The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1918-02-26
WARNING IS GIVEN
COTTON GROWERS
NOT TO INCREASE ACREAGE ON
THEORY THAT COLD KILLED
THE BOIL WEEVIL.
ENOUGH LEFT TO RESTOCK
FIELDS BEFORE CROP IS MADE
Farmers of the South May Expect to
Suffer Financial Loss if They Do
Not Produce Their Own Supplies.
Serious Famine Is Faced.

IL Is extremely unwise for cotton
farmers to assume that the freezes
OF the last few weeks have externi-
mated the cotton boil weevil," the
federal department of agriculture
announces IN answer to many inquir-
les from the South.
The department said it was to be
hoped that planters would not be led
into increasing their cotton acreages
at the expense of raising foodstuffs,
and thus not only fail in their patri-
otto duty, but at the same time sui
fer financial loss from the boil wee
vii. The necessity for the South to
produce its own food this year was
stressed.
During the past winter the tenn
peratures have been lower than at
any time since 1885," the statement
continued, "and there can hardly be
any doubt that this extreme cold has
reduced the number of weevils in
many sections of the South. The i'm
preston has been gained by many
planters that the weeviI has been re-
duced to negligible numbers, if not
altogether exterminated.
The WeeviI Still Survives.
1t is too much to expect that the
temperatures have been uniformly
cold enough to absolutely extermi-
nate the weevil from large areas.
The records of the department of ag-
riculture indicate that there is at
least from l to per cent. survival
of the weevil in those sections which
have been thoroughly studied as
against normal of 7.6 per cent. sur
vival. This percentage of surviving
weevils is sufficient to restock the
cotton fields of the South before the
end of the growing season.
There is always a possibility that
there may be some specially shelter
ed spots even in the more northerly
infested regions, where some weevils
will be able to survive. The instinct
of the weevil leads it to shelter itself
under the bark of trees, or in thick
hanging moss upon the trees, under
the thatch of roots, and in straw
stacks and buildings.
The experience of 25 years with
the boil weevil in this country has
shown that one or two weevils sur
viving in field can easily produce
enough off-springs to destroy all but
the earliest portions of the crop.
mo reliable prediction can be
made on the basis of what happened
during the winter" the department s
announcement says, and tells how
heavy rains in the early summer
might prove favorable to breeding of
of the pest or tropical storms carry
them into sections where the cold had
greatly depleted their numbers.
Warning to the South
I'm the opinion of the department
of agriculture" said the statement,
lit would be very unfortunate if
the prevailing impression concerning
the boil weevil should increase the
acreage of cotton at the expense of
food crops. At the present time
what is most urgently needed
throughout the South is an increased
production of food and feed crops.
There is every indication that the
normal acreage in cotton, with prop
er cultivation, will give a supply of
the staple sufficient for all purposes.
1t is clearly a matter of patriotism
as we'll as sound Judgment for the
planters to increase the acreage in
food crops. The planter who increas-
es his cotton acreage cannot be as
sured that his crop will not suffer
greatly from the boil weevil attack,
and will be utilizing his land in a
way which does not best serve the
necessities of the country"