The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-12-12
F|sHT|SG THE BOIL WEEy',
intelligence. Courage, and Optimism
Needed by Farmers.

Clemson College, Dec. Sin spite
of the efforts of scientists employed
by the various Southern States ant
the United States Department OF Az
riculture, and in spite Of the various
climatic conditions encountered over
the cotton growing states. the cot.c-
boil weevil has annually extended its
operations, the advance line of this
pest having now moved entirely
across South Carolina, leaving the
state infested from the mountains tc
the coast. Fortunately for the farm
ers of South Carolina, says w. w
Long, Director of the Extension Serv
ice, we are able to draw lessons from
the experience of other states over a
period OF nearly thirty years, the boil
weevil having entered Texas in 1892
This should enable us to avoid many
of the costly mistakes that have been
made over and again by the cotton
growers of the states further west
Clemson Agricultural College and
the United States Department of Ag'
r:cul.ure have made special studies OF
the boil weevil problem, cooperating
with every agency interested along
this line. At frequent intervals relia-
BILE information has been issued with
the. view of keeping our people thor
oughly informed regarding this pest
and the methods of fighting it. In
1915 the College was instrumental in
organizing the South Carolina Boil
Ecsvil Commission, which went into
the infested states Of Louisiana and
Mississippi and studied the weevil at
first hand under conditions similar to
those prevailing in this state. The
report of the Commission issued by
Clemson in November. 1916, as Bull
letin No. 20, contained practically al!
the reliable information of Importance
that had been developed regarding the
boil weevil problem. This report had
a wide circulation and was considered
to be so thorough and accurate that
tnc United States Senate published it
in February, 1917, as Senate Docu-
ment. This document is now avail
able in revised form. Many otner
bulletins. reports, and special arti-
eles dealing with specific phases of
the problem have been issued from
time to time. The Extension Service.
through the county agent system, has
Kept this information before the peo-
pie constantly. AS result the aver
age farmer of South Carolina is with
out doubt better informed in the
practical phases of this subject than
has been the case in any other state
at the time of the arrival Of the boil
xeevil.
No Time for Depressed Feeling.
Other states have had this problem
to face, and while they suffered Sc
verely they have demonstrated that
Ihere are ways of dealing with the
boil weevil problem. Cotton is being
grown in spite of the boil weevil.
This is not the time. therefore, to per-
1t ourselves to become depressed
and 'pessimistic. Instead, we must
study the problem thoroughly and
learn the methods and practices
which enable other farmers to pro-
duce cotton proftably under boil
veevil conditions.
Before relying upon boil weevil in
formation, we must be sure that it
comes from source that can and
&; disseminate reliable information.
BY studying information from reliable
sources and adapting it to our parti-
euiar needs we Can adjust ourselves
ouch more quickly and economically
TO the new conditions enforced by the
boil weevil. We can not rely upon in
formation based upon one years ex-
perience with the boil weevil. The
best information is that based on
many years of experience such as the
states west of Alabama have had.
These states have had time to adjust
themselves to new conditions and to
adop. new farin practices, whereas
the newly infested sections arc still
aoundering around from one thing to
another in an effort to find remedies
for the boil weevil.
There is no single new crop which
promises to take the place Of cotton
as our money crop. There is no COM
6ination of crops which can be rec.
Ommended as a specific. Experiment
has shown that cotton continues to
be grown as the chief money crop in
the cotton states already infested by
the weevil. It would be we'll, there
fore, for us to continue to grow cot
ton, using the best boil weeyil control
measures and to undertake the grow
ing of new money crops only on a
conservative scale. Plunging on new
unknown money crops brings on prob
fems that are as hard to solve as is
the problem of growing cotton under
boil weevil conditions. We must
simply adapt ourselves to the changed