Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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BOLL-WEEVIL SECTK SEEN I Mr. Edward A. Eve Describe Territory Attacked by Mr Edward A Eve, general man- I ager of the Southern Cotton Oil i Company, has written the following 1 interesting account of his tour by < automobile through boll-weevil ter- i ritorx: 1 Having ju-t returned from an 800mile auto trip through Georgia and I South Alabama, where I spent an i entire week studying the effects of the boll weevil and the remedies be- ; ing resorted to, I feel that I have ac- I cumulated some first-hand information which should be of benefit to; t every farmer in South Carolina. ) I Instead of going from city to city, i hearing and making speeches, I went i direct to the farms in ninpfeen coun-1 i ; ties of Georgia and nine counties of j i Alabama, and saw conditions with i my own eyes, and heard dozens of i farmers tell how the boll weevil had i wiped our their cotton crop and how I many of them are recovering and becoming more prosperous than i ever before. It would take a book ' to hold all the interesting things < that I saw and learned about diversified farming and stock raising in i the once chastened but finally blessed boll-weevil-ridden counties, and I could write another book about the wonderful roads through these coun-1 ties that enabled me to cover 800 i miles in a Ford car with positive corn- i fnrt ontf nl<3??!nrp durincr the six i """ " I days that I was making these investigations! j' But, for many reasons, my narrative must only touch the high places in this inspiring journey. Starting from my old home. Beech Island, in Aiken county, in company with seven of my boyhood compan- i ions, who are now the leading cot- ? ton planters in that part of the country, we cranked up two trufety j< Fords and crossed the Savannah river early Monday morning. We: i paused in Augusta to tank up and j i make minor repairs; and then we;: made a dash for Macon, where we , i spent the first night. This first run i of 130 miles brought us well into i the region of "first-year-infesta- 1 ticn." The Bibb county demonstra- ] tion agent told us that he almost re- I gretted to say that the weevil had < done practically no damage to this i year's cotton crop. Consequently,: I the farmers were still blind to the i < haCoc the weevil is bound to pla\ next season, and were determined to |' plant one more big crop of cotton. He knew what was in store for them ' and was working like a Big Ben I alarm clock to warn them; but he I seemed to be almost despondent asp to results. The lure of 20 cent cot-j ton was simply insurmountable. The next day we took a southwesterly direction, and gradually penetrated deeper and deeper into the infested region. Soon after we passed the peach belt and got back to where cotton was the principal crop, the effects of the weevil began to be apparent. The fields every- , where were covered with fine stalks, but the upper half of these stalks was bare of fruit. The yield was 1 about half what it would have been under normal conditions. This was the beginning of the region of second-year-infestation, and the weevils had multiplied enough to be destruc tive only during the latter part 01 j last summer. A little further, how-! ever, the destruction was complete in many fields where the greatest diligence was had not been observed in fighting the weevil early in the season. Most of the farmers in this 1 region were in a desperate condi- 1 tion. The previous cotton crop had been short and had been sold for a j pooi price, and this crop had put them still further in debt. They were discouraged about planting 1 cotton, and they did not have the : necessary experience or capital to start at anything else. At Fort Gaines we crossed over the Chattahoochee into Alabama, and reached the thriving Uwn of L'othan )N ROM AUTOMOBILE. es His Tour Through the the Cotton Enemy. t>y night. Here conditions steadily jot \\?>rse, as far as the cotton crop was cencerned, and almost every :otton field was bare of fruit with the exception of a few bolls near the bottom of the stalks. These counties that had made over 30,000 bales two years ago will not make over 8,0(>0 this year. We found a very different feeling among both the farmers and the business men, however. They -warmed around our party everywhere and were overpowering in their attentions and in their eagerness to tell us of the new light that they had seen. They were all learning to "live at home," and many of them had this year tried other money crops and stock raising with marked success. They were beginning to prosper and were full of hope and confidence in a cottonless future; but they told us to go on to the westward and see for ourselves what one more year of boll weevil experience will do for a country. Our third day out found us driving westward from Dothan as fast as gasoline could carry us against a bitter cold blast that would sometimes swerve us from one side of the road to the other; but we were still on a magnificent highway, and it did not take us long to re^ch the town of Geneva,where we were given a warm reception. Mr Jenkins, the county demonstration agent, took us in hand and taught us more about the boll weevil than we could have learned from all the book ever written. He took us out into the fields and helped us each catch a bottleful of weevils, and answered a thousand questions about every phase of weevil operations. He explained how cotton might be made under boll weevil conditions if the season was dry and favorable; but he ssid Geneva county did not have to make any more cotton. They were making all the money they needed raising hogs. He showed us huge pens of fat pigs, all ready for the market. and said they had already shipped 300 carloads of hogs to a nearby packing house this year, against three carloads two years ago. That afternoon we went on to the ' * ? e r->_ i. : ir\ nusinng lown 01 r,mei pi lse. wnt>f our party referring to it as "Progress," and when we got there we found that he was not far wrong.) rhis was a community where the weevil had come and gone. It had ?one simply because cotton had ?one?and they both had been forgot t >n about, except as blessings that "brighten as they take their flight." They really looked on the boll weevil as the greatest blessing they ever had, because it drove them from cotton to crops that were more profitable. Everyone seemed prosperous and happy?almost intoxicated with the taste of ll ? 1 iL.l ...rvM/A tne new ueeuum uiai uiey weie nijoying! They showed us their diversified crops and their cattle and hogs and mules with che greatest enthusiasm. The farmers held a meeting for our benefit at the town bank that night, and one after the other told how he had paid off all his back debts during the past two years and was now laying up money in bank. The bank president confirmed all of this, and was the biggest optimist of them all. He told us most emphatically that during the last two years he had sent thousands of good dollars after bad ones, and that in every case where the farmers had planted peanuts instead of cotton the good dollars had come back and brought an me goou ones, too. The manager of the local oil mill showed me a few tons of old cotton seed that he had thrown out on the ground, and said that he expected to crush nothing but peanuts from now on. One big-hearh d farmer insisted very much on taking ali t ight of ua out to his home to spend the night and they begged us to spend a weel I with them. I It was hard to resist such jolly pood-fellows and si;eh genuine hos pitality, but we had t?? tear our selves away n- xt morning and fore on t?? Andalusia, our final objective H ie we foun I sum what the sam c mditioRs as at Knt* rprise, but th t iwn was more id' a commercial an j manufacturing cent r. We wer j particularly inter st? d in a now paid inirhi.oup that was handling 300 to 40 i hoirs per day. The "wealthiest ma in South Alabama," who happens t be the owner, shewed us throup I the entire plant and made it rru<j interesting hy his clear explanatio of thinps. They had been payin 8-J cents for hops until here reeeni lv, but had to cut the price hecaus they were cominp in too fast. W saw ahout -1.000 splendid hops i the pens. We all aprted that ou Oranpehurp friends who are intei ested in similar enterprises could pe some helpful and encourapinp point from this thriving and up-to-dat plant. Our frin hnniP hv W8V of Mont gomery, Tuskeegee and Columbus was full of interest, and a hig tribute to good roads. If I can pos sibly find the time I would like t write someting about the efficienc of the splendid highways all throug Alabama and Georgia that enable^ us to cover more than 400 miles i two days of easy comfortable run ning. The boll weevil is now reported t be within fifty miles of the Savar nah river, and is practically sure t cross over next season. This mean that in about two seasons it may b expected to cover the southern an western parts of South Carolina. Xeti's au<l Courier. CEDAR SWAMP CHRONICLES. I ? Dealt) of Estimable Young Lad; . ?Quiet Thanksgiving. Cedar Swamp, December 4:?Nc vember 27, at 5 o'clock in the aftei n ?on, as the sun's beautiful refiec tion could be seen on the wester h >rizon when it went down in pic , rious splendor,an anpel came to per tly bear the spirit of Miss Anni' Phillips far beyond the radiant plo\ to the home eternal where all he friends and relatives who fear Go and keep His commandments hav the assurance of a happy home for evermore.for it is said,"Death is th j chillness that precedes the dawn; w 'shudder for a moment, then awak in the broad sunshine of the othe life." About two years ago Miss Ar nie was stricken with diabetes,whicl is generally fatal, but she recovere< strength and gained llesh and apparently was in the best of health u to Sunday, having the same jo vie spirit and bright expression tha were characteristic of her daily life but was taken seriously sick and diet Monday. Miss Phillips was one o the most popular young ladies in th community, and the hearts of he friends were sorely saddened whe they learned of her death. She wa laid to rest in the cemetery of th Baptist church, of which she was member. Thanksgiving was very quiet! observed in this section. The da was too damp and chilly for outdoo sport with the shotgun, to the pleas ure of the partridge,which no doub gave thanks that he lived. And th? reminds us we should be thankfu not in formal expression of meaning less words, but pour out our thank from humble hearts for the graciou blessings that have preserve 1 ou j OUT PAIN wit;, ood c ii liniment. That's , the way to stop them. j lr.e Lest rubbing Iinii ent is i aw a <} efL mm mm LillMENT Geo J for ihe A i!merits of Horses, M v.tes, Cattle, Etc. I i Qooa for Wu/ ou'n Acnes, Pains, Rheurr.: *.>51-:, Sprains, Cuts, Cur^Ss Etc. 25c. 50c.?.'. At'I Dealers. hir.a^v. r " - it VintfiBHSi ; lives from our youth till today. ( I Misses Lillian Salters, .lane Ervin and Sue Coker spent Thanksgiving at their respective homes, dismissing s'hool till Monday. Miss Grace Haddock, an amiable e young lady,who is taking a course in '. trained nursing at McLeod's infirme ary, Florence. s:u-nt the week end * ? -a _ i. k.*i . L e wr.n nor paronis nere. e i<:iimi d e-J with h"r wnra. e, Mrs Sue Gamble of Xesmith spent t- a few days last week with her daugh0 ter, Mrs T A McCrea. n Approaching marriage hells can o be heanl from two < r more direch tions in this section. The harder th * >t times the tighter Cupid draws the n string that sends the piercing arrow, g Miss Eleanor Epps of Kingstree is t- a visitor in the neighborhood, e Little Miss Bertha Cunningham, ej who was severely scalded about the n face and neck, is getting well, at d r we sincerely hope there will be no *- scar left to detract from her beaut t tiful little face. ;s We have a flourishing Christian e Endeavor society in this community that meets every Sunday night, and > the prayer meeting each Wednesday i, evening shows no indication of lost h interest since its organization, i- We wish unbounded success to the o new energetic, business-like owners y of The Record, the paper that has h worked for Williamsburg county and d Williamsburg equally so for the pan per during the lifetime of the lai mented Editor Wolfe. WES. ? Constlpotlon Causes Bad Skin. '* A dull and pimply skin is due to 0 a sluggish bowel movement. Oors reet this condition and clear your complexion with I)r King's New j Life Dills. This mild laxative taken at bed time will assure you a full, free, non-griping movement in the morning. Drive out the dull, listless feeling resulting from overloaded intestines and sluggish liver. (Jet a bottle today. At all <H-ug y gists, 21c. ?! e ^^^^ r |j ForBestResuhs |j i n Long Staple Cotton w | Eg Whaley & Rivers A M Charleston, S. C. H Original Promoters of Staple uS Cotton in the Southeast. f ? r \sit &cm a LJKLnsLitllUit* r JVI1 % \ w w> CHARLES70M.S.C. | Sole Distributors of |1 "Black Rock Wall Board" k; Moisture resisting and special | manufacture makes it the best. Write us for samples and prices. | No, This is a prescription prepared especially I (or MALARIA or CHILLS &. FEVER. 1 Five or six doses will break any esse, and ! if taken then as a tonic the Fever will not i return. It acts on the liver better than ! Calomel and does not gripe or sicken. 25c Siegling Mus Charleston, S. C. Established _ > n f -I i ' "4 ! < THE PLAYER The Piano that anyone in ihe f2 nriees and easv terms. Let our sr I A. H. Hutt, call upon you and possibilities of these instruments. A. H. Hutt, Man I Want Your Car t The original luster can be preserved LIQUID VENE1 Get the outfit com bottle of Liquid Ven er--for $1.25. We al Veneer for furnitui $1 sizes. "Makes ol SCOTT DR The Phone 131, I lanra?? va-a Iflooi fj Host Grade, 75c MATCHLESS GLOSS FU In Pint and Half-Pint Cai Adjustable Floor Mops Treated Wooier that take up every particle of < polished surface. We have tl floors and furniture and pay . vice and satisfaction. Steele Furni I 208 Main Street ABBBaHBHBran [SEE I FORj I Horses, Mulei Wagons, Harm Whips, Etc. Yours to p Williamshnw I,ivi IV V UMiMIlkVlWMa a^, om * Kingstree, ic House Florence, S. C. ^ 1819 fc ^ ' V&7. ^ Jwiff- \ Jkrl?^ * . PIANO I imily can play. At low ; Decial representative, Mr \ explain the wonderful ' ager Florence House. - I o iveep new: i of auto bodies indefinitely by BR SPRAY iplete?a quart eer and Spraysn Vinvp Tiinnid , :e in 50c and | d things new." ugco? ' HL X/nr& Cingstree, S. C. j * OIL ' per gallon V RNITURE POLISH is, 35c and 25c. and Chemically i Dusters dust and leave a clean lem. They save your for themselves in ser iture Co. Opposite Court House j usl = 5, Buggies, i ess, Robes, ^ please, p Sinrk fn I - - S. C. I .