Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-01-26
future of Great and Rich In
duSty Hung in Balance at
VaIdOSta Convention, but Its
Future Is Now Assured
By ROGERS WINTER.
Journal Stad Corr-espondent.l

Journal Stan Correspondent.)
VALDOSTA- Ga, Jan. 25.-Shall Sea
Island cotton continue to be raised or
shall it be abandoned and allowed TO
become extinct?
That was the question to be deter
mined by the Sea Island cotton planters
of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina
at their convention in this city yester-
day. and they answered unanimously in
favor of the salvation of the industry.
The future of Sea Island cotton, which
is probably the richest single agricul-
tural industry in the world. considering
its area and the number of people en-
gagged, was in the balance.
Today there is no doubt that Sea
Island planters will continue to grow
the great crop on which they enjoy an
absolute monopoly. and as result Of
the convention they will cooperate sys-
tematically and scientifically in the de-
veIopment OF early-fruiting varieties
with which to combat the boil weevil.
1t was being talked among Sea Island
planters that they could not grow Sea
Island cotton because of the boil weevil.
They had been told that they could not
grow it Intelligent Sea Island planters
who made a study of the question de-
cided that they could not grow it. The
whole body of Sea Island planters were
about to reach the point where they
would abandon Sea Island cotton and
go over to raising short staple cotton.
The future of the industry hung in the
balance.
E Lee worsham, state entomologist
of Georgia, conducting experiments in
Sea Island cotton under boil weeyil con-
ditions at a station near Valdosta es-
tablished for this purpose last year,
came to the conclusion that there was
every reason for Sea Island planters to
stick to the industry and no reason for
them TO go over TO the short staple. He
called the convention here for the pur-
pose of convincing them that he was
right, and he succeeded.
RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED.
At the afternoon session of the con-
vention yesterday the Sea Island plant
ers adopted the following resolutions:
in view of statements made in the
press and by some who are advocating
certain methods to combat the Doll
xeeviI that upland cotton can be grown
more successfully and should be plant
ed. this meeting of Sea Island cotton
growers, representing the entire sea
Islahd cotton belt, after having heard
the reports on the successful growing
of Sea Island cotton of early-maturing
varieties. desires to go before the plant
ers of Sea Island cotton BY resolution
as follows:
.Be il resolved, by the growers OF
sea Island cotton in convention assem-
bIed at Valdosta. Ga, in the interest OF
Sea Island cotton, the propagation OF
earIy-maturing varieties. the proper Sc
lection of seed and the successful grow
ing of same under boil weevil condl-
tions. that ii is the duty of all planters
in the belt to confine the planting OF
cotton to Sea Island varieties insofar as
possible, and that the acreage De IlmiIeo
TO five acres to the pillow.
BE il further resolved, That this con-
vention urges all planters to not plant
upland cotton in the sea island belt so
that the future Of the sea island cotton
Industry may be looked forward TO with
assurances of success and continual
tom of the growing of this valuable
stapIe in this the favored section.
LENGTHY. DISCUSSION.
The resolution was not adopted. how
ever. without a lengthy ana lively DIS
cussion. and without some amendments
10 harmonic the different conflicting
views. But in its final form the reso-
luton met with the approval of the
entire convention and was adopted with
out a dissenting voice.
Two distinct and opposite contentious
we're advanced in the discussion of the
resolution.
on the one hand il was contended by
some sea island growers that the ex-
eriments conducted by Entomologist
Worsham have not gone far enough TO
demonstrate conclusively that sea island
cotton can be grown under boil weevil
conditions. whereas il has been demon
strated that short staple cotton can be
grown successfully in spite of the
weevil by early planting of early-fruG-
ing varieties, coupled with rapid Gull
aviation and early picking. Therefore
they contended that the safe and wise
,hins for sea island growers would be
% plant some sea island, using the ear