The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1920-02-05
OF INTEREST TO FARMERS.
Edited by T. NJ. Cathcart
Probable Loss From Weevil in 1920

\If one knew just what kipd of
weather we are going to have from
now until the latter part of next Aug
ust, it wouldn't be such hard mat
ter to decide on what to plant and
how much cotton to plant. If we have
cold weather from now on and a very
dry July and August We may expect
to make a good crop of cotton this
year, but. if on the other hand we
don't have very much cold weather
and a wet July and August We will
have conditions ideal for Mr.. Boil
Weevil, and may expect great damage
from him this year in Williamsburg
county. Every farmer should sit down
and think the situation over seriously
before planting lone more big crop"
1t is a gamblers chance you will take.
Wouldn't it be much safer to follow
a safe farming plan under weevll
conditions. Plant from seven to ten
acres of cotton per plow. You can
handle this much and will in all prob
ability make more cotton than if you
had planted 15 acres per plow. A
safe farming program fGr this coun-
ty is given below.
Taking for granted that this is go
ing to be a rather mild winter and
wet July and August, Prof. A. F.
Conradi, State entmologist, has fig
ured out the loss that you may ex-
pect if weather conditions are entire
ly favorable for the boil weevil. Prof.
Conradi figures Williamsburg county
will be damaged 40 per cent, or 1O,-
800 bales, which means cash loss OF
$1,s9O,OOO to 100000. Total loss to
the State of South Carolina is esti-
mated at S32,557,75O to s37,210,0O0.
Boil Weevil and sound farming
measures for the average farm in
Williamsburg county for 1920.
At the boil weevil conference of
farmers, merchants, bankers and 9TH
ers held in the court house three
weeks ago safe farming under boil
weevil conditions was discussed thor
oughly by specialists from Clemson
College, the United States department
of agriculture and local farmers, and
bankers. A safe farming program
was submitted at this meeting and
unanimously adopted. This program
is as follows:
Crops.
Per plow: Z to 10 acres cotton.
8 acres corn, beans and peas.
3 acres oats and peas.
l acre sweet potatoes.
l acres sorghum or ribbon cane for
syrup.
Garden, orchard, poultry and bees
sufficient to supply each farm with
these products.
Live Stock
l. A SOW to the plow and for every
family cow.
2. Elimination of all scrub sires in
live stock production.
(a). Organization of Bull Associa-
tion.
(b). Every farmer to join the Ma
t;onal Better Sires-Better Stock"
crusade as quickly as he can qualify.
8. Without the growing on the
farm of sufficient feeds and pasture
crops, no live stock production is pro-
ftable. -
4. Feed. steers where possible to
run them, on velvet bean fields.
Market
l. The organization Of an associa-
lion of farmers and other business
men to look after the standardization,
preparation and marketing of the ad-
ditional money crops recommended
above for this county, (where this
has not already been done).
2. The expansion of the State and
National cotton warehouse systems
so as to take care of the needs of the
warehouse in this county.
The above program if followed
means success and prosperity for the
farmers, merchants and bankers in
Williamsburg county, while on the
pther hand zone more big cotton
crop" means failure. Lets have for
bur slogan from this very day on
t'Diversify and Eve at Home. If
this slogan is carried out by every
farmer it will mean, prosperity, a