The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1922-11-17
NO, THE BOIL WEEVIL is NOT
PASSING.

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Augusta Chronicle.
The Macon News prints an editori-
al, under the caption, us the Boil
Weevil Passing?" To start with The
Chronicle wishes to state emphatic
1ally that the boil weevil is not pass
ing but is here to stay, and with this
statement we will quote from The
News in part:
"The ginners' report for Washing
ton county shows that almost 1000
more bales of cotton have been rails
/ ed in that county during the past
season than for last year, although
q smaller acreage was planted.
j, "On October 1S, 1921, the num-
jber of bales ginned amounted to
I3,526, and on the same date this
wear the number was 4,419, which,
ito be accurate, is an increase of 983.
eve are also told that the farm
ers of Washington county used little
calcium arsenate this year.
"The question has begun to arise
! in the minds of a number of students
of agricultural conditions if the boil
weevil is not passing away. This has
been the history of almost every pest
that has afflicted agriculture in the
past. Neither in the field nor the Or
chard are there any great number
of insect enemies that made inroads
ION our crops a generation ago. Soon
er or later, by a wide provision of
nature, a pest which otherwise would
work universal ruin encounters a
natural enemy and is kept in check
or perhaps passes away entirely.
: "Of course the chances are that
some other bug will come along, just
as the pink boil worm is following in
the wake of the boil weevil, but
there are at least signs that substan-
tial relief may come from the one
pest which has done more to hamper
the South's cotton crop than any,
thing that has ever developed.
eve are gratifed to know that the
farmers of Washington county will
receive several thousand dollars more
for their cotton crop this year than
they did last year, and we hope that
the same conditions prevail in pro-
norton all over the State. 1t would
mean greater degree of prosperity
than we had counted upon
What the News has to say in re-
gard to other pests that have afflict-
ed agriculture passing is perhaps
rue, but there is no sign that the,
hn'l weevil is going to pass and we
have an idea that he is with US for
ever, certainly for as long a time as
cotton is planted in the South.
The weevil entered Texas many
years ago and is still there, although
the very hot summers and very cold
winters in that state cuts down his
ravages to a great extent and then,
too, Texas rainfalls is less than ours
and the weevil thrives most in a Sec
ton with high percentage of rain
fall. Ever since the weevil entered
Louisiana and Mississippi he has been
bad and there is no lessening of his
ravages unless the farmers combat
him with every known scientific rem
edy. Cotton can be raised in the delta
of the Mississippi as it was before
the weevil when there is high fertili-
zation, rapid working, poisoning, etc.
When there is very wet summer
we do not believe that it is possible
anywh~.a to make anything like a
normal yield.
The Chronicle believes that it is
possible with very dry summer to
~ .ta cotton without poisoning, but
it is not safe to try it. There have
been some good yields made in this
section without poisoning this year,
but these spots were favored with
less rain than, others and the farm
ers who made these good yields with
out poisoning would have made much
-, o.o with noiuonioo