The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1921-09-08
new COTTON CROP
WILL Be SHORT
BOIL WEEVIL AND ARMY WORM
VERY DAMAGING

The Crop Suffered Severe DeteriO-
ration in August. Though This Sec
ton Of Tennessee viii Show Bet
ter Yields Than in Many Other
States-YieId Of Only 125 Pounds
Per Acre For Country As a Whole,
Say Experts.
The cotton crop in Upton county
suffered severe deterioration during
the month Of August. Several
things are responsible, according to
the farmers from the different sec
lions of the county. The rains and
cool weather at the beginning of the
month caused considerable shedding
and it now looks as if we will have
70 depend almost entirely on the
July crop. The weevil is doing some
damage in several sections Of the
county, as is also the boil worm and
army worm. The damage from in
sects is still confined to various sec
tons; has not yet become general
and seems to be worst III The western
portion Of the county.
Mr.. Il v. Williams, Of the lower
part of the Eighth district, states
that he has 20 acres from which the
yield will be practically nothing.
Mr.. Williams was in the Leader
office Monday with sack Of bolls
that had been riddled by the boil
worm. He states they have almost
entirely destroyed his late planting,
but that they have not harmed that I
part Of the crop that was planted |
early.
AT the beginning of August the
prospects for a crop that was we'll
above the average were bright. While
there is no doubt that the crop in
the county suffered much damage
during August, indications are that
the yield in Upton county and West
Tennessee will be much higher than
IN most portions of the cotton belt.
The Department Of Agriculture,
in it's report September /, states that
cotton growing has just suffered the
most disastrous month in its his
tory. The indicated crop will be the
smallest in the last 33 years, while
its condition now, estimated at 1913
ar cent. Of normal, is the lowest
ever recorded in any month in the ,
history Of the industry. Ravages Of ,
tne boil weevil are principally the
cause OF the severe decline of the /
crop, amounting to a loss Of 1,116,- !
~ bales in prospective production
since last months forecast. The !
Department of Agriculture. in an !.
aouneing its forecast of total pro- /
iuction Of 10000 equivalent 500 J
oound bales, based on canvass made !
August IS, declared everything :
seemed to have gone wrong with the j
,rop. : !
a yield Of 127 pounds to the acre = {
s indicated for the country as a !
Whole this year. Never in the last i
y years has the yield been SO low.
.he nearest approach was 1923 pounds
\ 1866. Only 10 per cent. of a crop
promised in some counties Of
'outh Carolina Parts of Oklahoma L
vii have not more than is per A
ent Of crop. About one-third of
crop or less will be produced in N
ectlons Of Texas, South Carolina F
nd Georgia. A half crop or better N
lay be produced in Mississippi, al
forth Alabama, Northern Georgia w
nd, Northern South Carolina. States
n the northern edge of the cotton
elt may have about two-thirds Of
crop.
The production was forecast a NJ
lonth ago at 8,203,000 bales, based NJ
2 the July rs condition of the crop,
'hlch was SAT- per cent. of nor 4,
ial. Last years crop was 13.439.- e
y bales, and the August rs con- =
Itlon was 67.5 per cent. Of nor
al. The average condition of the VIZ
'op on August Is, for the 10 years, y
,ll-2O, is 67.7 per cent. The de-
me in condition from July Is to o
ugust 70 was 1874 points, compared a
tn an average decline Of ~ points at
! the 10 years. rel
IN commenting on the situation.
e department said tht
The mild winter is held respons- n:
e Tor sparing an unusual number Ha
.Weevll as well as other insects, bot
lich have multiplied beyond meas Su
2 and are devastating the new
owth in practically all the area i
its present range. The army q
nm is present in large numbers IN
roughout most Of Arkansas. Ten 80 -,
ssee and North Mississippi, but w;S
defoliation Of heavy growth is ras roe
|. looked upon as an unmixed evil. nec
Il worms and the usual pests are
esent in greater numbers than =
aal, but their damage is small !
impaired with the weevil. In North We'
rolina and Virginia the long drouth y
been almost as destructive as ~
weevil elsewhere. a e
The northern edges of the belt, LOU LOU
m Virginia and North Carolina s o.a
ough Tennessee, Northern Arkan- az
and Northern Oklahoma prob -
y abcut two-thrids Of a crop. Az
sslssippi and northern portions Sat
Alabama, Georgia and South the
,olina still forecast better than Ior'
------ olaC
WOMEN ARE EXEMPT 6rol
seve