The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-08-25
Prof. w. w. Long. Clemson College,

Prof. w. w. Long. Clemson College
8. C..
Dear Sir: Below you will find a re
port OF the Sumter County Boil Wee
VII Commission on a trip taken Il
weevil infested territory in order tina
iirst hand information might be OBJ
tained OF the methods or change.
necessary to be made in Sumte,
county In order to meet condition.
under weevil infestation.
1t was decided to max, the trim IN
automobiles and believe thae 1t was
the consensus of opinion of the party
that more information can be obtain
cd travelling In cars than in any 9TH
er way. We left Sumter at eight a.
m. August 9Th. ten cars in all max
ing the trip with thirty -four passen.
gers. We travelled on Monday, Au.
gust 6, via Camden. Augusta, San
dersville. Very fine crops were seen
along the road especially around
Batesburg. Leesville and Sanders
vile. Weevils were reported to be
around Louisville and sandersville
Dut We never saw any. They were
doing very little damage. Our first
stop for inspecting farms was around
Dublin. Ga. Here we found great
preparation for making other crops
than cotton. A thirty thousand dol
lar grain and velvet bean mill was
just being completed. roller mill was
In full swing. first class canning
factory was very busy and we were
shown a building and place where
stock yards will be built in the near
future. Tho secretary of the Cham
ber of Commerce and Mr.. Afford, Ag-
ricultural Agent for Macon, Dublin
and Savannah Railway were very
Kind In showing us what wc would
have to do to get ready for the vice.
VII. They also showed us some very
hne thoroughbred cattle of the
Hereford strain and about three hun
dred and twenty five grade Herefords
that were fat enough to he put on
the market. These cattle and as
many hogs were grazing in a three
hundred acre field Of peas and were
not making much progress In keep
Ing the peas from growing. The
owner Of these cattle said that II was
his practice to turn hog and COW
on each acre of peavines that he
sowed directly after sowing them
and that they would leave a good
growth OF hay to he turned under
when frost came. Here a wagon load
Of melons was spread out on a long
table and as many cut as the party
could consume. The County Agent
told us that the weevils were appear
Ing about In spots but we saw no
fields that lad bcen damaged very
much. Around Dublin we saw a
great deal Of velvet beans and corn
and so,ne fields of peanuts. Tho
County Agent also told us that not
moro than third Of the acreage
cultivated In tho county was planted
to cotton.
After leaving Dublin. We headed
for Valdosta. via Hawkinsville.
Vienna. Cordele. Ashburn and Tif-
ton. We found 1t growing late and
only one car proceeded to Valdosta
that night. the others spending tho
night at Ashburn and Tifton. We
found all of these towns to be hustl-
ing thriving places. All were i'm
good spirits and did not seem to
dread the weevil. At Tifton. a pack
Ing house was being built and q
creamery had been started. We
travelled from COrdele to Triton af-
ter dark. The next morning when
we resumed our journey, the occu.
pants OF the car In which I was
| riding. began to remark about tht
scarcity OF blooms. although thert
had been plenty Of rain. just the da,
before. We did not now what t,
make OF this, but on inquiry, we wcr,
told that 1t was tho work of tn,
weevil. A great many forms wer,
| on the ground and the cotton stoll,