The Monroe journal., 1922-02-10
STICK TO COTTON
OR BE STUCK HARD.
MIR, Robertson Tell How to Grow
Cotton Successfully Under
Boil Weevil Conditions
EIGHT POINTS CONSIDERED
Careful Study of WeeviTs Habits En-
ables Farmers to Produce Cotton
in Spite Of the Pesty Things

Mr.. A. d. Robertson, development
agent of the Seaboard Air Line Rail
way, furnishes the following inter-
esting information, obtained from a
cotton farmer in Georgia:
Many cotton farmers in the pied
mont section Of North Georgia and
the Carolinas would do well to adopt
the slogan, "stick or be stuck" for
1922. Most farmers in this section
have heard much about the boil weevil
as a limiting factor in cotton pro-
duction. | doubt if any have heard,
or have seen conditions worse than
the weevil promises to make II lett
unchecked the coming season.
have just returned from trip
through Alabama and Georgia, where
/ visited a number Of farmers who
have been fighting the weeYil for
several years. The most practical
farmer visited was Mr.. E. S. Vim
son, of Milledgeville, Georgia, and it
is Mr.. Wilson's story l would like to
pass to you.
Mr.. Vinson is a wealthy planter Of
Baldwin county, Georgia, and is con-
sidered by the people of that section
as a man Of good Judgment, and his
methods in growing cotton under boil
weevil conditions have proven him
to be such.
MIR. Vinson says a cotton farmer
in A cotton section must stick to cot
cotton as a cash crop, or be stuck by
going in for something that ne
knows nothing about. In the same
sentence he says cotton grower
must stick to his job while growing
a cotton crop, or Billie will stick him.
At least eight points must be con-
sidered.
/. The best cotton land must he
planted to cotton. This does not mean
the most fertile land on the farm.
Land may be rich and may produce
good cotton under preboll weevil con-
ditions, but if it is cold and slow to
warm up in the spring, 1t should not
be planted to cotton.
2. Let the maximum be five acres
to the plow. This figures each plow
to be self sustaining.
8. A good early maturing variety
must be used. Mr.. Vinson grows
Wannamaker's Cleveland Big Boil,
but says College No. is as good.
4. The land should have heavy
application of barnyard manure
broadcast over it, and not less than
500 pounds of high grade fertilizer
under the cotton when planted. This
should be put down and bedded on
several days before planting, il pos
sible. This fourth point is one the
average planter will find hard to stick
on. At least bale per acre and that
made quickly under boil weevil con-
5. Rows not less than four feet
apart. Two stalks in the hill. Space
between hills just wide enough so a
hoe in chopping will not scar the
stalks on either side. Plenty OF seed
must be put in the ground so the
chance for stand is good. Do not
replant. 1t will not pay.
o. Pick all weeils early, but do 1t
with children. 1t is too expensive to
pick them with man labor. Avoid
dusting until there is enough foliage
to lodge the greater part of the dust.
II dusting is done when cotton is
small, use a sack or perforated tin
can. And at this early stage use the
child labor, as the cultivation and
the other crops require the attention
of the man labor. When good crop
of foliage is set, and the infestation
is around ten per cent, use the Cal
cium Arsenate dust.
Z. A one hand duster which will
cost S12 or S15 will care for five
acres of cotton. II more than this is
expected from the duster, the weevil
will get a start. Only what can be
busted in the late evening and early
morning should be figured on. Pro-
vide the poison and dust gun before
hand, and not wait until the day Of use.
8. Since fertility is a big factor in
the fight, the most suggestive source
of fertility is livestock. Mr.. Vinson
keeps a big herd of cattle. which
means hogs in connection. He says
II he can keep from losing money on
the cattle he has made their keeping
pay. Any man in Baldwin county will
say that Mr.. Vinson has the richest
land in the county, and the livestock
gets the credit.
In 1919 Baldwin County made a
fraction over four bales of cotton to
the plow. In 1921 it took a fraction
over four plows to make a bale of
cotton. In 1921 Mr.. Vinson made five
bales to the plow. A farmer just
across the fence made 800 pounds
seed cotton on four acres.
When | asked who taught you how
10 grow cotton under boil weevil con-
ditions, his reply was: II did as the
fertilizer experts told me and used
plenty Of fertilizer, which is from
500 to 1000 pounds Of high grade on
land which has been well manured.
With a careful study of the habits
of the weevil, good judgment and
well-organized farm, one can produce
A