The dispatch-news. [volume] (Lexington, S.C.) 1919-2001, 1919-12-17

CoLLiiuuitE iuaEheIinS fSSoCidllohS'
the plowi,lg under of cotton stalks,
before frost. early planting and use of
Cleveland Big Boil seed were some
OF the methods of beating the holi
weevil advocated by Prof. II. 8. Nc
Connell of Clemson College in a splen-
did address delivered Saturday before
the Lexington County Corn Show.
The speaker commenced with a his
tory of tho advance of the boil weevil
from Mexico. The boil wcevil was
| first discovered in Mexico in 1910. At
that time he was feeding on O species
of wild cotton gowing in that coun-
try. The building of the Mexican
National Railway developed agricul-
ture along the line, with the result
that cultivated instead of wild cotton
| was grown. and the boil weevil, find
| ing the cultivated variety more pal
atable. moved along the line of rail-
| road into Texas. In 1892 the weevil
| was first discovered in Texas, and In
the intervening - years has moved
| in an ensterly and northerly direction
| from .TeNas TO North Carolina. 1t is
! estimated that in those 2T years the
wcevil has done damage to the cotton
crop amounting to two hundred and
| fifty million dollars, md is now caus-
ing damage at the rate Of twenty mil
! lion dollars annually.
! Prof Mcconnell urged that, even
in the face of these figures there was
no need for panic. 1t was true that
| the boil weovil could easily take all
of the crop. hut good farmers heed
| ing good advice could greatly mini
! mize the damage and cotton could
still be grown at q profit. The So
called devastated areas Of Mississippi
| and Alabama ae making more money
| today than ever before. The way to
do this was to raise other money
crops and malseIodtson u surplus. 'Cnt
der such conditions South Carolina
farmers could hold their cotton and
dictate tho price, rather than follow
the old system OF selling for any
price beca use ready cash was needed.
A-necessary step IN the fight against
the boil weevil, said Prof. McCon-
nell. was a reduction OF the acreage
devoted to cotton. He would not
recommend a specific reduction, be-
! Il;
No set rule could be followed. as each
| farm had its own peculiar problems.
Prof. Mcconnell believed that the
time to begin such L reduction was
crops. such as corn. peanuts. etc.
| Don't believe anybody who tells you
that you can grow rich planting any
one crop, hut try out several for your
self, feeling your way along and en-
ahinE yOu TO hold the cotton you
make. The speaker made an urgent
plea. here. for proper protection for
stored cotton. He insisted that it was
wa&tcfui to allow cotton to lie around
without shelter.
In giving methods or control Of
| wecvil damage. Prof. McConr ell
stressed the necessity OF plowing
weeks before the first frost. There
were mlnv advantages in doing this
Turning under the stalks buries the
live wrevi!S. which cannot eXtricate
! hny hnn nIn ~. q
inches under the soil ;lnd thus perish
without hrving an opportunity to
propagate. Besides the immature
weevils also perish, whereas if the
&torks are left standing they will
sooner or later mature and add their
bit to tho destruction and increase of
the species. Another great help is
to thoroughly clean up the fields,
break UP all the grass tusseks. clean
up. fence corners and ends of rows. for
such places afford good winter havens
for the wccvil When the storks
have been turned under ard the land
prepared out in 4 cover crop. which
causes the land to be in fine condition
for carly :pring planting, which is es-
sential in making cotton under boil
weevil conditions Early planting gets
bolls on the plant before the weevil
gets in his work. The weevil likes
the squares as food better than the
bolls. so plant variety that will
grow off and fruit early and contin-