The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-08-18
THE noLL wEEvIL TRIP.

, The members of the Sumter County
Boil Wsevil Commission are at homs
again after most interesting and In.
structive trip OF more than q thou
sand miles through the weevil infest.
Cd sections Of Georgia and Alabama
the total mileage travelled from the
time the party left Sumter until they
reached home again was 1870. The
tour took the party through the heart
OF Georgia from the Savannah river
at Augusta to within ten miles OF the
Florida line at valdosta, Quitman and
Thomasville. then northwestward
through Albany. the great pecan
region to Eufaula. where the Chat
tahooche river was crossed into
Alabama From Eufaula the party
travelled westward to Selma. through
Montgomery. Returning. the trip
carried them through Tuskeegee, Au-
burn and Opeiika to Columbus. Ga.
thence by way Of Buena Vista and
through the Montezuma- Fort Valley
peach growing region. to Macon. Mil
iedGeville and on to Augusta.
On this trip all phases Of the boil
wetvil infestation were seen--from
the stage Of apprehension and prep
araiion to that OF panic. depression
and abandonment or recovery and
prosperity. To briefly summarize the
results Of the trip IL might be said
that the members of the party learn
ed that the boil weevii Is a serious
reality. that cotton growing as here
tofore practiced In all sections OF the
South Is thing Of tho past when the
boil weevils arrive. that cotton can be
grown under weevii conditions by the
intelligent industrious farme,. but n,
tho expense OF hard work and un.
remitting vigilance; that cotton can
not be the main crop where the wee.
VII In present. but side crop; that ia
make any money on q cotton farm
the planter must make a living by
producing all that ne needs for con-
sumption on the farm and a surplus
to sell besides In addition to what.
ever cotton he can make In spite OF
the weevil. As q destructive pest the
boil weevil In In class by Itself
the Irish potato bug. the tobacco
worm and the San Jose scale are
amateurs In comparison with the
Mexican boil weevil when II comes
To persistence and destructivcness. II
was also found that the extent Of
damage varies from year to year. the
variation being due to winter tenn.
peraturcs and the weather condition,
during the crop growing season. L
was found that son farmers, by fol
lowing the methods Cor fighting tn,
weevil worked out by the experts O
the agricultural department. ar,
growing from Atty to seventy pe
cent. OF a crop. while their neigh
hors within half mile would no
make two per cent. OF a crop OF
better land. In some sections the peo
pie had refused To regard the weevi
seriously. and declined to accept tn
advice OF the boil weevil experts an,
I'm consequence had met with disaate
the farms were abandoned and tn
people impoverished. In other sect
ions the people had prepared for tn
coming OF the weevil. and diversifle
their crops. had gone into hog an
cattle raising and dairying and whc
the wevil arrived they were ready ~
the fight. They are growing littl
cotton In comparison with the ante
weevil days. but they ere prosperin
and there is more money in the coun
try than ever before.
In Georgia and Alabama the pee
pie are planting n great deal OF pea
nuts and velvet beans. and tn
testimony of all those with whom W
talked was that they are prontabl
crops. Hut u Is the liberalization {
crops and the live Mt home polio
that In making those people ind'
pendent of the boil weevll. Some pee
pie in both Georgia and Alabama al
stili OF the opinion that tina South
. cotton country. that cotton is KIM