The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1905-06-03
FARMER AND PLANTER.
CONTROL OF BOIL wEEvlL.
sued BY the National Bureau .
BY Entomology.

weevil, and was prepared by DR.. w. ID.
Hunter. of the bureau of entomology,
special agent in charge of cotton boil
weevil 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 FEAST
BILE to produce cotton at a margin OF
profit that will compare favorably with
that resulting from the production OF
most of the staple crops of the United
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
that may eventually be made will be
the result of q continuation Of that
study. 1t has now been tested success
fully on a large scale by the bureau
of entomology, as well as by many
planters, during three seasons. OF
greatest advantage is the reducing the
numbers of the weevifs by the destruc-
tion 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 ID
made as a suggestion for the benefit
of those planters who have not taken
care in the selection of the cotton seed
for planting on their plantation. BY
far the best method of obtaining early
seed is by selection in the field.
1t Is much better to run the risk OF
replanting, which is not an expensive
operation, than to have the crop de-
layed. The practice of some planters
of making two paintings to avoid hav-
inx all the work of chopping thrown
into a short period is very bad policy
from the boil weevil standpoint.
Early cotton Of improved varieties
has yielded from two to three times as
much as native cotton under the same
conditions, 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
variably 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 Iieh sell. They
also fail to grow very we'll in the very
light, drifting sandy loans of many
of the river valleys of Texas, which,
in long seasons, before the advent OF
the boil weevil, often produced the
largest yields. In these situations
early varieties will yield but little more
than native cotton.
(2) Cultivate the fields thoroughly.
The principal benefit in this comes
from the influence that such practice
has upon the constant growth and
consequent early maturity of the crop.
Very few weevils are killed by culti-
walton. Much of the benefit of early
| planting is lost unless 1t is followed
by thorough cultivation. In case OF
unavoidably delayed planting, the best
course for the planter to pursue is to
cultivate the fields in the most thor
ough manner possible. Three chop
pings and numerous plowings consti-
tute the thorough system Of cultiva-
ton that is made necessary by the boil
| weevil. 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 far apart as
experience with the land indicates Is
feasible, and thin out the plants in the
rows thoroughly. On land which in
| normal seasons will produce from IS
| to 40 bushels of corn the rows should
be five feet apart. Even on poor soil
1t is doubtful if the distance should
ever be less than four feet.
ca Destroy, by blowing up, wind
rowing and burning, all 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 of the stalks, by means of the
triangular implement used for that
| purpose throughout the south. is by
no means as effective as blowing. be-
cause the stumps remaining give rise
| a .-n..+. xx-S,sob f,vruich fr<,d until