotten
their eyes open to the fact that planting
cotton to make money to buy living
is a ruinous system of farming, even
under favorable conditions. However
10 1-2 cents per pound for cotton looks
large to the average farmer and L am
afraid 1t will blind them TO their best
interests and cause them to overdo cot
ton planting next year.
1 read with much interest last spring
the suggestion offered and efforts made
to hold the boil weevil in check In Geor-
gia all of which was alright so far as
hut uyba n
visitation of weevils such as we have
had the last two years it will be found
that IL does mot go far enough.
Theory is alright but science unaided
by practical experience, in some in
stances, can avail but little and since
I have had considerable experience with
the boil weevil pardon me for making
some suggestions as to how to onset
the detrimental effect of the little pest.
Upon the advent of the boil weevil
to this state the suggestion was often
heard that this state is ruined" but
I think ] can safely say that Texas Is
in better condition today than it was
before the coming of the weevil. The
"all cotton system" of farming had to be
abandoned and a more intelligent and
profitable system adopted. The lands
were being rapidly depleted of fertility
by the planting of cotton and the grow
ing of the crop had become Improbable
under favorable conditions, owing to the
poor crops made.
But l have depressed and will now
make the promised suggestions as to how
to Offset the evil effect of the boil
weeviL
Entomologists advise gathering and
burning the punctured squares to check
the ravages Of the pest which is alright
under certain circumstances, but when
they appear in great numbers the reme-
DIV is a failure from the fact that a
hand to each acre of cotton cannot keep
the squares destroyed. Again frequent
shallow civilizations of the crop is adj
vised, the claim being made that to
cover the punctured squares with hot
dust will destroy the larva. A test
made by myself proves the contrary.
Squares covered one inch in hot sand
brought forth mature weevils while
those living on top of the ground were
killed by the sun i'm the larva state.
The most successful way that has
been practiced in this state to raise
cotton in defiance of the weevil is as
| follows:
Plant as early as practical, have the
crop to mature early. gather early and
destroy the stalks either by pasturing or
cutting and burning to prevent a crop of
the weevils hybernating over winter to
attack the following crop. Make your
farm self-supporting and be independ-
ent of the pest.