The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-10-28
AFTER THE BOIL wEEVrI
Aon.her suegestlon As 70 Il How to De, So
stroY the Insects.

stroy the Insects.
The destruction or Limitation OF the
cotton toll weayil Of the South is tie
subject discussed in circular issued
by the bureau Of entomology of the
department of agriculture. The de-
struction of the dead stalks of the
plant during the fall months is the
method advocated by the departm MT
for the destruction of the pest. All
other means of eradication, the e.
partment conclul les, are siml ly AID .
this.
An early crop Is necessity, but
many farmers are inclil ed to stop at
this point and to lose sight of the fact
that the stalks, with their loads OF
pests, must be destroyed il success is
to crown the farmers efforts. Toe
circular is from the pen of w. d.
Hunter, cntomOlcgist In charge OF cot
ten boll weevil investigation, and
Mr.. Hunter gives four reasons for the
destruction Of the plants In the fall.
First, he says, fall destruction pre-.
vents absolutely the development OF a
multitude o. weevils which would
otherwise become adult within few
weeks OF the time Of Information.
S c)Ld, a proper manipulation will
bring abe ut the destruction of a great
many ueevils which are already adult.
Third, 1t has been shown conclusive
ly that the only weevils which survive
the winter are those which reach ma.
u'lty late in the season. Those ma
turing are unable to survive the long
period Of hibel nation.
Fourth, cleari, 6 the field In the fall
makes 1t pcsS b Q to practice fall
plowing, which is not only the proper
procedure in my system of c)tton
raising. but also greatly facilitates
tile early planting or the crop t. Q fol.
lLwirg spring.
The proper time for the destruc
tion OF the plants In the fall Is when.
ever the weevils have become so mum.
erous that there is no prospect that
any more cotton will be made.
There are two effective methods OF
removing the plauts from the ground.
One OF these, the method to be pre-.
ferred, is 10 cut the roots two or three
inches below the surface by the use OF
an ordinary plow or lister. The
other Is pull the stalks by the use o:
a. lever with q tOothed notch which
grasps the base Of the plant. The lat.
ter process IS bel ter when the plants
have b en- killed by frost. When tbey
are green or the ground is dry it is
frequently difficult matter to remove
them with these levers. The depart.
mems geteral recomme ndation.
therefore, is that the plants should
be p'o@ed oct. After tho stalks have
become dry enough, they should be
burned.
The p int may be raj ed that the
burning Of the plants in the fall re.
moves valuable fertilizing constitu-
ents and that the continuance OF the
praciice would reduce seriously the
fertility OF the ii. Mr.. Hunters an
swer to this is that the present gen.
eral pFacti:e Is to burn the plants In
the spring and that therefore the only
additional draft upon the soil Is in
the burning Of many OF the leaves
and portion of the root.
MIR. Hunter concludes his circular
"a low: Concerted action In fall
destiuci ion is, OF couue. desirable.
The greatest ben fit viii result only
when wht lie c mmunities adopt the
method. But no planter should hesi-
tate on account Of the indifference of
his neghborS. The fact that weevils
move about little until the time when
the bulk Of the crop is safe will assist
materially in saving one field, though
nearby ti.ldS have not been properly
treated. Even under such circum.
stances the succession Of the method
viii b puW erful stint lus ward Its
general adoption the following sea
Op -