The log cabin Democrat., 1920-09-29
.Wffy|L REDUCES
 COTTON PROSPECT FROST DATE IMPORTANT
Weevil Activity and Date of Frost Big Factors in Top Crop-Arkan-
 sas Ranks We'll.

Memphis, Sept. 29-Reports by cor
 respondents of the Commercial Appeal
 indicate that the cotton crop has deteri- orated somewhat more than normal for
 the period during the past 30 days. | These reports are of the average date
 of September p, and cover in detail
 TSP counties and parishes embraced in
 10 principal cotton producing states. ] The condition is relatively high in 1 Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, West
 Tennessee and North Carolina. It is lowest in Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia
 and Mississippi, in the order named. There is little chance for top crop in Georgia. Alabama, Mississippi, Lou isiana and considerable portions of South Carolina, for which reason, in
 so far as the cotton crop is concerned, the date of frost will not be of great importance in these sections. In west Texas, portions of the northern divis- ion of the state. Oklahoma, Arkansas, west Tennesse and North Carolina million or more bales are probably hanging in the balance, dependent upon the frost date.
 Picking and ginning have become about general, and cotton is opening freely in all sections. With few ex- captions there appears to be enough labor available to get the cotton out of tn efields promptly, indicating, un- der favorable weather conditions which have prevailed so far crop of good quality. In some sections, owing to the absence of top crop and to the meag- erness of a middle crop, the first pick ing will be the last.
 Southwest Texas is about picked out. Abumper crop was produced. See tions of west Texas promise record yields, and central Texas may make a bumper crop, but boil weevil is still a menace, and some of it, even if net devoured by weevil, may get e. ght by frost. Picking is far advanced in Georgia and throughout the south two-thirds of Alabama and the south ern half of Mississippi, and has also made fairly good progress in Louisi- an a.
 Weather conditions during the last week were decidedly favorable over the whole belt for picking and for maturity of the crop, and for the past two weeks were favorable, except over a few scattered areas. The first two weeks following August 25, however, weather conditions were highly unfa- vorable throughout the belt, causing the greatest deterioration sustained by the crop this season. Cool, wet weath- CT with deficient sunshine, was suited to boil weevill habits, and the infesta- tion which occurred early in the season soon became manifest in great dam age to the crop over wide areas. There is less complaint now, because most of the bolls that were left are too far advanced to be susceptible to weevil 1 damage.
 The summary for Arkansas is as follows:
 Deterioration has been lessthan nor nal since August 25, as to the state as whole, but the condition southeast | IS very poor Elsewhere progress fair to satisfactory, some excellent. While | crop is late, chances for top crop are good except south and some parts of central, and southeast, where the boil 1 weevil was active and shedding ex- cessive. Weather more favorable west l than east ward, but cotton opening fairly well and being picked rapidly, Labor sufficient except in localities.