Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-03-03
Scientific Findings Relative to Boil
WeeyiI Control

Weevil Control
The farmer has been offered so
mRoh ADVICE and counier-advice
about cotton production during the
present year that he is likely to be-
come confused. This would be a
misfortune, because all of the energy
and resources our people possess
need to be conserved and utilized
for the purpose of gathering to-
gether the information needed and
giving it the widest possible dis
semination that a Farmers Week
and Market Conference was organ
lied by the Georgia State College
or Agriculture in January. The
conclusions reached at that meet
ing relative to a cotton and live
stock production program were
briefly summarized and have been
given wide publicity. The ideas pro-
mulgated have received general in
dorsement at the hands of our bust
ness men, bankers and leading farm
ers. Any who may not have IA
miliarized themselves with this
program should do so at once, for !
believe that the utilization of the
ideas cotained therein are basic to
the production of a profitable crop
of cotton during the season which
lis now at hand.
That the plan of action outlined
in the program formulated and zap
proved during Farmers Week and
Market Conference are essentially
sound is evidenced by the fact that
they coincide so closely with the
findings of the committee appointed
to- prepare a report on the subject
of cotton production on the subject
weevil conditions at the meeting of
the Southern Agricultural Workers
recently held at Memphis, Tenn. In
solar as 1 have been able to, gather,
these conclusions and recommended
tlons have not been given the wide
dissemination their importance justi-
Ties. In crisis like this, they
should be at the disposal of every
farmer because they represent the
best thought of our southern agri-
cultural workers. They contain in
the main the conclusions reached
by several hundred scientific work
ers living in a very considerable
number of states and pursuing their
Investigations under the most varied
conditions. They coincide with the
findings of the federal government
the state colleges of agriculture and
the agricultural experiment stations,
which have been Systematically
fighting the boil weevil invasion for
about thirty years.
During that time, many men of
great distinction in the scientific
hn 10 1ln41 IF
the life, history and habits of the
boil Weevil and have reached some
very definite and positive conclusions
as to the best practicable methods
to use in combating this insect.
These scientists are men employed
by the various states and the fed
eral government, and they. have
given their entire time and atten-
ton to the solution of this most vex-
ing of our economic problems, and
think they have perfected the only
practicable methods ROW extant of
combating the boil WeeVil invasion.
Their conclusions are as dependable
and as accurate as any data or in
formation available on this subject,
and 1 hope our farmers will not be
nllsled by the numerous false
prophets who have suddenly arisen
because they see vast profits to be
reaped from the manufacture and
sale of questionable or impracticable
remedies. 1t seems the part of wis.
DOM therefore, that these conclu-
slons should be given the widest pub
hcity possible.
1t is for the reasons assigned,
therefore, that q summary of the
recommendations made by this great
body of scientific workers is now pre-.
scented to the attention of our read
ers. I sincerely hope every one
concerned in the production of cot
ton in 1923 will study these sugges-
tons carefully and file them for ref
erence purposes. They constitute a
safe and sane platform on which to
stand.
L. Even under the most intelligent
farming, boil WeeviI infestation in
creases the risk in cotton production
therefore, of first Importance Is a
nEe-at-hone program with something
to sell besides cotton.r This funda
mental fact can not be too strongly
emphasized at the very outset.
z. Even though an ample supply
OF calcium arsenate were available at
a reasonable cost, probably not 10
per cent of the cotton acreage of the
south would be poisoned by all
known methods of application.
Therefore, those proven cultural
methods which tend to insure great
er production and give indirect aid
in controlling the weevil damage
cannot be too strongly stressed
These include:
s(a) The use of well-drained, fertile
woiI