The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-06-04
The Boil Weevils
Are Here
Surviving Doubling Thomases
Can Now Have Ocular Demon
stration That Cotton De-
stroying Pests Are on
the Job

There are still many cotton grower
in Sumter county who hold fast to the
belief that the Texas boil weevil i!
largely bugaboo and will never be
Very numerous III Sumter county ant
will not do much damage if they dc
come into this section. They diSrc-
card the we'll established fact that
the weevils appeared in this county
in the fall of 1913 and that in some
parts Of the county materially reduced
the prospective yield in 1920. They
still Will tell you with a perfectly
amount to much. for Texas is still
making cotton and the weevils are
said to have been in that state for
more than twenty years. They reason
that if Texas can continue to grow
big crops Of cotton South Carolina can
and Will do likewise. In word they
disregard and discount all the testi-
mony. advice. and warnings Of the
experts Of the department of agri-
culture. who have given years to he
study Of the problem and have done
heir utmost to persuade the farmers
hat for their own salvation they
hould prepare to make living with
tut depending upon cotton. The con-
firmed cottontot is Joined to his idol.
and this year in spite OF the presence
IF the boil weevil in this county, in
;pite Of the deplora bic financial con-
litions and the dark outlook. he has
planted as usual and has made no
effort to readjust his methods and
arming practices TO meet the changed
conditions that confront him. AS a
eSult this section is face to face with
he same sort of disaster tha. demoral-
zed Mississippi. Alabama and Georgia
he third year after the pest first ap-
,eared. This is the third year for
.umter county. and the crops will be
argely destroyed. unless there should
oe extremely hot dry weather dur
ng June, july and August. with bare
= enough rain to keep the crop
growing.
Some Of the farmers who have heed
d the advice Of those who know that
ne boil weevil really does to cot
on crop, are making an effort to kill
he weevils that lived through the
'inter. Owing to the mild winter an
exceptionally large percentage of the
veevils that went into Information last
all survived and are now appearing
Il the cotton fields. They are not
resent by the dozens or hundreds. as
ther infested districts but by the
thousands. and those farmers who are
licking The weevils from the young
otton are almost discouraged over the
respect.
For instance: Mr.. W T. Brown.
ormer city manager. has been max
ng a strenuous effort to destroy the
eeevils on his farm near Stateburg.
makes the following report: Last
eek he began picking the weevils in
4 twenty arfe lot Of King cotton and
.rom his field his hands gathered 2
90 weevils. He started the second
licking over this same fe!@ rhis week
nd his hands report tilat hey are
citing just as many weevlis per acre
low as thcy did last week. The
veevils are found in the buds of the
'otton plants. or in the forms. This
:otton was planted e:rly and is now
outing on forms. In some of the
orms several weevils are found. and
wherever a weevil is found in form.
hat form has been punctured. The
veeviis are there and as soon as d
orm develops the weevil punctures
= There has been some hope that
he insects were not the genuine boil
vevil. but the pea weevil. which is
frequently mistaken for the boil
veevil. but the fact that they are
)uncturing the forms. removes the
ast remaining doubt. The only hope
If making any cotton this year is for
very farmer to do exactly what Mr..
Brown is doing-pic.l the weevils
rom the cotton Systematically and
$ rapidly as possible. If the weevils
an be destroyed before they puncture
many forms and lay eggs there will
lot be so many of them later in the
easor But if the majority Of farm
rs continue to ignore the weevils.
he crop will be wiped out. for the
orms will be punctured as rapid: as
hey appear on the cotton.
Mr. Brown is so discouraged by the
prospect on his farm that he IS plant
ng corn in every other row OF the
otton. and Il be finds within the
le:;t two or three weeks that weevils
ire too numerous to leave any rea-
onable chance of cotton crop. he
sill plow up the cotton and make a