The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1921-09-22
SMITH GIVES PLAN
FOR WEEVIL YEARS
EXPERT STATES IDEAS ON Flu.
TURE FARMING.
Cotton Will Hold.
Still To Be Principal Money Crop.
More Hogs To Be Raised.
Plant Peanuts.

In response to a request from for
mer Governor Richard I. Manning, as
a citizen interested in the future OF
South Carolina under boil weevil
conditions, Alfred G. Smith, agricul-
tural expert, has written a letter
giving his views as to the kind of
farming that should be followed in
the lower part of the state when the
pest has bold.
The letter, which is self-explana-
tory, follows:
3In response to your request of
yesterday, I will give you my ideas
as to the kind of farming that should
be followed in the lower part of the
state under boil weevil conditions.
In fact, 1 will go little further than
this and state to you the kind OF
farming that will be followed, for,
though 1 am no prophet nor the son
of a prophet, I am an analyst and
my conclusions are based upon inves-
tigations in economic agriculture,
made while I was connected with the
office of farm management of the
United States department of agricul-
ture.
''The kind of farming followed in
any considerable area is rarely of the
farmers own choosing, but it is
forced upon them or is compelled by
definite economic forces. Farmers
gradually adopt the system of farm
ing to the most profitable type, and
this type is usually determined by
economic forces over which the farm
ers have little or no control. So in
the lower part of South Carolina,
with the boil weevil rampant, the
farmers will gradually shift their
gives them the best kind of living,
gives the mthe best kind of living,
REGARDLESS of whether at this time it
is the kind they would most prefer.
I should state that the chief economic
forces that determine the type OF
farming are such things as soil, eli
mate, adaptability of crops, COM
petition of other areas, the capabil-
tiles of the farmer, nearness to mar
ket, insect injuries, plant disease,
etc.
"Without presenting complete
argument to fully support my state
ments-that would require too much
space for letter-the type of farm
ing that will be followed in this area
five or ten years from now will be
along the following lines:
Ctton Still to Lead.
First: Cotton will still remain Jhe
leading crop in those counties like
Lee, Sumter, Orangeburg, etc., that
comprise the upper tier of counties
in the lower part of the state. The
proportion of the cultivated land
planted in cotton will be around two
ffths. ranging generally from one
fourth to one-half, save in those
sections where tobacco is the DOM
mating crop. The proportion of the
land planted in cotton will decrease
with the nearness of the coast, and
but very little, in fact, practically
none, will be planted in such counties
as Horny, Georgetown, etc. In the
upper tier of counties, one year with
another, cotton, on the average with
the probable exception Of tobacco,
will remain the most profitable crop.
The chief reason why it cannot be
planted so extensively as in the past
is because of those knockout years
like this year when warm winters
and rainy summers give the boil wee
vii his best chance. The risk Of such
years will keep the average Of cotton
down, for many farmers can not
stand the financial strain of such
times. Offsetting these years, how
ever, there will be other years when
the boil weevil damage will be al
most negible and this will encourage
farmers to plant more cotton, but
they will get setbacks in such years
as this one. You, of course, also
| understand that reduction in the pro-
duction of cotton over the whole belt
as a result of the boil weevil makes
a higher price for cotton which Will
be one incentive to plant more t1an
if the price remained at pre-boll wee,
vii levels.
Second: The chief substitute for
cotton will be peanuts. Both the
Spanish and the running 'arieties
will be planted, but the tendency Will
be to plant the largest average IN
the running varieties. The reason
| e,, +b;e ;e fhot tho runninQ yarie-