St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1905-06-03
FARMER AND PLANTER.
CONTROL OF BOIL WEEv1L.
Slecinl Bulletin on the Subject II.
sued By tine National Bureau
Ely Entomology.

lished, treats of the control of the boil
weeyil, and was prepared by DR.. w. D.
Hunter, of the bureau Of entomology,
a special agent in charge of cotton boil
Weev'l Investigations. The bulletin
starts with Recommendations"
summary of the conclusions arrived at
relative to means for control of the
boil weevil. Believing it to be to the
advantage of every cotton raiser in
the south to have access to. these rec
concentrations, they are reproduced
below.
The work OF the bureau of entomol-
ogy for several years has indicated
that there is not even remote prob
ability that the boil weevil will ever
be exterminated. AS matter of fact,
NO injurious insect has ever been ex-
terminated. Some species, like the
Rocky mountain locust in this country,
have died out more or less on account
Of climatic influences, and reasonably
effective methods of combating others,
like the Phylloxera in France, have
been perfected.
Although the very large yields OF cot
ton of former times may no longer be
possible in the region now infested
by the boil weevil, it is entirely feasl-
BILE to produce cotton at margin or
profit that will compare favorably with
that resulting from the production OF
most of the staple crops OF the Unlteo
States by following what has become
generally known as the cultural meth
cd. This method consists of the fol-
lowing changes and notifications OF
the system of cotton raising, made nee
essary by the boil weevil. 1t was
originally suggested by careful study
of the life history and habits OF the
pest, and naturally any Improvements
tina: may eventually be made will be
the result of continuation OF that
study. 1t has now been tested success
fully on a large scale by the bureau
OF entomology, as we'll as by many
planters, during three seasons. VI
greatest advantage is the reducing the
numbers of the weavils by the destruc-
ton of the plants in the fall. The ad-
vantage thus gained is followed up by
bending every effort toward procuring
an early crop the next season.
a. Plant early. If possible, plant
seed Of the varieties known to mature
early, or obtain seed from as far north
as possible. This recommendation is
mads as suggestion for the beneht
of those planters who have not taken
care in the selection of the cotton seed
for planting on their plantation. BY
far tie best method of obtaining early
seed IS by selection in the field.
1t il; much better to run the risk OF
replarting, which is not an expensive
operation, than to have the crop de-
layed. The practice of some planters
of ms king two paintings to avoid nav
ing all the work of chopping thrown
into short period is very bad policy
from the boil weevil standpoint
Ea~ly cotton CT improved varieties
has yielded from two to three times as
much as native cotton under the same
cond. lions, and in many cases much
more. Planted at the same time, the
early varieties begin to bloom much
earlier than native cotton.
Early-planted fields of either native
or improved varieties have almost in
yarinbly yielded twice as much as late
planted ones.
The early varieties, in general hav-
ing a small stalk and short tap-root,
are adapted only for rich soil. They
also fail to grow very well in the very
light. drifting sandy loans of many
of the river valleys of Texas. which,
in long seasons. before the advent OF
tho boil weevil, often produced the
largest yields. In these situations
early varieties will yi-ld but little more
than native cotton.
(c) Cultivate the fields thoroughly.
The principal benefit in this comes
fro,e the influence that such practice
has upon the constant growth and
consequent early maturity Of the crop.
Very few weevils are killed by culti-
vat.on. Much of the benefit Of early
planting is lost urless it is followed
by thorough cultivation. In case OF
unavoidably delayed planting, the best
course for the planter 20 pursue is to
cultivate the fields in The most thor
oush manner possible. Three chop
pings and numerous p,owings consti-
tute the thorough system of cultiva-
ton that is made necessary by the boil
wecyil. The old plantation rule for the
cultivation of cotton, "Once week and
once in the row. is an excellent one
(3) Plant the rows as oar apart as
experience with the lane indicates Is
feasible, and thin out the plants in the
rows thoroughly. On lsnd which in
normal seasons will produce from 80
to 20 bushels of corn thu rows should
be five feet apart. Even on poor soil
it Is doubtful if the distance should
ever be less than four fest.
(4) Destroy, by blowing up, wind
rowing and burning, al the cotton
stalks in the fields as soon as the
weevils become so numerous that prac-
tically all the fruit is being punctured.
This will generally not be later than
the first week in October. Merely cut
ting off the stalks, by means OF the
triangular implement used for that
purpose throughout the south, is by
no means as effective as blowing, be-
caise the stumps remaining give rise
to sprouts which furnish food until
late In the season to many weevils that
would otherwise starve. The blowing,
moreover, serves to place the ground
in better condition far early planting
thu following spring. In some cases,
turning the cattle int. the fields is adj
yisable. Aside from amounting to
practical destruction of the plants,
grazing of the cotton fields furnishes
c,rci5orah1a forage IT a time when it