The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-12-31
PRACTICE ECONOMY
THR(lUG GHO STATE
Much Damage Expected Next
Year if Season is Wet, Ae-
cording to Expert

.
Columbia, S. c., Dee. 2S.-The prac
tice of the severest economy. TO bui!t
up bank account, and the 'ins1aAa-
ton of a system of diversified agri-
culture, with livestock raising as the
fund, .aental, are the SureSt means
of meeting the boil weevil menace
which threatens the whole State. ac
eording 10 a detailed statement on the
cotton pest prepared by W. W. Long
director OF extension. Clemson Col
isge, for Governor Cooper and re-
leased by the latter today for publ
cation.
Dr. A. F. Conradi, en,omologis.
Clemson College, in a statement in
serted by Prof Long, says if the
cotton season Of 1920 is wet tina
serious damage from the boil weevi
may be expected in the counties il
the territory below line drawn from
q point on the Savannah river few
miles below Augusta, Ga. TO Mt
Pleasant on the coast, namely: Beau
fort. Hampton, Jasper, Colleton, Dor
chester, Orangeburg, Bamberg, AK
en-, Barnwell and Allendale. How
ever, if the winter has low tempera-
lures he said and the growing sea.
ron is dry, then no very serious dam
age is to be expected in these coun
ties If the winter is mild and fol
lowed by a wet growing season, n
continued, then serious damage ma.
he expected in the lowlands
Berkeley, Williamsburg, Georgetown
and Horny counties, and Furthermore
damage may be expected III spots /,
low lands as far north as the lati
tude of Columbia.
."In coastal counties lying below
Aiken County to Conway, in Horr.
county claims Prof. Conradi "cot
ton production is rapidly becoming
gamble and as already stated, seriou
damage will occur in 1920 if the sea
son is wet; and it is Of great import
ance that the planters in that sec
ton become self-supporting and self
Sustaining Immediately"
Prof. Longs statement follows:
CiIllCiS 10 ~ ttASS0SS ctAANN CI1i
phasize the great devastation an.
kardships the people have passe'
through in States infested by the bo'
weeril in past years and the mean
they used to regain their present pros
perity. Unless we prepare we hav
every reason to believe we Will suf
Ter a similar experience. 1t is ad
al hot i,, cpnrjn1,C tho far
nlers have recovered and business
scn sound foundation; therefore W
shall discuss this problem fron
I Sour standpoints:s The effect OF tn
hon weevil on the agricultural ,interes
IN the States where it has existed TO
several years; second, effect of wee
Til on other industries, such as bank
Ing and oil mill interests; third. HOY
best TO prepare to meet this menace
ard fourth. the counties in this Stat
i71 which We may expect the creates
damage next year.
I'm the matter of cotton productio
in Texas in 1900 there We're plante
several million acres, producing 8,
10e, ,08e bales. In 1914 the acreag
had increased to 100000 acres. an
th crop TO $4,000 900 bales it must
understood that the increased acre
age in cotton in Texas has been ii
that part Of the State known as th'
prairie section. which is very hot an
has very little rainfall. In Louis:an
! where the acreage remained practi
cai!y the same during this fourtee.
year period, the production fell fron
one-half a bale per acre TO somethin.
ike ene-third Of q bale per acre
From these figures it will be seen tha
in these States there was a disas
trous reduction in cotton productio;
and they emphasize the absolute ne
ccSsity for our people to begin at ono
to change their agriculture.
In 1906 there were 2.076 operat
ing sinneries in louisiana: in 191
there were 1.oS6; in 1906 there wer
q oil mills in operation; in 1916 tfer
we're Il: in Mississippi in 1896 ther
we're 81 oil mills in operation be
sfore the advent of the weevil and i
1875 there were only "a 1t can b
seen from these figures just what tl'es
industries suffered and the conSeQuen
Joss not only to the owners but TO tn
people OF the entire State. Land val
ues naturally declined heavily. From
the present prices paid in South Car
sesina for some Of our lands it seem:
that number of our farmers hay
entirely lost sight Of the presence Q
the boil weevil or still are in III
>foubtirlG Thomas class. Bank depos
is IN many instances We're decrease.
rs much as 30 per cent. Credit a
banas was greatly curtaiied and cred
il from merchant WAS given only Il
rare instances.
Il am including telegram am
letter just received from the commits
sionecs Of agriculture Of Alabama ant
Georgia which give information UP L
date:
Montgomery, Ala, Dec. -, 1919
y. W. Long. Director Of Extension
Clemson College. S. c.
80 'Is14-four million acres Of cot
ton. ISL .00o bales; 1915-three ano
ane-third million acres, 1.o21.0ot