The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-12-01
a GOD. SENT PEST.

of Prosperity
This Monument Is Erected
by the Citizens of
Enterprise. Coffee County, Alabama
The story of this monument and the
reason back of it, makes a very inter-
esting article in the current Hearst's
magazine-an article which has more
than magazine story, but is real
contribution to constructive publicity
for the southern states.
Mr.. Jackson Grows Cotton" which
lis the title of this valuable article, In
part says: 'sThis monument was erect
led to the enemy-to the enemy that
conquered and then pointed the way
towards new prosperity and new
hopes Before the summer of
1915, when the bon weevil first made
Its appearance in our district, the cot
ton crop OF Coffee county averaged
around 10000 bales. Cotton was king
lin every sense Of the word. We farm
ers knew nothing about farming ex-
lcept to plant cotton and more cotton.
We didn't even raise sufficient corn
or cane or potatoes or oats for our
own use we were strictly one-crop
farmers.
TN 1916 and 1917 the boil weevil cut
/ our crop to less than half the normal
yield and the whole country was wiped
off its feet Every method ever con-
ceived to fight the pest WAS tried and
IAN failed.
Then slowly we began responding
to the advice to cut our cottonacreage
way down and take up crop diversifi-
cation Little by little it was drilled
in us that we must plant peanuts and
corn and sugar cane and raise hogs
and cattle.
| THE boil weevil simply compelled
us to do this-and almost Immediately
the miracle happened. In 1918 Coffee
county broke the worlds record for
the cultivation of peanuts. That year
we raised more than 100000 bushels
and the whole country was rolling in
prosperity. In those first years after
the boil weevil taught us to farm cor
lrectly our peanuts and hogs brought
us in four times as much money as
we ever realized from our banner cot
ton crops.
THE bon weevil did it and So to
show our Appreciation, we erected this
monument to this God-sent pest that
stung us out of our inertia and ig-
norance"
There is a big lesson to be found
| in the story of the monument erected
by the people Of Enterprise to the boil
weevil. Often it is the enemy who is
the friend in disguise.
An enemy that can teach the people
OF a county to farm correctly, is more
than friend in disguise--rather is
that enemy a benefactor.
! 100000 bushels of peanuts in one
year, and a whole country rolling in
prosperity; corn and sugar cane and
hops and cattle-this is far better than
a one crop county.
Like Coffee county, Escambia used
to be one-crop county-and that
crop was timber. When the timber
lands began to be depleted, it was said
that this county could never survive
the loss of its lumber and naval stores.
But. like Coffee county, Escambia
has found that her loss is her gain.
If the day ever comes that the lum-
Der and naval stores of this county
are exhausted the people Of Escan-
bia county viii have so established
stock raising and dairying; viii have
so added to their material wealth in
marketing Of fruits and vegetables,
that they viii feel that the enemy has
been a benefactor.
Years ago the people Of this county
depended almost entirely on naval
stores and lumber. Today Escambia
stands out as the greatest agricul-
tural county in state that is rapidly
forging ahead as one of the greatest
agricultural states in the country
It will not be many tomorrows be-
fore this county will also be known
as one of the greatest stock raising
centers in the United States.
But 1t is going to take diversified
farming to do this. We have already
made q wonderful beginning and II
is TO the farmers of Escambia county
that the people of Pensacola should
take off their hats, for the very best
advertising that has ever come to us.
in going over to Jacksonville year aft
er year and carrying off the highest
agricultural honors that the state can
give.
The farmers of Escambia county are
waking up to the fact that if they want
TO be prosperous, it is entirely UP to
them to do so. They do not need any
-rich-quick schemes.
Diversified farming has given rs
Gambia county honors at four county
fairs for four consecutive years. But
II has done far more than this. It has
attracted nationwide attention to this
county which viii mean much for its
development.
But our real development viii not
come until the knockers are dead.
some OF these days maybe Pensa-
cola will erect a monument on which |
let rs hope win be Inscribed:
To All Escambia County Knockers
Now Buried Here,
From a Grateful County Which
Has Survived
And on the Remains OF Those who /
Knocked Have Built
A Real County