The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1922-04-03
An Open Letter
From Director Long
To the Sellers of Patented Machines
and Remedies for Controlling
the Boil Weevil.

Dear Sirs:
We are receiving a great many let
tcrs from farmers making inquiry as
to the use of certain boil weevil ex-
terminators, catchers and patented
methods Of control of the weevil. The
divisions Cf entomology of various
agricultural colleges in the South, and
the United States Department of
Agriculture, have expended large
sums of money in carrying on expert
ments to ascertain practical methods
cf boil weevil control. The United
States Department of Agriculture es-
tabiished large and efficient labcra-
tory at Tallulah, La, for the purpose
Of studying and experimenting not
un;y with all methods and machines
worked out by governmental forces
hut the methods and machines that
have been worked out by other agen-
vics for the fighting of the boil wcevil
1t is evident that the farmers of South
Carolina are spending thousands of
dollars in the purchasing of different
mac hines, eXtcrminators and patented
methods of boil weevil control simply
upon the authority of statements made
Ey the agents who are selling them.
Millions of dollars have been absolute
ly thrown away in this manner by the
farmers of the Southern States as the
boil weevil has made it's advances
thr, ugh the cotton belt, by purchasing
contrivances and materials that failed
20 do what was claimed for them.
Clemson College makes this offer to
all Of the agents who are selling boil
wcrvil eXterminatorS, catcherS and
ratrntcd methods of boil weevil con-
troll: that if such agents will submit
their machines and patented methods
20 the experts of the United States
| Department Cf Agriculture, in the
| event that the experts of the United
! Clemson College find them mcritori-
| Gus and consc cquently are willing after
| sufficient trial to advise the farmers
to make the purchase of any of these
cXtcrminators, catchers or methods of
control, Clemson College will at once
use all Of its agencies, to call to the
att ntion OF the people the success
Of any eXtcrminator or catcher o,
method Of control, thus eliminating
the expense on the part of the manu-,
facturers or patentecs in the hiring OF
agents and the large sums expended
for advertising, and other nccessar!
expenses in bringing their machines o,
! products to the attention of the farm
crs of South Carolina.
If these agencies have what they
claim, they will be glad of the oppor.
turty of having the college and the
United States government to become
in the last analysis their advertising
and sales agents. If there are an!
companies or any agents Offering fol
sale machines and remedies for tn.
control Of the boil weevil who are MOI
willing for the government to pas:
upon the efficiency of their machine!
and methods, the fact should raise {
reasonable doubt in the minds of tn,
farmers as to the wisdom of investing
in their socalled machines and meth
DDS of control of the boil weevil.
Your attention is called to the fac
that the United States Department o
Agriculture and Clemson Agriculture
College have worked out a we'll define,
policy for weevil control and they will
lie glad to communicate with any in
te'ested farmers. This policy is base,
upon the study Of the boil weevil sine
the pest first entered Texas years acc
the methods of control suggested ar
those that after many years tria
have had some measure of success an,
usefulness in other infested states
and these methods do not involve Sc
crct or patented devices and remedic
but are such as may be used to advaa
] tage under proper conditions by al
; who will follow the instructions The
are net panaceas against boil weev
damage, but they help to check tn
lavagcs Of the past and are funda
mental in building up a better South
crn agriculture.
w. w. Long.