The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1905-10-27

r. the stalks with their squares and leaves are aesoyeo
two to four weeks before the first killing FROST the develop
men of this last brood of weevils is prevented hsp'
here them the farmer has an opportunity to reduce by
more than oneha the number OF weevs that would nor
may be present to alternating quarters upon the
arrival OF frost
In addition to preventing the development OF this last
brood MANY OF the weeviS in the fields at the time saks
are DESTROYED must die of starvation before the tme Ut
rives for them to enter Information (bo weevs posnVe
do not feed on any other plant but cotton The Weevs
that do survive until frost and then enter winter quarters
will have to do without food from the time the stalks are
DESTROYED this fall until cotton is above ground next
spring Naturally, much smaller per cent OF them Will
survive under these conditions than would survive IL
stalks we're left standing until after frost and he "ee'
permed to 90 into winter quarters sleek and wel'1ea anu
with suuare meal just before retiring for their winter
nap.
The hill farmer in Western Louisiana, SO far as COT
ton production is concerned Is now facing an emergency
and he must rise to the occasion and meet 1t successfully
II good crop is to be produced upon the hill farms OF
this section next year, the cotton stalks must DE destroyed
now The farmers in many parts OF the weevllnesteo
sections of Texas could learn this lesson without hard
that hemhree or four crops OF
cotton 1t is not necessary for the Louisiana farmer 10 re-
peat this costly experience with the sacrhce IN creo anu
prosperity which necessarily means Many mercnans
of Western Louisiana crave already signhed their taen
ton of limiting getting off entirely the credit OF taru
ers who depend upon cotton and who fail 10 carry OUT ehe
measures TO crop of cotton in the wee
vii section.
In cotton fields where the cotton has already been
comnleev srpped of leaves and squares by the cater
nars blowing and burning of the stalks the entire
field is not necessary for with the total destruction OF the
squares and leaues.the weev main food supply Is gone
In all such fields however, there is usually square or
leaf remaining here and there. Such fields should oe
carefully gone and every such or bea picked
off by hand and burned up The cost OF doing this does
not exceed few cents per acre. Frequently ahe grear
part of field is entirely defoliated by the caoehplar WIN
the exception of an occasional small patch or strip which
the caterpillar has ystrpped ahere are any
such patchesn your field pillow up the stalks, gather them
Into heaps with grass or leaves Tor sprinkle Beaumont Oil
over themO and burn them.
Where cotton field is still green over the major part
is simple and comparatively inexpensive matter
blow ND the stalks rake them up and burn them two
horse turning glow will bring them out RAPIDLY and the ex
pense of destroying them in this manner on most hill farms
will not exceed the outside, thirty or forty cents pei
acre. The improved condition of the land resulting from
this blowing now will more than repay the cost In Dol
weev injury prevented next year. the cost WI" DC repair
o to the tanner many times over.
Do not neglect destroying your stalks at once, ever
tbouoh Mour neighbor may not have foresight enough
DESTROY his Get your neghbor to take up the good wor
if Won can but don't valuable time arguing with him
Even if he does not destroy his cotton stalks you will pro
fit by destroying all upon your own farm for the weevl
do not Ay from one field another to any considerable
o. extent until the latter part of the summer
If profitable crop of cotton is to be made by the hi
farmers of Western Louisiana next year, che stalks mus
no dastpoved at once in order to cut off the weevs foo
supply now and prevent the development of the late ia
generation which furnishes the majority of the weevi
that pass through the winter successfully Destroy th
e. cotton stalks! Do it now Wilmon Newell
r. Entomologst Louisiana Crop Pest Commission.