Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1921-12-09
OMNIBUS NEWS.

OMNIBUS NEWS.
We copy from the Times-Pica-
June Of the 4th instant a telegram
from Dallas which indicates the
seriousness Of the situation in re-
spect to the progress Of the pink
boil worm. It reads, as follows:
"Those who are attending the
pink boil worm convention are salts
fed that steps will be taken to pre-
vent the infested counties from
planting cotton for five years. The
infected seed was shipped to "
stations in Texas and Oklahoma and
each station investigated by govern
ment agents shows the pink worm.
It has appeared in Grayson, Collin,
Lamar, Hunt, Dallas and Ellis
counties, down ~ far as Hearne.
The entomologiats say the pink
worms are active at all the " points
which have received infected seed
and that it is only q question Of
time before it will cover the whole
cotton region. This, added to the
weevil, means a, big reduction in
production"
The man who wrote this telegram
IL certainly not an alarmist when
he mildly .predicts that: 'This, ad-
ded to the weevil, means a big re-
duction in production" In our opin-
ion he would not have been guilty
Of exaggeration il he had said: "This
means the death knen to cotton
production in the South" for, in our
Judgment, cotton cannot be grown
profitably if the ravages Of this new
enemy are added to those Of the
boil weevil. We are well within the
mark when we assert that, 90 far Al
this section Of the cotton belt ID
concerned, cotton il not now a profit
able crop, except when nature pro
vides q perfect season and accident
or abnormal conditions, produce ar
abnormal price.
The question, then, is what arr
we going to do about it? It is {
poor mariner who, seeing the huri
canes approach, neglects to save hi
ship by taking the necessary pre-
cautions before the storm strikes
and while there h yet time. So it i
clear that intslligsnt men engages
in the. actual growing Of cotton, o.
who finance those who are 80 en-
gagged, should endsavor to put thei
house in order before the inevitable
time comes when we must look fol
. living to something else than cotton
We are well aware that the mer'
contemplstion Of : condition il
which cotton can NO longer be grown
probably is 70 startling in its natur'
- 70 be like the idea Of death .
viewed by the man in. good health
. fact to be recognised, but Difficult
70 realize and visualize.
Az Mi. Cleveland said, however
1--WE are confronted by . fact ant
not . theory" This dreadful pest j
In many counties Of the adjoining
States Of Texas and Oklahoma ant
4 also in Louisiana. An effort, ,
great effort, win doubtless be mad
70 eradicate it and to prevent it
further progress, but one does NO
have to be pessimistic to doubt tina
such efforts will be successful Flu
tile efforts to stop the progress o
tie boil weevil win be recalled. bu
those efforts came to naught .
proven by the fact that the weevi
has now covered the whole cottol
belt Of the South. And 90, we fear
the pink boil worm win eventual!
take its toll from that remnant LET
~ by its ally, the weevil.
That some profitable crop canno
b grown on these fertile lands o
ours to take the place Of cotton i
unthinkable. Cattle. sheep and hog
can be raised prshtably. and Their
h. room for . great trucking ant
dairying industry, but only skille'
farmers can rear cattle and grow
vegetables successfully. To acquir'
thet skill requires education and
experience and both Of these requir'
time.
II It not wise to consider calml,
and intelligently the situation ant
begin now to lay the foundation
Cor success in the new industrie
pointed out above by beginning, boil
IN theory and in practice, to lay tn
foundations on which shall be bull
Q new prosperity?-or, shall VI
await supinely the arrival Of the new
pest and the day when we shall, un
les we change our ways, have y
rely upon the Red Cross and tn
Salvation Army for our daily bread
PROCEEDINGS OF POLICE JURY