The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1922-11-23
Call for Action
in Buying Poison
To the Editor Of The Herald:

notice the following in the Au-
gusta Chronicle of November Z from
John W. Hammond:
"The question of obtaining calcium
arsenate in sufficient quantity to meet
the demands Of the cotton farmers OF
the state for the next crop is becom-
ing quite serious one. Some con-
Germ is being felt here over the in
formation that a meeting of the delta
cotton planters and dealers has just
been held in Mississippi for the pur-
pose of contracting for a supply for
/ that section, largely in excess of the
consumption by the last years crop,
and in view of the alleged shortage Of
! white arsenate there is an anxiety
as to whether or not it is going to
be possible to abtain sufficient guam
! tity later, at any price, to meet the
needs in Georgia When the state
| board of entomology met recently to
SOAt
tract for bulk supply for 1928, it
was found that the lowest offer was
in excess Of twice the price paid last
year for the same goods"
We see Mississippi and Georgia are
actively in the market to obtain a
supply Of calcium arsenate for the
planters Of their states. We note
that the supply is short, prices much
higher, and as the demand increases
it is natural for the price to advance.
Mississippi and Georgia are acting.
What is being done to take care of
the cotton crop of South Carolina?
If anything has been done to secure
a supply of CALCIUM arsenate for
South Carolina farmers I have not
heard of it. Whose duty is it to act?
Georgia has her state board of en-
tomology and South Carolina has,
too, but have not heard of it's TAX
ing any action in this matter. Some
one ought to act. Maybe it is the busi-
ness of Clemson college, do not
know-but I do know that something
ought to be done at once. If We wait
until the supply is contracted for by
other states or until prices advance
out of reach, then the planters of
10 nj
cotton at all, for without calcium ar
senate, with which to combat the boil
weevil, we can't make cotton with any
degree Of success.
What is the American Cotton asso-
citation doing, especially the South
Carolina division? 1t ought to sound
the alarm and compel action, either
Of the proper officials of the state or
get the farmers together and arrange
to protect South Carolina's cotton
crop of 1923. Something ought to be
done at once or it will be too late
and to lose our cotton crop would be
disaster to the state.
Again, I notice that there are
connections of various kinds being ad-
vertised to kill the boil weevil. Some
good I suppose, some worthless. Un-
less something is done to protect our
farmers in this matter numbers are
going to be imposed upon and robbed.
If we haven't such law, and I don't
think we have, sufficient pressure
ought to be used on next session of
the legislature to pass a law requir-
ing every preparation to be analyzed
and those found to be good, grant
them the privilege Of offering them
for sale and those that are worthless
prohibit them being offered for sale
in the state.
1t looks to me that in matter of
much Importance the government
ought to step in and prevent exces-
sive prices on calcium arsenate. The
cotton crop of the South is of too
much Importance to our country at
large to allow the producers to be
profteered. The manufacturers of
calcium arsenate ought to be allowed
the cost of production plus a fair
profit: if they are not satisfied with
this then let the government COM
mandeer the whole business and sell
it to the farmers at the cost of pro-
duction. Let's get busy at once or
we will find ourselves without CAL
cium arsenate with which to fight the
boil weevil. R. NJ. MIXSON.