Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-09-05

Twenty million dollars damage by
the weevil and several additional
millions loss on account of unfavor-
able weather during August is
conservative estimate, according to
the regular monthly cotton report
issued by the cooperative crop re-
porting service of Georgia, and re-
leased by Commissioner J. J. Brown
of the Georgia department of agri-
culture and U. S. field agent, z. r.
Pettet.
This tremendous loss is based on
deterioration from last month, and
may be checked by comparing the
promised crop of 100000 bales
$4,000 bales, figuring roughly with
cotton at 80 cents or $3.50 a bale.
The decline in the condition figure
has but one precedent, that of Aug
list 1918, when drop totalled II
points. This year the rapid ad-
vance of the weevil, with unheard
of activity, following excessive
ton below any harvested in the last
ten years. Should this continue an
other ten days our total production
will be more comparable with that
TWO QecaQeS ago.
A fair idea of the situation may
be had by imagining a line drawn
east and west through Macon. South
of this division there is ness than
half crop, with condition worst
and worse as one travels south and
more particularly southeast. North
of this line the cotton becomes bet
ter and better till one reaches the
hills on line with Atlanta. Here
one energies from the weevil strick-
en- districts, and finds the plant
still good. Farther up in the hills,
close to the edge of the cotton belt
it becomes exceptional These lines
the county condition figures on the
map and tracing the margin of the
devastated regions, which are then
plainly apparent.
In addition to the weevil damage.
red spider has quite seriously at
tected the northwestern section, in
e eoa]} T6is With a serious dry
much more important than usual.
Thorough study of prospects in
wolves two considerations often ov-
CROOKED, the factor of present trend
and abandonment When last month
we left cotton still falling we ex-
pected with good reasons that com
ing figures would be low. This has
been amply confirmed. This will an
ply very aptly to condition on this
report date.
Abandonment IS always considered
IN estimate by the Crop Reporting
Board. The figure used is based on
tel year records, and under ordinary
circumstances is abou. one per cent
Under WeeVll conditions as has been
several times pointed out, this is GER
tam to run larger. For example
since infestation, Georgia's abandon
|
several times it has been larger. This
season, with a greater area under in
LeStaIon and with te lhSecC more
active than ever before, the logical
expectation would be for a large
area to be turned out.
While. this is always discounted in
deciding on the final COZ dition fig
ures, after comments by specialists
field agents and correspondents. it
is probable that the estimate is con-
servative, where the pest is as ter
rible as it now is in Georgia.
Deans by districts ana counties,
based on replies received from corps
OF field aids, now numbering over
5000, follows:
Northwestern District
This portion of the state was do
ing eXcellently till about the mid
die of July. Dry weather then set
in. On July 25. thee hange was just
becoming noticeable. This became
HlOIS anu luOIG marked ana by Cn1S
time a serious decline is shown. II
addition to the weather, which diff
fered from the rest of the state. this
sections crop is seriously threatened
by the weevil. 1t has moved forward
to a line which might be drawn from
Atlanta to Chattanooga. Late re-
ports of falling squares seem to
show that he has passed this point.
1t is history that weevil is present
and depossiting eggs, from two to
three weeks before the creature it
self Added to the above weighty
handicaps, the red spider is again
numerous and destructive. Those
counties along the Tennessee line re-
tain good prospect. Condition figure
in per cent of nornal follows the
Chattooga 6, Dade E0, Floyd 70, Cor
don 10. Murray 80. Paulding 70. Polk
70. Walker so, Whitfield Sc. District
average rs against 81 last month.
Northern District
Very fortunate has been the lot of
the cotton planter here. While some
scalding has occurred and reaction
and shedding following excess rain
fall, the crop is still good, even fine
in the mountain section. Weevils
of Fulton ard DeKa'N co'''>-i~~ '9''r
thew are too late to get much Of the
crop. Some red spiders are occa-
sionallv found County AVERAGES fol-
E 5Tw 0n nnme Of ths countT, Be-" -
Dawson "a. DeKalb 50. FORSYTH IA,
Fulton so. Gilmer 90, Gwinnett *
Hall 70. Jackson rs. Lumnkin 81.
Milton 50, Oconee 70. Pickens IS,
Walton 73. White S5. District aver
age 7S per cent Last month Sc
per cent.
Northeastern District
Cotton is early in this section and
above average. Insect pests have
done no damage and while the wealth
err changes have destroyed the Won
derful prosDect indicated lest month
there is still hop for a good crop
Avera ges follow each count Ranks
rs: Elbet. tt Franklin. rs Hahor-
sham, 80: Hart, 81; Lincoln. 81:
Madison. rs; Oglethorpe. 70: Stevens,
70; Wilkes. 10 District average. rs.
Last month 80.
wester:> District
One who saw the cote, cop in
June could scarcely believe the re-
ports of August %. The decline here
runs from 10 to 25 per cent About
| the midd1o of last mon+1' tho wpnvil
| heoanon nU0o orous o"d ei~"o +r"n hos