Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1916-12-06
ESTAB BLISH ENrTlVNI.ESS BELT.


Charlotte. N. G., Nov. 29.-That
North and South Carolina should CO.
operate in preventing the invasion Of
the dreaded cotton boil wccvi by
utilizing the natural barrier Of the
Savannah river. and strengthening it
hy means Of Il 20-milc strip in which
no cotton would be allowed to be
planted at all. and then by stringent
measures as to quarantine, is the
claim and confident judgment Of for.
MCLaurin. Of BrnncttSvillc. :. c..
who arrived in Charlotte Sunday in
bis car on Il short business trip to
the city.
Senator McI.auriu is il large cotton
PLANTER himself and is probably the
best posted expert on cotton growing
ana marketing to he found in South
C"lolina. For the past decade and
longer he has been toiling in season
and out for the boneii, OF the cotton
farmers Of the southeast, and has al
ways been in the forefront OF those
working for the good OF the cause OF
tn" great agricultural class. This
bHtn" so, he has viewed with appre-
htnSion the continued advances OF
the boll wccvil pest as il has gradu-
ally worked It's way across the Mis-
S:ssirpi and on into Georgia. The
effect Of the storms in accclcrating
It's advance last year ana the year be-
fore has been noted. and il is now
generally believed that unless some
thing Is done it will be in Sotuh Caro-
ljna within the next three years. That
II will arrive in due season is said to
hc certain by the experts unless
something is done.
What Senator MclAaurin Suggests.
There is something that Senator
McLaurin has suggested to the au-
thorities in South Carolina. and he
viii also present it to the authorities
in North Carolina when he .bcIicvcs
the time is ripe.
Senator Mcliurin believes that his
his idea is feasible and that it will be
effective is properly initiated and
then consistently handled. Says he.
"Thcre is something that is Just as
sure as death and taxes. and that is
the arrival Of the boil wccvil in the
cotton belt unless something is done
to check or permanently stop it. The
idea that | have in view-and one
that has been Incorporated in my re-
port Is to establish Il prevention zone
at the natural ba.ricr Of the Savan-
nah river. which in itself is quite
consideration. From Augusta to the
sea the river offers broad swamp
area. North OF Augusta there is a
space that will have to he reinforced
until the up-country is reached.
where there is little or no cotton
planted. The p'An is to declare
belt adjacent 10 the river, 20 miles
VIDE, in which no cotton shall be
};rown. and this 'co,tonlcsS zone.
added to the natural barrier OF The
river, will provide a i0-milc zone
which would he such Il hindrancc to
the Doll wccyil invasion that it will
cheek il for years or course, added
TO this would be effective uuaran,inc
measures
"Thc value to the Carolinas would
u" !ncalculahlr when ii is considered
mat AL the rest 81 TIE cotton bet
would be infested with the wcryil. !
therehy reducing the yield matcriai- |
~. II would b" 4 great gold mirr to
the two states. The cost would not
be excessive. and hy means OF promp,
measures could bc put in effect wjtE-
out delay. or course. the longer the
two States delay the more difficult
the carrying out OF this plan will he
Little Cotton stored.
Senator McInurin is hale and
hearty and carries his years splendid.
ly. He is state Warehouse Commits
Sioncr in South Carolina and there.
fore has al admirable opportunity
Tor knowing just what is happening
in cotton circles in the state. lie was
asked last night about the cotton
stored in South Carolina.
"Fhcrc is only very little" said
he. "Cotton at 20 cents offers slight
ndnccmcnt to the farmer to hold for
higher prices. The amount Of cotton
stored in South Carolina to-day is
only small part OF what was there
last year"
senator MclIaurin was asked If he