The Columbus commercial. (Columbus, Miss.) 1893-1922, 1916-08-27
COTTON CAN Be SUCCESSFULLY
CROWN DESPITE BOIL WEtV|L
FOX AND LLOYD OUTLINE SYS.
TEN IN SPEECHES AT
STARkVILLE.

Starkville, Miss, Aug. 26.-In his
second lecture here this summer on
growing cotton under boil weevil
conditions, Prof. J. w. Cox, former
director of the Mississippi Expert
ment Stations, outlined system of
cotton raising that will work in spite
of the weevils. He spoke for some
time at farmers institute and a
round table discussion for the farm
ers of the delta and of North Cen
tral Mississippi, who arrived yester-
day on the farmers excursion trains
for a two-day short course in agri-
culture.
Before introducing Mr.. Fox, Direc-
tor E. R. Lloyd, Of the extension de-
partment, who led the discussions,
reviewed the agricultural conditions
in Mississippi for the past five years
and told of the Improvements that
have been made. He stated that with
in that time the improvement in the
methods of cultivation of crops has
been wonderful. The director pointed
out the advantages of keeping a
few brood sows on every farm and
advised raising two litters of pigs ev-
cry year. He said that he hoped to
see the time when every farmer with
200 acres of land will sell carload
of baby beef or good steers every
year. Turning then to the subject of
dairying, he showed that with good
cows, good pastures and plenty of
feed it was one of the most profit
able of all farm enterprises. Prof.
Lloyd warned the farmers against
starting creameries before milk from
at least 600 cows was available. In
closing he particularly urged the
farmers not to be led off by fad
crops, such as ginseng and broom
corn, as substitutes for cotton, say
ing that such crops could only be
profitable when grown, cured and
marketed by experts, and pointed out
that such staple crops as oats were
splendid cash crops.
That cotton is still the crop closest
to the hearts and pocketbooks of
Mississippi farmers was indicated by
the intense interest with which the
lecture of Prof. Fox was received and
the many questions which followed.
Prof. Fox based his talk on his ex-
periences of the past five years, dur
ing which time he has grown cotton
on large scale in spite of the weevil
The three main factors in reduc-
ing the number Of the boil weevi
that attack the cotton are severe
winters, with a temperature oi
around ten degrees above zero, very
, hot summer weather, a temperature
of from 81 to 100 degrees being suf
} ficient to cook the grub in tn,
squares, and absence of big timber
hollow trees and rotting logs, which
, furnish favorable alternating places
The pest does not live over the win
ter in cotton stalks, ditch banks o.
brush piles, as such places do no
q offer sufficient protection. The frs
task of the farmer is to get rid o
a the big timber wherever this is prae
, ticable. The next step is good farm
!, ing. In this connection Prof Fo
stated that the lands must be i'm
proved. His hobby in constructiv
farming is cowpeas and he urge
every farmer to grow peas in all 0
: his corn, stating that on the planta
+ ton at Scott, Miss, he planted 600
! bushels of cowpeas this year. Tn
$ speaker then outlined the steps M
: cessary in doing this good farmin
r to beat the boil weevil, as follows
y /. Make the land rich.
> 2. Piow land as early in the VIII
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