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PLANT QUARANTINE
SAVES MILLIONS
1 (
How Entomological Department Keeps'
infested Plants and Trees Out
of Georgia.
Atlanta, G&. —It Is Impossible to es
timate In dollars and cents, says the
Georgia State Board of Entomology,
■what this state has saved In the re
cent past on account of strict quaran
tine laws against plant insects and
diseases. Hundreds of thousands of
dollars more might have been saved,
if the quarantine laws had been en
acted in time to keep out such pests
as the destructive San Jose scale.
Native enemies to vegetation, says
the department, in a recent bulletin,
have grown steadily worse with im
proved agriculture; and it is the duty
of_the state, through the department,
as well as through laws governing the
shipment here of plants and trees, to
meet these problems of seriously in
jurious insects and diseases, to eradi
cate them w r here possible, and in any
event to minimize their power to de
stroy.
If the quarantine laws ware not en
acted in time to keep out the San Jose
■scale, they came soon enough, State
Entomologist E. Lee Worsham points
out, to hold back the Mexican cotton
boll weevil, until he gets here by his
own unaided efforts. If it had not been
for strict observance of the Georgia
quarantine laws the cotton boll wee
vil and other pests would have been
in this state twelve to fifteen years
ago.
Makes Careful Inspection.
Through the State Department of
Entomology, Georgia now rpakes an
annual inspection of all plants and
trees offered for sale in the state,
and does not permit the sale or distri
bution of a single specimen that is
diseased. The department, likewise,
maintains, under the Georgia laws, a
strict quarantine against infested
nursery stock from other states and
foreign countries. No nursery stock
can be shipped into Georgia from any
where unless it has a certificate of
inspection from the entomologist in
the state or coutnry in which it origi
nates, as well as a certificate from
the Georgia Department of Entomol
ogy. Any shipments, made other
wise, are in violation of the Georgia
law and subject to prosecution. No
person can even give legally to his
friend or neighbor trees or plants un
less they have been inspected by the
State Board of Entomology and found
to be healthy.
With the exception of the boll wee
vil there are no more serious insect
pests occurring In this country than
brown tail and gypsy moths now pres
ent in New England and many parts
of Europe. There is a strict quaran
tine on all plants from New England
and other infested areas of Europe.
This is regarded as so important that
a careful inspection of all shipments
of nursery stock from foreign coun
tries is made upon arrival in the state,
even though such shipments bear a
certificate of inspection from an offi
cial inspector.
Other Dangerous Pests.
Some of the pests which are serious,
and do not now occur in Georgia, are
the Morellos fruit worm found in Mex
ico, the olive fruit worm of the Medi
terranean countries, and various scale
insects attacking fruit trees in China,
Japan and other Oriental countries
which are just as serious as San Jose
scale. Some of the plant diseases are
such diseases as “potato wart” found
in Hungary and now occurring in Eng
land and other European countries
and in New Foundland; and the white
pine blister rust of Europe which
would probably mean complete de
struction of our pines.
The Georgia quarantine against
Mexican cotton boll weevil consists of
a strict prohibition of the shipment of
all articles from boll weevil areas that
are liable to contain weevils such as
seed cotton, cotton fced, cotton seed
hulls, cotton seed sacks, pickers’
sacks, corn in shuck, Spanish moss
and household goods packed in any
materials liable to contain weevils.
Until recently there was a strict quar
antine against cotton lint in bales or
compress, but it is believed by all en
tomologists to be entirely safe to per
mit such shipments and the quar
antine has been lifted by the state
on cotton lint.
A Unique Plan
of Advertising
We desire to call special attention
to the advertisement of Walker’s
Pharmacy in this issue of the Coch
ran Journal.
From now until Dec 24th, they
•will give six months subscription to
the Cochran Journal to all who
spend $5.00 in cash with them.
This is absolutely a voluntary
offer that we knew nothing about
until we saw it in- the advertise
ment. We feel very much gratified
that this enterprising and loyal firm
thinks enough of their home paper
to voluntary offer it as a prize to
their customers. We of course
wish them much success and will
appreciate any aditicnal subscrip
tion we may secure in this way, but
tar above the additional subscrip
tion we appreciate the fact that one
of our merchants was loyal to his
home paper and valued it high
enough to ofler it as aa inducement
to early Xmas purchasers.
A SERIOUS El IS
TIE MDti CRICKET
But Department of Entomology Says
It Can Be Suppressed by
Careful Effort. '
Atlanta, Ga. —The mole cricket,
which is causing much trouble to
farmers, particularly in southeastern
Georgi, is believed to have been
brought into Georgia from the
West Indie, and for the past fif
teen years it has been gradually mak
ing its way to the interior wherever
it can find sandy loam or peaty soils,
which constitute its favorite and al
most exclusive abode.
The mole cricket is a brownish-col
ored bug about one and a quarter
inches long with six strong and wdll
developed legs. Its fore-front legs are
highly specialized and these, together
with its head, constitute its burrowing
apparatus with which it tunnels
through the ground very much like
the mole, whence its name.
The mole cricket mates in the early
spring, and the eggs are deposited
from April 15 to June 15, an important
fact in connection with the work of
their extermination. Only one brood
occurs during the year. Each female
will deposit from twenty to sixty eggs
in an egg chamber or cell leading off
from the main tunnel and within about
five Inches of the top of the ground.
The eggs hatch within twenty-four to
twenty-six days. Tke young cricket
reaches the adult stage within eight
to twelve months.
Eats Many Kind of Plants.
The mole cricket’s food consists
both of plant and animal life. The
cricket will eat the eggs of its young
or feed upon another of the same
species, but Its principal food is com
posed of the young and tender roots
of growing plants. The cricket does
not confine its feeding to one particu
lar plant. It will feed on practically
all truck crops, such as lettuce, pep
per, tomatoes, turnips anfT potatoes,
and upon pastures and lawns which
suffer severely.
Young sugar cane is also a much-de
sired article of diet. Both the potato
vine and potatoes themselves are eat
en. The cricket severs the vines of
tomatoes, potatoes and peppers just
below the surface of the ground. As
mhch as fifty per cent, of a field of
potatoes has been destroyed by the
crickets eating into the tubers.
Probably the most effective method
yet presented In controlling the giole
cricket is to plow the breeding areas
two or three times between Apri? 15
and June 15. This exposes the eggs
in large numbers -to the sun whicji
kills them, or they may be eaten by
insectiverous animals.
In the case of young and tender
plants, preventive measures have of
ten been employed with good effect,
such as placing around them tin, wire
gauze or paper cylinders. A very
good tin cylinder is made by melting
the top and bottom off a tin tomato
can. The cylinder should extend about
two Inches above the ground. All hot
beds in an infested area should have
solid or gauze wire floors, preferably
the latter, and with fine mesh, and
they should be screened over during
the night, as that is the time when
the cricket does most of its feeding.
How to Kill Them.
For destroying the crickets poison
baits have been used with good re
sults. Arsenate of lead may be used
in proportion of three pounds to fifty
gallons of water, or paris green in
proportion of one-half ounce to a
bucket of water. Mash made of bran,
corn meal and cotton seed meal with
this poison Incorporated, and placed
in the fields where the crickets feed
will attract them, and the eating of
it kills them. Care must be taken
to see that no animals run at large
that would be tempted by the bait for
a few weeks after it is put out, as
-otherwise they would be sure to be
poisoned.
It is only in the spring that the
crickets fly to any great extent. Dur
ing April, especially on warm,
moist nights, they leave the earth in
swarms. A brilliant light placed over
a tub partly filled with water covered
over with oil, will serve as a death
trap to all attracted. Bonfires are
equally effective and will attract them
from a greater area. Sulphur placed
in the drills along with the will
act as a repellant, as the crickets do
not like it
The subterranean habits and insid
ious activities of the mole cricket
makes it a serious foe, says the de
partment of Entomology. However,
by intelligent and persistent applica
tion of the remedies suggested, it is
possible almost to eradicate the pest.
The department will be glad to sup
ply complete bulletins on this and
other subjects to those interested.
Public Land Sale
There was sold, before the court
house door, at public outcry, last
Tuesday, Dec. 2, the following
property: 506% acres of land be
longing to the estate of the late
Herbert L. Grice. This land was
known as the Washington place
and is located at Magnolia, broad
side of the Southern railway. It is
eight miles from Cochran. It was
purchased by Fisher & Willis for
the sum of $3,275.00. There was
also sold 1046 acres belonging to
the estate of the late W. D. Booth.
All of this land is in one body and
is situated in the twenty-second dis
trict of Bleckley County. It is one
of the next finest plantations in the
Con*-*- M rs. r»n rc hased by
1 ’ 050.00.
THE COCHRAN JOURNAL, COCHRAN, GEORGIA.
, Christmas, with its good cheer and its joy for the
children will never go out of fashion. It is money
spending time. But if you have been BANKING
your money all year you can spend a few dollars and
and not feel it. It will make a lots more Merry Christ
mas to have money in the bank. Suppose you give
your wife or child a Bank Account for Christmas.
MAKE OUR BANK YOUR BANK.
FIRST NATIONAL BANK
GOMMUNITY CORN STUDY DAY
. J FIELD IMPORTANT
President Andrew M. Soule, State College of Agriculture.
Every community should have a
corn study day. The farmers should
get together and go through the dif
ferent fields examining and judging
for themselves of Uie relative merits
of the different strains produced, the
difference in fertilization and soil be
ing taken into consideration.
It would be well for the teachers
and the boys and girls to meet in such
a conference, or possibly the school
might be made the center of such an
enterprise as this and the farmers
Invited to participate. It makes no
difference who is responsible for the
undertaking; the thing is to have the
work done, and a corn study day will
shortly become one of the most im
portant outings for pleasure and prof
it in every community which partici
pates in this movement.
After having decided on the best va
rieties for growth in a given commu
nity, the work of selection should then
proceed systematically. On most of our
soils it will be well to select seed from
plants which have two well-developed
ears. The medium sized ear sorts will
be found more satisfactory for growth
on our average Georgia soil than the
big-eyed varieites. The growth of
big-eared varieties had best be con
fined largely to bottom lands. The
ears chosen should be from plants
SO3L SURVEY WORK.
W. A. Worsham, Professor of Agricul
tural Chemistry.
The College of Agriculture in co-op
eration with the Bureau of Soils of the
United States, has undertaken the soil
survey of Terrell, Clay, Colquitt, Tur
ner and Tattnall counties, the counties
to be taken in the order mentioned.
The physical survey work will be in
the hands of David D. Long for the
College of Agriculture, who will co-op
erate with such persons as are assign
ed to. the territory by the Bureau of
Soils.
A physical survey of Habersham
county has been completed recently.
Government bulletins have been is
sued lately on Ben Hill, Daugherty
and Chattooga counties. These re
port the physical survey. The Depart
ment of Agricultural Chemistry of the
College, which is making chemical an
alyses of the various types of soil
found, to determine plant food con
tent, has issued report on Ben Hill
county and has data complete on two
other counties which will be issued in
bulletin form later.
Origin of Popular Baylng.
The origin of the saying that It
takes nine tailors to make a man is
thought by some to be a corruption of
"nine tellers make a man,” the “tel
lers" being another name for “tolls"
of a bell. The English custom was to
strike three times three tolls or “tel
lers" on the passing bell for the death
of a man. It was three times two for
a woman.
which are free from disease in so far
as a careful examination reveals. They
should be plants which seems to have
made a vigorous, consistent growth
from germination to maturity. A fair
amount of foliage is important for
several reasons. First of all, the
leaves are valuable for feed, and sec
ond, they const tute the lungs of the
plant and enuble it to manufacture
food more rapidly and completely. The
ears should be selected from a stalk
which has stood up well throughout
the season and Is not so tall or slim
that it is likely to be broken over by
the wind. The ears should point down
ward rather than upward and should
be attached to the stalk by stout rela
tively short shanks. The ear chosen
for seed should be carefully examined.
It is important that the rows of grain
run straight, that the tip and butt be
well covered, that the grain be fairly
hard and flinty and free from weevil
damage. The rows should be tightly
packed together on the cob and the
grain of uniform size from tip to butt.
All these things have an important
bearing on the future crop for if the
grain is misshapen it will not seed
uniformly through the planter, and be
sides that, it is not as likely that the
germs or young plants will be as vig
orously developed as is well shaped
seeds.
FOUR-CROP GONTEST.
J. Phil Campbell, State Agent Boys’
and Girls’ Club Work.
Supplementing the Corn Club
work and developing it along
natural lines, the State College
of Agriculture and the Department
of Farm Demonstration Work of the
United States in co-operation, have be
gun a four-crop contest. Into this con
test five boys from each county and
five farmers can enter. The crops to
be used are oats followed by cowpeas,
after the peas corn and after the corn
cotton. Three acres are required and
three years in which to complete the
program of crop rotation.
Boys who enter the four-crop con
test must be between 10 and 21 years
of age. The only difference between
the boys’ contest and the farmers’ con
test is that the farmer is required to
put in a winter cover crop, preferably
a clover.
These contests will be directed and
supervised by the farm demonstration
agents wherever these demonstration
agents are to be found in a county.
Bugar In Diet.
Speaking of the importance of
sugar in children’s diet, Dr. Woods
Hutchinson says: “It is not unlikely
that the almost universal and de
voutly to be thankful for lack of crav
ing for alcohol in children and in
women is due largely to the sweet
tooth possessed by them and their in
dulgence in candy, cakes, fruit, ice
creams and sweetmeats generally."
HOW FARMER CAN GET GREATEST
RETURNS EDOM COTTON SEED
Andrew M. Soule, President State College of Agriculturfe.
In the handling and management of
cotton seed the farmer should natural
ly be actuated only by selfish motives.
In other words, he should utilize them
so as to secure for himself the largest
possible return in a financial way. It
has been shown that a ton of average
meal, say containing 6.18 per cent, of
nitrogen, is more effective for fertil
izing value it contains in the form
of yard manure.
By feeding the meal, he can in
crease the number of live stock kept
on his farm and thus add to his sup
ply of yard manure. When doing this
he is increasing the vegetable content
of his soil, an essential and all-im
portant matter. Finally, he is adding
a part of the fertilizer to his soil in
a form which not only promotes fer
HOT BEDS PROFITABLE.
T. H. McHatton, Professor of Horti
culture.
From 20 to 30 cents per square foot
can be made from hot beds and cold
frames during a year. A hot bed ro
tation may be operated as follows:
Make the hot bed January 1 and grow
tomatoes, egg plants, pepper or other
plants. Remove these and bed to
sweet potatoes in April. After the
potato plants have been removed, raise
radishes. ' Follow radishes with cab
bage plants, reset cabbage plants to
rows in field for planting at pleasure.
Follow the cabbage with lettuce,
which can be removed by Christmas,
in time to make another hot bed by
January 1.
A hot bed or "frame” is 6 by 12
feet, and costs from sl2 to sls when
covered with glass. The hot bed should
face southward and be located on a
well drained spot. Dig a hole 12 to
18 inches, put in the bottom of it
bricks, chunks of wood or other ma
terial that will insure drainage. Use
horse manure as much of the same
age as possible. Cow manure will
not do. The manure should be free
of straw. Pile up manure under shel
ter, and if it is dry, throw on it a
couple of buckets of boiling water,
putting more manure on top of the
wet manure. Fermentation will be
gin In 3 or 4 days. Mix manure then
with a fork thoroughly. In a week or
ten days it should be very hot with
temperature around 200.
Put four inches of the hot manure
In bottom of the hot bed and pack
'down. Continue to put on similar lay
ers, packing each down until there are
about 12 inches of manure.
If when you step on this bed of
manure the impression of the foot re
WHEN YOU NEED
COMMERCIAL PRINTING
PHONE @6
and we will take pleasure in submitting
prices and samples of our work.
No Job Too Large or Too Small
We guarantee our work and prices
to compete with the city offices.
Prompt and careful execution of a!l orders,
regardless of size.
Cochran Publishing Co.
Odd Fellows Elect
New Officers
At tlie last Communication of I.
O. O. F.. Friday night, Dec. sth,
the following officers were eleected
for the ensuing year:
J. R. Taylor, N. G.
J. It. Porter, V. P.
G. C. Wynne, Secy.
W. M. Wynne, Treas.
The others officers are appointive
and will be selected after the elec
tive officers are installed.
mentation, but prevents tjie plant
food from all becoming available at
once, thus affording the crop time to
take it up and utilize it as it grows.
There is often an undue amount of
suspicion in the minds of many per
sons with reference to a discussion of
1 a subject of this nature. Sometimes
j the farmer thinks that he is not get
ting a fair return for his seed, and
that by keeping them at home he can
! utilize them to better advantage. All
| the invest gations of capable and indc
| pendent scientific men, however, are
' opposed to this idea,
j Unless the farmer is called on to
sell his seed at a price clearly below
their market value for manufacturing
! purposes, it is to his interest in 99
[cases out of 100 to do so.
mains well defined and the manure
appears soggy, it is too wet. If, on the
other hand, it is so springy that the im
pression of the foot at once disappears,
it is too light and has too much litter
jQ it. If it is exactly right there
will be a springiness, but the impres
sion of the foot step will remain.
On top of the manure bed put 4 to
6 inches of good garden loam. Place
a thermometer in the soil, reaching
down and touching the manure bed.
When the thermometer shows a con
stant temperature of 90 to-95 degrees
sow the seed of warmth-loving plants,
such as tomatoes.
When watering the bed, put on
enough to thoroughly moisten the soil,
but not to saturate it and thus de
stroy the strength of manure. The
bed need not be watered every day,
but only when the soil has dried out.
Water the bed in time for the foliage
to dry off before night. Damp foliage
at night favors disease.
The air should be changed every
day, even on coldest days there should
be at least a slight opening, taking
care always to make the opening away
from the wind, so that cold air will
not be forced in.
As time for planting in the field
draws near, the plants must be har
dened off, and on warm nights the
cover may be left off and if days are
favorable the same can be done two
or three weeks before planting.
It is always better to transplant
twice. The first time about two inch
es apart when true leaves begin to
form and about four inches apart the
second time when they can be put in
“flats,” that is, large flat boxes, in
which they can be carried to the field
and planted with the soil of the “flat”
still around them.
Prune Scuppernongs Before Christmas
Scuppernongs should be pruned be
fore Christmas. Grapes should be
pruned before Christmas, but they
may be pruned after.
Reduced Rates.
“Cornin’ this way ag’in?” asked the
justice of the peace after he had flut'd
Jlmpson SSO. “I’m afraid I’ll have to, *
said Jimpson, ruefully. “Wa-al,” said
the Justice, stroking his chin whisker
reflectively, “perhaps I’d oughter tell
ye that we sell a return fine ticket for
$75, entitlin' ye to immunerty from
arrest on the way back.”—Judge-
Comparative.
“I think it must be awful to have a
wife that goes through your pockets
every time she gets a chance in
search of loose change,” said Wil
loughby. “Oh, that’s only a minor af
fliction,” said Barrows. “It’s the wife
that goes through your whole bank ac
count that gets on my nerves.” — Har
per’s Weekly.