61 



perniil, hiil it is only by utilizing the factors ol" hard, 

 intoUiifent and timely work and never by dependini» 

 upon a kind Providence to do it for liini while he loafs 

 two-thirds of the time. 



KSSKXTIALSTO SUCCESSFUL WEEVIL CAM[\V1GN 



1. Hold F(trin Labor. — This is a matter of the ut- 

 most importance as land without labor to work it be- 

 comes nonproductive and uni)roiitable. It is ])ossible 

 to kee|) labor on the farms and to readjust our farming 

 system so as to minimize boll w^eevil damage and soon 

 increased prosperity will b(> enjoyed. But if the labor 

 once moves out of a community, the fields are allow- 

 ed to become brushy, the unoccupied cabins decay 

 rapidly, roads are Heglected, the value of laud goes 

 down and it soon becomes a very difficult matter to 

 get any good labor back into such a community. The 

 sections which have suffered most heavily from the 

 weevil invasion lost far more because they let their 

 labor go than from any direct injury done by the wee- 

 vils. 



2. Sinollcr Acreage and Better Cotton. — Reduction 

 in acreage planted in cotton to what can be given the 

 better care that is absolutely required under weevil 

 conditions is a long step toward success. The experi- 

 ence of large numbers of the most progressive and 

 successful i)lanters in old infested territory, especially 

 where the rainfall is less than 16 inches during June, 

 July and August, proves conclusively that cotton cul- 

 ture on a small scale can be continued profitably in 

 spite of the boll weevils where such methods are fol- 

 lowed as have been recommended in this bulletin. 



II Increase Food, Forage and Livestock. — It be- 

 comes necessary for the farmers to learn to raise as 

 much as possible of their food and forage crops instead 

 of depending upon the proceeds of their cotton crop to 

 buy such foodstuff's. The reduced acreage in cotton 

 leaves land a\ailal)Ie for such crops and for i)asturage. 

 We now know that Alabama farmers can produce as 

 large a variety of such croi)s as can be grown in any 

 state in the Union- Many of these crops, or combinations 

 of crops which can be i)T()duc( d in a season in place 

 of so much cotton, will yield a much higher margin of 

 profit per acre than cotton has ever yielded even at a 

 price of better than 12 cents per pound. Instead of 

 sending out of the State possibly more thanf 100.000,- 



