Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1920-08-18
Meeting of Farmers in Court
House.

| ioSG WSSh large uulNUeF OIL FARMERS
and other business men assembled
in the Court House Tuesday to hear
the specialists from Clemson College
speak. The meeting was held under
the auspices of the Edgefeld County
Cotton Growers Association and was
presided over by Mr.. ]. VIM. Thur
mond, the president of the associa-
tion, who requested DR.. R. G. Lee to
open the meeting with prayer.
After giving utterance to appro-
pirate remarks Mr.. Thurmond intro
duced Mr.. D. w. Watkins, the as
sistant director of the Clemson Col
lege extension work, who spoke at
length of the advantages derived
from the proper grading of cotton
before it leaves the hands of the pro-
ducer. He stated that there are 20
official grades of cotton and that the
farmers lose by selling without
grading, as spinners always buy by
grades. He stated that there is loss
every y of S25, 100000 in getting
cotton from the producer to spinners
and that farmers have to bear this.
Mr.. Watkins urged farmers to have
their cotton graded and then sell by
grades only.
Mr.. l.. T. Fryburn, deputy ware
house commissioner, spoke of the
loss to farmers through country dam
age nor the leaving Of cotton unpro-
tected in the weather. The loss last
year was estimated to be from $3.50
to SIG per bale. He urged the build
ing of more warehouses in order to
protect cotton from the weather and
too, to enable farmers to hold for a
higher price, as banks will always
accept warehouse receipts as collat7
eral. Is
Mr.. T., M. Anderson Of Clemson
College made practical and helpful
talk on the boil weevil. He stated
that in. addition to the Weevil two
other enemies of farmers have aps
peared, these being the pink boil
worm in Texas and the European
corn mast. actr spesfod
of the weevil is between August Is
and September 1. During this time
they fly from one portion of a field
to another or from one field to an
other. A weevil lays about $50 eggs
and then dies. 1t requires about 80
days to produce an adult ;weevil
from the time the egg is deposited in
the square. Mr.. Anderson does not ad
wise the picking up of squares after
the 18th of August. He urges the
plowing under of cotton stalks as
early in the fall as possible and the
destroying of every other hibernat-
ing place possible. Of the millions of
weevils that go into winter quarters
only about per cent live to operate
the following spring, this number de-
pending upon the severity of the
winter.
The next and last speaker was
Mr.. B. Harris, commissioner of agri-
culture. His address was practical
and helpful from start to finish, hold
ing the attention of the audience,
notwithstanding, the lateness of the
hour. Mr.. Harris has not grown any
cotton on his farm in Anderson
county for 40 years: He only grew
two crops of cotton after he began
farming, then abandoning it for
stock and grain raising. He said ne
was unwilling to produce crop for
which he could not fix the price. Un-
der the present system of selling
farmers have absolutely no voice in
fixing the price of cotton. In order
to change this condition Mr.. Harris
urged organization and an increase
in warehouse facilities so as to hold
cotton off the market until profit
able price could be obtained. He
cited the action of the grain growers
of the west in building grain eleva-
tors to prove the wisdom of such a
course. He urged farmers to join the
cotton association, which has added
madean gholdinpbaiaf-gttcoe
$50 per bale to the price of cotton.
Mr.. Harris made an earnest appeal
for diversified agriculture as the on
lily salvation for southern farmers,
His address was well received.
The meeting was regarded as very
successful. Great is the pity that
every farmer in the county could
IL 1.,. -,,Lo+ cnooio1ic+c opd oYnprtS