Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-09-22
Educating the Cotton Growers

The Valley Ginners' Association. composed of prac-
tically all gin owners in the Lower Rio Grande Valley.
has launched an educational campaign designed to i'm
prove cultural methods. increase production and stan
dardize varieties throughout the Valley.
A vigorous campaign is now under way to induce
growers to clean up their cotton fields and all places
where the boil weevil may hibernate. They point out
that primary control Of boil weevil infestation starts
in the fall preceding the planting Of cotton and that
II the alternating places for weevil are destroyed the
infestation will be light. The Valley cotton natures
early, and this fact will cut weevil loss 60 the mini
mum il the growers will clean up their lands, destroy
ing ali places in which the pest may hibernate during
the winter months.
Following the cleanup campaign an educational pro-
gram relative TO the advantages of Standardization will
be undertaken, to be followed BY a similar program
setting forth proper cultural and irrigation methods.
eradication Of root rot, poisoning Of cotton. etc. II Is
the object Of the association to make the campaign
comprehensive in every phase.
The movement deserves the commendation and CO.
operation Of every Valley interest. Cotton is now and
will be for years to come the major money crop Of
the lower border country. Cotton can be grown dur
ing the months when no other profitable crop can DE
grown on the Valley SOIL II is what might be termed
a velvet" crop-grown between the truck seasons. and
providing for Valley growers an assured source Of rev
enue IL the proper cultural methods are employed.
There can be no question that the cotton produc-
ton in the Lower Rio Grande Valley is far short of
what the Valley soil is capable Of producing The wide
range in production between adjoining fields is an in
dex TO the fallacy Of utilizing haphazard farming
methods. Another factor is that many Of the Valley
farmers are inexperienced in cotton growing, using the
same methods employed in growing corn or other sta
pies in the North.
The value Of the Valleys cotton crop this year will
be between ~Ss.0O0.O0O and $4,000. 10000, with the pro-
duction running around 10000 bales. Had proper cul-
tural methods been in vogue on all Valley farms it IS
probable the production and cash return could have
been doubled. There is not an individual who travelled
over the Valley during the cotton season who was not
impressed by the failure Of some growers and the
success Of others. The great disparity in yields in the
same sections was not wholly due to soil .ypes-it was
largely an exemplification Of the different cultural
methods practiced by Valley growers. Another factor
was the cleanup last fall in various sections Of the
Valley. In those sections where the cleanup was
thorough, the weevil infestation was slight; but IN
fortunately those sections where the growers would
not cooperate in the cleanup proved pest spots from
which the infestation spread over the entire Valley.
Business men as we'll as farmers should be inter
ested in the program launched BY the Ginners' Assoc
citation. Success of the campaign will add millions Of
dollars annually to the Valleys revenues. and there
should be Valley-wide cooperation in making it ef-
fective.