Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-12-19
WALLACE POINTS To
GREAT PROGRESS IN
BOIL WEEV|L FIGHT

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1S.-Steps
taken by the department of agricul-
ture to combat the cotton boil weeviI
have brought about a situation
| ''more favorable than ever BEFORE"
Secretary Wallace informed Senator
Harris, of Georgia, in a letter made
| public by the senator.
Mr.. Wallace declared his depart
ment had found effective the dust
ing method, and also the new meth
cd developed in Florida, and had
requested the cooperation of the
| war department in the further test
ing of the possibility of airplane
| busting.
with these two major and highly
promising developments of the past
year to thoroughly test out the COM
ing season." the secretary wrote.
THE scientific forces of the depart
ment will be fully occupied and
those who have been studying the
problem feel very confident that out
of these methods and the ones now
in use will be found satisfactory
remedy for the boil weevil.
The agriculture secretary's letter
was in reply to one from Senator
Harris, inclosing a communication
from a constituent who expressed
the belief that half had not been
done by the department which
should have been done"
THE damage from the cotton
boil weevil varied considerably from
year to year, and this letter, coming
as it does just at the close of one
of the most seriously injurious sea-
sons experienced in recent years."
Mr.. Wallace wrote, mo doubt truly
represents the state of mind of
great many people in the south.
Those, however, who have been
closest to the problem realize the
difficulties with which the scientific
workers have had to contend in the
development of control measures for
this insect and consider rather that
the advancements made have been
more than could be expected.
"In fact, just at the present time
thd situation is more favorable than
ever before The busting method
has in the face of the heavy infesta-
ton of this year proved itself capa-
BILE of satisfactorily protecting the
production of cotton in large areas
of the south. This method seems
to be especially adapted to the more
productive areas and where the sta
pie cottons have been developed, and
in those regions where the yield per
acre is half bale or more the meth
Cd has been proven satisfactory.
"Just recently, as you no doubt
know, DR.. Newell and Mr.. George
Smith, of the Florida experiment
station have published a bulletin
giving a complete and detailed ac-
count of a long series of experiments
in the use of another method of
control which appears to be pecu.
in the Florida region and in other
regions OF the south in which the
cotton production per acre is rela-
lively low.
1.-The facts that the Florida meth
Cd has been carried out successfully
by the ordinary share choppers and
the cotton production practically
equals that before the Weevil 1nVa-
sion seem to warrant the conclusion
that this will prove to be a cheap
and efficient method over a large
area in the south. The department
is just at this time requesting CO.
operation of the war department in
the further testing of the possibility
of aeropIane busting.
'"The remarkably successful re-
suits obtained elsewhere by this
method seems to abundantly justify
the additional expense that will be
incurred in a mucn more extensive
test to be carried on this year which
should determine conclusiVely Wheth-
er these machines can be depended
upon to materially assist in the con-
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