The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1904-03-19
FARMERANDP PLANTER
THE COTTON BOIL wEEvIL.
Fertilization h Best Preventive
Yet Discovered For the Cotton
Field Pest.

So far nothing has been discovered
that will destroy the boil weeyil; but
much can be done to prevent Its raw
ages. Grazing cattle on the old cot
ton field in the fall: burning dead
stalks and trash; deep blowing in the
fall, and wide planting, all have a ten
dency to hold the pest in check. But
more than all other preventatives S o
far suggested, an early variety of cot
ton, which natures before the boil
weevils can set in their work, seems
to be the most effective.
Up to the present time comparative
ly little fertilizer has been used on
the cotton crop in Texas. Most OF the
land is naturally strong; it has been
yielding satisfactory crops, and the
application of commercial fertilizer
has not seemed necessary, The farm
er who has never used any commercial
fertilizer on his cotton has no Idea
of the wonderful effect 1t has in pro-
noting early maturity, even a natural
ly-late variety. The farmers in many
sections of north Georgia would be
unable to grow the crop at all without
the aid oil these fertilizers, as their
seasons would be too short. In fact,
the introduction Of commercial fer.
tilizer has enlarged the area where
cotton can be proftably grown, as 1t
enables it to make in a shorter sea-
son.
The early Oh late maturiay of cot
ton is regulated as much, if not more,
by the character of the land upon
whicA it Is grown, as by the variety
planted. This fact was very strongly
brought out the past season. Where
the land was very rich and the cotton
made a heavy growth of weed, it con
tinued to grow late, and the bolls were
very slow In opening, while where the
land was thin the cotton matured
much more rapidly. The reason for
this Is that the rich land contained too
much ammonia in proportion to the
otner elements of plant food. Am
monia produces stalk and leaf, while
~phosphoric acid produces fruit and
hastens early maturity, and potash
gives strength to the plant and in
creases the amount of lint. Bear
these facts in mind when preparing a
fertilizer for rich land, and use very
little ammonia, or cut it out altogeth.
er. 1t is well, however, to use a little
ammonia to give the plants a quick
start; and If was planting rich land
In cotton | would use a fertilizer an
alyzing 10 per cent. phosphoric acid,
2 per cent. ammounia, and 4 per cent.
potash. Such a fertilizer would bal.
ance the plant food already in the
soil, and force the plant to produce
fruit, instead of running to weed.
II you can not purchase a fertilizer
similar to the above from our dealer,
you a prepare it yourself by com
bining 40 pounds nitrate of soda, 400
pounds cotton seed meal, 1,400 pounds
IA per cent. acid phosphate and 100
pounds muriate potash to make a ton.
Place these materials together on a
tight floor, and shovel over until the
whole mass is of an even color
throughout; being careful to crush all
Jumps as they roll down around the
edges of the pile. Use about 400 pounds
to the acre. To make early cotton,
and lots of it, the fertilizer must con-
tain a large percentage of phosphoric
acid and potash, for these are the two
elements that produce fruit and lint,
and bring the plant to early maturity.
The 2 per cent. of ammonia is to give
the plants a quick start, that Is all, for
the soil in all probability contains
enough ammonia to carry the crop and
give the necessary growth of leaf. In
deed, in some instances it may contain
too much,i in which case a large amount
of phosphoric acid and potash is need
ed to neutralize its effect and make
the plant go to fruit instead of stalk
f. J.. Merriam, in Texas Farm and
Ranch.