The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1922-12-20
MAKING PROGRESS
AGAINST WEEV|L
FURTHER AND INTENSIVE
TESTS TO BE MADE DURING
YEAR TO COMBAT PEST.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRlCoL-
TURE OPTIMISTIC.

Washington, Dec. 19.- steps
taken by the department of agrlcul-
ture to combat the cotton bolA wee
vii have brought about a situation
"nore favorable than ever BEFORE
Secretary Wallace Informed sena-
tor Harris of Georgia in a letter
made public today by the senator.
Mr.. Wallace declared his depart
nsent had found effective the dust
,ine method and the new method
developed in Florida and had re-
eueste the cooperation of the war
department in the further testing
Of the possibility OF airplane dust
ing.
with these two major and high
" promising developments of the
past year to thoroughly test out the
coming season" the secretary wrote
"the scientific forces Of the de-
partment 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 a salts
factory combination for practically
all conditions"
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 varies considerably
from yeor to year and this letter
coming as it does just at the close
of one of the most seriously in
furious seasons experienced in re-
cent years." Mr.. Wallace wrote
"no doubt truly represents the
state of mind of a great many peo-
ple in the South. Those, however,
who have been closest to the prob
lam realize the difficulties with
which the scientific workers have
lad to contend in the development
Of control measures for this insect
and consider rather that the ad-
vancements have been more than
could be expected.
"In fact, just at the present time
the situation is more favorable than
syer before. The dusting method
has in the face of heavy nfesta-
tisn of this year proved itself cap
able of satisfactory protecting the
<roduction of cotton in large areas
.f the South. This method seems to
4. especially adapted for the more
productive areas and where the
,.aple cottons have been developed
and in those regions where the
weld per, acre is half bale or
more the method has been proven
satisfactory.
"Just recently, as you no doubt
know, DR.. Newell and Mr.. George
enith of the Florida experiment
station have published bulletin
giving a complete snd detailed ac-
count of a long series of expert
sasnts in the usd of another methoo
control. which appears to be pecu-
l,arIv adapted to meet the condi-
t;sps in the Florida region and IN
sther regions Of the South in which
the cotton production practically to
that before the weevil invasion
seems to warrant the conclusion
that this will prove to be cheap
md efficient method over a large
area in the South. The department
is Just at this time requesting CO.
everation of the war department
IN the further testing of the posi-
blity of aeroplane dusting.
"The remarkably successful re-
salts obtained elsewhere by this
method seemed to a5undantly Justl-
fy the additional expense that will
be incurred in a much more oxten-
sve test to be- carried on this year,
which should determine conclusive
" whether these machines can be