From Days Gone By July 30, 1921

July 30, 1921.
    A "pasture meeting" of those interested in livestock would be held at the pasture of W. P. Bedingfield 4 1/2 miles north east of Wrightsville on August 9th. It will be adressed by Paul Tabor of State College of Agriculture and J. F. Jackson, Ag Agent of the Central of Georgia Railway and others.
    The test pasture, one of 46 planted last spring by the Central Railroad in co-op with the owner, has made one of the best showings of the entire lot.
    The pastures were planted with Lespedeza, Carpet Grass and Dalfis Grass. Sites chosen were either existing pastures or waste lands. The success of the test pastures has answered the argument that good pasturage cannot be obtained in the southeast. The expense of the interesting experiment was borne equally by the railroad and the land owner, the Central of Georgia Railway having appropriated $100 for each of the counties in Georgia and Alabama that its lines traverse.
    Realizing that the salvation of the entire cotton crop depends on what is done in the area during the next two weeks, one of the largest county wide campaigns against the boll weevil ever organized will get underway under the direction of the Laurens County Chamber of Commerce and the county extention agent.
    Their plan of operation is along these lines: It has been demonstrated by actual experience that a simple formula of arsenate of lead, and syrup, or calcium arsenate instead of syrup, will kill the weevil and rid a cotton field of the pests in a short time.
    Businessmen of the city have put in a fund for the purchase of arsenate of lead which the Chamber will sell to the farmers at cost, and if they cannot get the money to pay cash, sell it on credit. A country-wide campaign to get every farmer in the county to use this formula within the next few weeks begins immediately. Bussinessmen and farmers will visit every school district within two days and lay the plan out to the farmers, urge them to save their cotton crop. The arsenate of lead will be the only material hard to get, as most have plenty of syrup on hand.
    The formula to be used is very simple. It is as follows: Two pounds either arsenate of lead or calcium of arsenate, one gallon molasses or sorgum syrup, one half gallon of water. This is sufficient to cover two and one half acres. It is applied to the underside of the leaves of each plant in the bud, with a small mop. It can be applied for about 50 cent per acre.
    Laurens County has a chance to save the present crop or a good portion of it, if quick work is done. Weather conditions will govern a great deal, for if it rains every day or so, the poison will not have a chance to help much. If the next week is dry and hot, the farmers have a chance to save their crop.
    Johnson County and other surrounding counties were encouraged to follow Laurens lead.