San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-03-11

l. AC hOllu uONo NV bhdS ~
is confronting a really dangerous sit
uation as to its cotton supply for the
next few years, according to a state
ment by David r. Coker, well known
authority on cotton production and
improvement. During the last two
years the production of all kinds of
cotton in the world has been about
81, 100000 bales while the consump-
ton has been about 100000 bales.
The reserve, therefore, shows shrink
age of about 100000 bales in two
years. While this shrinkage Of pro-
duction has been partly due to wealth
er conditions, its principal cause has
been the ravages of insect pests of
which the boil weevil is by far the
most formidable.
The gradual recovery of the world
from the effects Of war will naturally
cause an increased demand for cotton
goods, the primary clothing material
of all nations, Mr.. Coker states. Even
the present supply of cotton fabrics
cannot be maintained during the next
few years unless world cotton pro
duction is increased over 100000
bales per annum above the average OF
the last two crops. And, he says,
it is unlikely that Egypt, India, South
America and other cotton producing
countries can promptly increase their
output under the most favorable CIR
cumstances as much as 1,OOO,0Oo
bales a year, even under the urge OF
high prices. No one familiar with
the history of cotton production IN
the United States during the last
eight years will feel that this country
can increase its production to above
100000 bales per annum and thus
preventing an even more acute short
age than now exists, unless effective
measures for boil weevil control can
be Immediately and generally put into
operation, according to Mr.. Cocker.
Living Conditions Affected.
Farm laborers in the central and
eastern parts 1t the cotton belt are
leaving the country by thousands be-
cause they have been unable to make
enough under boil weevil conditions
to feed and clothe their families.
while attractive wages are being Of
fered them in the central and north
ern states. Thousands of the land
owners in the eastern belt cannot
plant fair acreage this year, accord
ing to reports, even If ample labor
were available, because they have al.
ready exhausted their resources and
are on the verge of bankruptcy.
Thousands Of tax executions are now
in process of enforcement against
landed property in Georgia and South
Carolina and new capital in most
cases cannot be obtained because of
the lack of assurance that the farmer
can produce crops with which to repay
it, reports state.
How To Control Pest.
According to Mr.. Coker this serious
condition in the eastern part of the
belt could be changed almost immedi-
ately if the farmer and the banker
could be assured that reasonable eff
fective means Of controlling the boil
weevil, at once simple, inexpensive,
and easy of application, is available.
Such a means is now available and
can be applied to several million acres
with the materials at hand for weevil
control, he says. Mr.. Coker explains
several methods of weevil control. re-
suits of which are ascertained from
practical experiments Of a group of
men including himself. He states:
BIASED on our, own experience and
that of many other farmers in this
section with whose results we are
familiar, we recommend the follow
ing poisoning treatment for cotton
this year:
Shortly before the first squares ap-
pear, apply to the terminal buds Of
the young cotton three or four drops
per plant of mixture of one pound of
calcium arsenate, one gallon of water,
one gallon of cheap molasses. Thor
oughly mix the calcium arsenate with
the water before adding the molasses
and apply with small cloth mop or
with long necked quart bottle with
small opening in cork. We especially
recommend the bottle method because
the AMOUNT absolutely can be regulat-
ed, the drops of liquid can be shot
into the bud with some force and the
piuhSiHS iholiOn utcSsdrN 10 ulSCudTpe
the liquid keeps the moisture thor
oughly stirred. Repeat the applica-
tons weekly until the end of weevil
emergency, which will be about June
. in the southern part of the belt,
and at least one month later along
the upper limits Of cotton production.
Applications beginning the last of
May and continuing until the last of
June were found effective in this
section last season. If the mixture
is promptly washed off by rain, it
should be reapDlied at once. Four to
six applications should be sufficient
to take care of the entire crop of
-wintered weevils. About one gal
Ion OF the mixture is sufficient to
cover one acre and one hand can APP
ply to four acres a day. The entire
cost of the materials for the early
season applications should run from
about 60 cents to S1.25, depending
on cost of materials and number of
applications necessary.
Would Get Good Results.
mo applications of poison after
the end OF the period of weevil emer-
gencp wOuld ha paoaeSor- &c Al. IT,.