Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-01-04
GREAT FUND ASKED
FOR WAR AGAINST
THE BOIL WEEV|L
American Cotton Association
Announces Campaign to
Raise S2,5OO,OOO for
Educational Program

rotary, Harvie Jordan, has an
nounced an intensive tWo-fold cam
paign designed to- checkmate the
ravages of the boil weeVil.
A fund of $2,50O,000 is sought in
the nationwide campaign announc-
ed by the cotton association, intend
ed to finance an educational and re-
search campaign against the cot
ton pest. Cooperation of federal
and state agencies directed toward
boil weevil determination has been
pledged, it is stated.
One half of the $2,500,000 fund
will be used to augment the work
already being carried on by federal
and state agencies and agricultural
colleges in. showing farmers the
most effective means of curbing the
weevil, according to Mr.. Jordan s
announcement.
The remainder. of the fund. it is
stated, will be employed in financ-
ing investigation of the boil weevil
problem by Independent scientists.
Work &C organizing an independent
research bureau already has been
started, it is announced.
Expert Heads Bureau
DR.. Miller Reese Hutchinson, of
New York, formerly associated with
Thomas A. Edison as chief engineer
and personal representative, has
been obtained to head the research
bureau, and the announcement
states that DR.. Hutchson will short
ly name the personnel Of the group
of scientists who will carry on the
work of the reasearch bureau.
"a cotton famine next year would
upset the American balance trade
and cause widespread suffering in
the cotton belt" says Mr.. Jordan, de-
claring that it is vitaly important
to produce the largest possible crop
in 1928.
"The boil weevil has become an
international menace" said Mr.. Jor-
dan. 1.-THE world is practically de
pendent upon the United States for
it's supply of the principal material
used in the manufacture of clothing
and the boil Weevil is threatening
the production of the raw cotton
for this world necessity, an industry
in which. billions OF dollars are in
vested. Unless the boil weeVil is
conquered. we are facing catastro'
phe which will involve not only the
south, but the entire nation, Eng
land and other foreign countries.
1.-The emergency-nature of the sit
uation which has forced up to take
immediate action grows out of thu
Importance of a large crop in 1929
to avert a world cotton famine. An
other short crop this year, such as
has been produced in 1921 and 1922,
would mean a world cotton shortage
of great proportions. The largest
carry from the 1920 crop has
tided us over these two lean years,
but now there is not a single bale
of surplus cotton in the world High
prices for short crop of cotton
next season would not benefit the
south, if the boil weevil is permittei
again to destroy the millions of
bales of cotton which have been lost
during the past two years.
Loss of Labor
Another reason why action must
be taken at once is the necessity of
preventing the further loss to the
south of labor which is going to
the north and east because of the
almost insuperable handicap which
the boil weevil has placed upon the
tenant farmer. Without cheap la
Dor it would be impossible to pro-
duce cotton profitably in the south,
even with the boil weevil eliminated.
Many of our white and negro labor
ers have already left the south. The
only way we can halt this exodus
is to discover and teach the farmers
how to prevent the boil weevil from
destroying the cotton as fast as it
is prod iced.
The shortage of calcium arse
nate is third factor in forcing us to
take immediate action if the 1928
crop is to be saved. Use of this
chemical is the only effective means
Of weevil control which has been dis
covered, and the problem of produc
ing a large crop this year would be
much less serious if an abundant
supply Of cheap calcium arsenate
was available.
"Such is not the case, however
the amount of calcium arsenate
which can be produced depends
upon the limited supply of white
arsenate, a by-product OF the cop
per and lead smelling industries
The shortage of calcium arsenate
has already made itself felt in the
south and it will probably become
more serious.
To Increase Supply
1.-THE first problem which will be
presented to DR.. Hutchinson and hi:
associates in the research work fol
boil weevil control will be that Of
the calcium arsenate shortage. They
will attempt to work out some meth
Cd Of increasing the supply or o
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