Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1917-07-11
CULTIVATE AND PICK THE SQUARES
 TO MAKE COTTON Adherence to Such Doctrine Will Stop Ravages of
 Weevil, Says Expert. MIR. EVANS SEES
 NO CAUSE PANIC Government Experts Spend Day Tour ing Jefferson County and Find Far mers and Planters Genreally
 Cooperating in Campaign.

q see no occasion for any panic among the cotton planters and busi- ness men," was the statement made yesterday afternoon by J. A. Evans, first assistant in the office of Brad ford Knapp, director of the bureau of farm extension of the department of agriculture at Washington, after he had completed a tour of large portion of Jefferson county, in sur- vey of the boil weevil situation.
 "If the farmers and planters will continue steadily the cultivation of the crop, to expose the weevils to the hot sun, and at the same time will pick all punctured squares from the plants there is no reason, weather conditions permitting, why the nor mai yield per acre of cotton may not be obtained this year." continued MT. Evans.
 Mr. Evans did not attempt to mini mize the seriousness of the situa- ton. but he did make it clear, in most emphatic terms, that if the farmers and planters will follow the directions of the farm demonstration agents, the weevils can be overcome and their ravages can be held to the minimum. In this contention, he was supported by w. c. Watson, state agent, and Dr. s. P. Weigart district agent, of the farm extension forces in Arkan- sas, both of whom accompanied him on his tour of Jefferson county, as they had accompanied him the day before on his tour of Pulaski county.
 Mr. Evans an Expert.
 There are few men in the country who know more of the habits of the cotton boil weevil, perhaps, than MT. Evans. For very many years he has been engaged actively in fighting them, beginning his campaign years agon in southwest Texas, when the weevils first became known factor, and having been engaged in the work almost continuously since that time. For some years, after having been in charge of boil weevil work in Texas, MT. Evans was in charge of the same work in Arkansas and Louisiana, following which he was transferred to the Washington office, with general supervision over the boil weevil campaign in IA Southern states.
 MT. Evans came to Arkansas Mon boil weevil conditions in the South ern and Southeastern sections of this state the remainder of the week. be- fore proceeding to other states for the same purpose. Monday he spent with MT. Watson, Dr. Weigart and other farm workers in Pulaski county, yes terday he was in Jefferson county and last evening he left for McGehee, whence he will visit Tillar, Monti- cello. Warren and Fl Dorado, seeing for himself what the conditions are in each of those sections.
 Praises Local Agents.
 Hearty compliment was paid Farm Demonstration Agents c. H. Thomas and Joel Lambert yesterday by the visiting farm experts, for the strenu- ous campaign they have organized in this county against the boil weevils, and for the manner in which they have aroused the planters and far mers to participate in the right
 'We have found that there is a more general infestation in Jefferson county than exists in Pulaski county, and that in some spots the infestation is heavier" said MT. Watson. "but we found also that there is greater ac- tivity and much more cooperation the planters and farmers. in the campaign against the weevils. This is due to the efforts of the farm demonstrators, the newspapers, the committee of business men of Pine Bluff and the chamber of commerce" 3 MT. Watson mentioned one rather large cotton field which two weeks ago was very heavily infested with the weevils. He stated that yesterday it 1 was difficult to find a weevil in the
 Continued on page five.)