The spectator., 1921-08-12
MAJORITY OF COUNTIES CROW ING STAPLE NOW BOTHERED
 WITH DESTRUCTIVE PEST.
PROSPECTS CONTINUE GOOD
Very Little Complaint Outside of WeeviI lnJury-Some Complaint Made of Too Much
 Rain.
(Report compiled by Charles s. Bou'

ton, Statistician.)
 Little Rock-The condition of the cotton crop in Arkansas on July 20 showed but little change from that of June 25 The condition of 76 is some two points below the ten-year average for this date, and forecasts a yield Of l78.6 pounds of lint cotton per acre and a total production of 795,OOO bales That is. the final outcome will be larger or smaller than this amount, according as conditions hereafter are better or worse than average condi- tions.
 Commenting on the crop. the sta tistician was impressed by the facts that in most localities north of the Arkansas river the sentiment pre- vailed that cotton had improved during the past month, but the figures sub. mitted by correspondents were slight. ly lower, and from the southern part of the State very much lower. It also Is quite apparent that the reports are much influenced by the presence or boil weevil, and by the possibility or the harm that the insect might do. This is the case in some of the newly infected counties, and where the in- testation is not heavy. There are places in the Central and southeast part of the State where it is reported that the boil weevil is getting the fruit Just as fast as it appears.
 The most remarkable development, and one that does not seem to have been given the attention that it war rants is the increased area of infesta- ton. The weevils are present and working in both St Francis and Cross counties, in Crittenden and Missis- sippi, also in Independence and Law renee, and in the western part or the State in Pope and Scott counties. The damage done in these last-named counties Is thus far slight, but un- doubtedly the presence of the weevil h threatening and may later result in considerable loss. Of the seventy counties in the State which grow cot ton, fifty-five are now more or less affected by the presence of boil wee viii In the sections of the State which have been under the boil weevil con ditions for a number of years, there is hardly report but what mentions the presence or the injury done by the insect.
 Outside of boil weevil injury, there Is very little complaint. Many reports from various sections of the State speak of the best prospect in years. The reports from Desha and Chicot are better than for several years past, From the Arkansas river valley west pf Little Rock, reports are extremely favorable, though there are few re- ports from Sebastian and Crawford counties of too much rain There are similar complaints from Miller, La fayette and Hampstead Counties in Southwest Arkansas. though the cor respondents speak of the fine growth of the plant in these last-named dis tricts. Conditions are unquestionatly much spotted, different sections in the same counties being unusually fine or below average. There are isolated complaints of poor fruiting, but in the counties visited by the statistician during the past month 1t was his ob- servation that in general the plants were well fruited, with comparatively little shedding.
 The reports from Greene county arc the most optimistic with Clay, Poin- sett, and Cross closely following. Greene County, with condition fig ure of 96. is leading this State. The lowest reports are from Saline and Ouachita counties.