In the early 20th century, Georgia’s economy was deeply tied to cotton farming, a legacy of the state’s agrarian roots.
But the arrival of a tiny insect known as the boll weevil, combined with plummeting cotton prices and a severe drought, triggered a catastrophic agricultural collapse in the 1920s.
Historian Carolyn Merchant (2002) noted: “the entire economy of the South was at risk,” adding that “Although the new methods were helpful, they were also expensive, and the combination of declining yields and higher costs drove many farmers out of business.”
This period of devastation reshaped Georgia’s landscape, forcing farmers to adapt and diversify. Here’s a breakdown of what happened, why it mattered, and its lasting impact on the Peach State.
What is the Boll Weevil?
The boll weevil (Anthonomus grandis) is a small beetle native to Mexico that feeds on cotton plants. It bores into cotton bolls – the seed pods where cotton fiber grows – laying eggs and destroying the crop from the inside.
By the 1920s, this pest had become the most economically damaging agricultural insect in U.S. history.
Economist S. W. Bilsing (1935) commented: “The forced change in the production of cotton due to the advent of the boll weevil resulted in the reorganization of our system of agriculture; indirectly to diversified farming, and in a well organized system of imparting scientific information to a large part of the agricultural population of the South.”
First detected in Texas in the late 1800s, it spread eastward across the Cotton Belt, reaching Georgia by 1915.
Arrival and Spread in Georgia
The boll weevil crossed into Georgia around 1915, quickly infesting cotton fields statewide. At the time, Georgia was the nation’s leading cotton producer, with a record 5.2 million acres planted in 1914.
The pest’s arrival couldn’t have come at a worse time, as World War I had initially boosted cotton demand, but postwar surpluses led to a sharp price drop. By 1923, yield losses from the weevil had halved cotton acreage to just 2.6 million acres.
The infestation was so severe that by the 1930s, annual damage across the Cotton Belt exceeded $200 million, with Georgia’s cotton production dropping to only 45% of pre-infestation levels.
Economists Roger Ransom and Richard Sutch (1977) observed: “It required a shock nearly equal to emancipation to jolt the agrarian South out of the routine it followed for the four post-emancipation decades. That shock was the coming of the boll weevil.”
In Georgia during the 1930s, this manifested in farmers abandoning old practices, with corn acreage rising 20% post-infestation, though on less fertile land, and real land values declining 10-40% in cotton-heavy counties.
The Perfect Storm: Boll Weevil, Drought, and Economic Pressures
The boll weevil alone was devastating, but it coincided with other crises that amplified the collapse. Cotton prices plunged in the early 1920s due to overproduction and reduced global demand after World War I.
Then, in 1925, Georgia endured one of the worst droughts of the century, scorching fields and further decimating yields.
This “perfect storm” hit tenant farmers and sharecroppers hardest – many of whom were already in debt and reliant on cotton as a cash crop.
Agricultural expert J. H. Soule (1921) warned: “The boll weevil has disturbed our economic situation more than any other single factor since the conclusion of the Civil War; it is a pest of as great a magnitude as any which afflicted the Egyptians in the olden days.”
This sentiment echoed into the 1930s, as Georgia’s cotton production hit lows, exacerbating the Great Depression’s effects with poor harvests devastating wages for pickers and the rural poor.
The economic fallout was profound. The weevil reduced the number of tenant farms, lowered farm wages, and decreased female labor force participation, especially in heavily infested counties.
Countless families faced destitution, contributing to the Great Migration of African Americans and poor whites from rural Georgia to northern cities in search of work.
In Atlanta, the influx of rural migrants strained urban resources, but it also diversified the city’s workforce and culture.
Statewide, the agricultural sector – which employed a majority of Georgians – crumbled, foreshadowing the national Great Depression that began in 1929.
Responses to the Crisis
Farmers and scientists fought back with a mix of strategies. Early efforts included applying toxic pesticides like calcium arsenate, though these often led to environmental issues and secondary pest problems.
Cultural practices, such as planting early-maturing varieties, destroying stalks after harvest, and improving soil fertility, helped mitigate damage.
In some areas, like southwest Georgia, the crisis spurred diversification into peanuts and other crops, thanks to innovators like George Washington Carver.
Long-term, the Boll Weevil Eradication Program, launched in the 1980s, used pheromones, traps, and integrated pest management to eliminate the pest from Georgia by the early 1990s.
This not only revived cotton production – with acreage rebounding to over 1 million by the 2010s – but also reduced insecticide use by 75% and promoted sustainable farming.
Legacy in Georgia Today
The 1920s agricultural collapse taught Georgia a hard lesson about overreliance on a single crop, leading to greater diversification in farming and industry.
While cotton remains important, the state’s economy now includes peanuts, poultry, and manufacturing.
The boll weevil even became a cultural symbol – immortalized in songs and stories as both a villain and a catalyst for change.
Final Word
In Atlanta, echoes of this era can be seen in our vibrant migrant-descended communities and ongoing efforts to support rural economies.
For more on Georgia’s history, check out our archives or visit the New Georgia Encyclopedia. If you have family stories from this time, share them in the comments below!