The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1919-07-03
CROP CONDITIONS IN
THE COTTON BELT.
Investigation Shows Boil Weevil Con-
ditions Most Serious on
Record.

st. Matthews, June 26-The fol-
lowing report made by the. American
. Cotton Association is probably the
most accurate report ever issued on
! crop conditions not being in the form
of an estimate, as is the case with
/ the government reports. but being
! based on actual facts and conditions.
! The American Cotton Association has
more thoroughly organized and lar
ger representation in every section of
the cotton belt today than any private
reporters and employs far larger
number of representatives than the
government. Through these personal
representatives and with the assist
ance Of leading experts, it has Sc
cured the most direct and correct in
formation that is possible to secure
otherwise concerning the cotton crops
Through these sources, the associa-
tion has completed its detailed con-
dition report up to January 25, which
is as follows:
Acreage Planted.
Condition of cotton crop for the
entire belt up to June 25, 69.3 per
cent. Abandonment of acreage plant
ed 6.5 per cent. In our last report
issued May 25, acreage planted in
1919 is shown as 30,216,097. The
abandonment of 6.5 per cent must be
deducted, that is 1,964,046 acres,
which brings the total acreage in cot
ton planted in 1919 down to 2S,252,
051 acres.
"The growing crop Of cotton is two
to three weeks late throughout the
belt. As a result of excessive mois-
ture the plant is diseased and under
sized. Plants show the result of a
lack of tap roots and diseased root
system" Throughout the section of
the belt using commercial fertilizer,
the plant plainly shows the result of
lack of potash. The fields are very
grassy.
Labor Conditions.
Labor is extremely short and con-
ditions are highly unsatisfactory. The
labor situation renders these condi-
tions even more serious. The great
demand for labor will be far more
pressing in the harvesting Of the
is facing a condition which is i'm
possible for him to solve. Even with
an extremely small crop with present
labor conditions it will be absolutely
impossible to harvest same without
serious loss.
ut has been impossible to prepare
lands properly or to properly culti-
vate the plant on account of ex-
treme shortage of labor.
with reports that the boil weevil
conditions were the most serious on
record, special Investigations were
made by leading experts through
out the entire cotton belt. AS a re-
suit they report as follows:
Boil weevil damage will exceed all
previous records and will cover far
greater territory in the belt than it
was thought possible during the pres
ent year. This is probably due to
mild winter, wet spring and late start
of the plant. The damage from the
boil weevil will reduce the cotton
crop to a far greater extent than in
any previous year. Over a large
section of the belt inroads of boil
weevil will bring about a crop dis
aster. There is also considerable
damage from root lice and root rot
The trade should give special at
tention to the fact that considerable
territory especially in Alabama, is
planted this year in cotton, which
territory has absolutely been abandon
ed for the planting of cotton for years
on account of the serious inroads OF
the boil weevil. The unsatisfactory
price for peanut oil resulted in the
planting of these lands in cotton this
season. Reports show that the boil
weevil is rampant in this territory
and the damage is enormous, and that
the acreage so planted cannot pos
sibly swell the production of >otton
to any extent.
"The condition of the California
crop being very high results in rails
ing the general condition. The acre
age planted in California being very
small, it cannot affect production to
any material extent.
]. Skittowe Wannamaker,
President American Cotton Associa-
ton"