Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1921-12-07
FIGHTING THE BOIL WEEVA
Intelligence, Courage, and Optimism
Needed by Farmers.


by the various Southern States and
the United States Department OF Ag-
riculture and in spite of the various
climatic conditions encountered over
the cotton growing states, the cotton
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 to
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-
riculture 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
ard the methods of fighting it. In
1916 the College was instrumental in
organizing the South Carolina Boil
Weevil 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. 90, contained practically all
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;
thg United States Senate published 1t
in February, 1917, as Senate Docu-
ment. This document is now avail
able in revised form. Many other
bulletins, reports, and special arti-
cles 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 a 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 q !:
weevil. a
No Time for Depressed Feeling.
Other states have had this problem
TO face, and while they suffered se-
verely they have demonstrated that
there are ways of dealing with the
boil weevil-problem. Cotton is being
grown in spite of the boil weeyil. \
This is not the time, therefore, to per-
nit 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 profitably under boil
weeyil conditions
Before relying Upon boil weevil in
formation, we must be sure that it
comes from source that can and
does disseminate reliable information.
By studying information from reliable
sources and adapting it to our parti-
cular needs we can adjust ourselves
much 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-
nerience 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
adopt new farm practices, whereas
the newly infested sections are still
flounderipg around from one thing to
another in an effort to find remedies
for the DOLL weevil.
There is no single new crop which
promises to take the place of cotton
as our money crop. There is no COM
bination of crops which can be rec
commended 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 well, there
fore, for US to continue to grow cot
ton, using the best boil weevil control
measures and to undertake the grow
ing Of new money crops only on
conservative scale. Plunging on new
unknown money crops brings on prob
lens 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
aspects of farming and meet new con-
ditions with suitable methods.
New Publications to Help.
Extension Bulletin 4s, Farming Un-