Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-09-08
The Boil Wcevil Situation in tho
u. S. s.


the south that It mas now come 20
be known as the "billion dollar bug"
In the last twenty-five years, it has
managed to eat up and destroy sew
eral billion dollars worth of cot
ton 1t constitutes therefore one CT
the greatest menaces to the success
full continuation of cotton cultivation
in the south. Every one Is natu-
rally concerned and interested there
fore, in any suggestion which may
lead to it's more effective control.
Prof. Frank c. Ward, cotton spe-
cialist, Georgia State College Of Asri-
culture, mas been working along the
line indicated for some years past.
His experience and observations nave
been set down in the form OF an
article. Many of these suggestions
are pertinent, and all that he has
to say on this subject is Of general
concern to those who contemplate
raising cotton in 1928.
AS the boil weevil sprad eastward
over the cotton belt Of the United
States, there has been some anx-
iety in both America and foreign
countries concerning the ability OF
the United States TO furnish its
share of the worlds cotton needs.
But effective methods OF controlling
the weevil have been perfected, and
cotton growers will soon have learn
ed these methods so that the sec
ton with such tremendous advan-
tages IN the nature of soil, climatic
and economic adaptations Will be
able to produce q good grade OF cot
ton in successful competition with
other parts of the world.
It is true that the United States
produced only about $4,000 bales
in 1921, and that loss OF over $1,000.
900 bales in that year is attributed
to weevil damage, but it must be
remembered that economic conditions
in that year were such that the
grower had little reason to expect to
get cost of production for the crop
and was not inclined to use methods
OF control, any of which would add
to the total cost of producing the
crop. With labor, machinery, rents,
fertilizers and other items Of cost
in production somewhat lower, and
with world demand greater so that
prices are higher, growers are en-
couraged to fight the weevil.
1t is only within the last five or
SIX years that an efficient and eco
nomical method of controlling the
weevil wit hpoison has been discoV-
cred by the agents Of the United
States department of agriculture
and is Us only for the last three years
that the department has advocated
it's general use by growers. Growers
are, under any conditions, somewhat
slow in adopting any new methods
of culture requiring any investment
in extra materials, equipment and Ia.
Dor. This was particularly true in
1921 under the economic conditions
then prevailing, but with the more
hopeful outlook in 1928, there has
been a tremendous increase Of inter.
est in this new measure of control,
and a great many growers in many
sections of the cotton belt have used
1t successfully. The supply of the
poison used in this work, a high
grade of calcium arsenate, has not
been great, and the machinery for
effective application is scarce, more
or less imperfect, and expensive, but
these conditions are being remedied.
The method of effective application
of the poison is being demonstrated
to the growers in all parts Of the cot
ton belt, and the use Of the method
is increasing rapidly.
The Georgia State College Of Agri-
culture through it's extension divi-
sion, has demonstrated the proper
use of calcium arsenate in boil wee
vii control to the farmers of Geor
gia for four years. The educational
forces of Georgia have done more
work with this project than those Of
any other state. AS a consequence,
cotton growers of Georgia used more
calcium arsenate for boil weevil con.
troll in 1922 than did the growers in
all the other states combined. But
the educational forces in other states
are taking more interest, and the
use of poison in boil weevil control
will increase in all parts OF the cot.
ton belt.
In 1922, the cotton growers or
Georgia used more than 5000, 600
pounds of calcium arsenate in boil
weevil control. The average amount
required for effective control - is
about thirty pounds per acre, so
there were more than 100000 acres
treated IN Georgia. Most of this
was used on hign producing land
that was well ferrilized, and the in
creased yield due to poisoning was,
in some cases, as much as 400
pounds Of lint cotton per acre. Some
of the Ioison, however, was used on
low producing land, and some was
not used in the manner necessary
fer effective control, so that the
average increased yield due to poi
soning on the 10000 acres was prob
ably a5out IS pounds of lint cotton
per acre. But this means an in
creased production of $4,000 bales
in Georgia alone with only about
rs per cent of its acreage poisoned,
Gnd rot all of that poisoned in the
most effective manner. The ihdica-
tons are that there will be ire
mendous increase in the acreage
poisoned in 1928 and also an in
crease in average acre results be-
cause the material will be applied
more effectively.
The cost of effective poisoning in
Georgia in 1922 varied between SIS
and $40 per acre. This includes cost
of labor, machinery and material
for poisoning. With an average in.
crease of seventyfive pounds Of lint
cotton per acre, the increased yield
WOulu pay inc COSt VI po1SOHAIlS =
even if cotton should sell as low as
twelve cents per pound. Many
Georgia growers are producing a
bale of cotton per acre in heavily
infested sections, and many others
will do so as soon as they have
learned to use the poison effective
ly. Many have controlled the weevi
10 such an extent that they are
making as high acre yields as they
made before the weevil reached
them.
Considering the above informa
ton, I think we need have no fear
that the United States Of America
will fail to produce her share of the
world cotton requirements. The
average annual production in Amer
lean cotton for the last twenty
years, during which time the world
n