The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1907-06-01
nbOut Boil W66VIIS.
State Pest Commission Issues
Timely Warning to Farmers.

In various parts of Louisiana, the
replanted cotton which is now just
coming up or but forming the first
few leaves is being attacked by small
: black beetles. These are the cowpea-
pod weevils, and rs they are more
abundant this season than ever be-
fore, they are likely to do consider
able damage To the crop and further
add to the obstacles with which the
cotton planter is already confronted
in the making of this years crop.
The means Of avoiding damage by
this little pest are, however, exceed
ingly simple. and the information
herein contained will BILE the plant
er to fully protect his crop against
this pest.
The cowpea- pod weevil is q small
black beetle, about the same size as
the boil weeviI. The appearance of
the cowpea-pod weevil upon young
cotton plants during April and May
often causes great alarm to farmers
who mistake it for the boil weeviI and
as it sometimes feeds upon the cotton
quite voraciously for few days. is
pest OF some little consequence when
exceptionally abundant.
The natural and favorite host plant
OF the cowpea-pOd weevil is the cow
pea, and when cowpeas are available
it does not attack cotton. The eggs
OF this insect are deposited in the
pods of cowpeas and the little grubs
hatching from these eggs develop in
side the pods, emerging in late sum-
mer as adults.
The winter is passed by the adult
cowpea-pod weevils, alternating in
much the same manner as does the
boil weevil. In spring these adult
cowpea-pod weevils leave their winter
quarters before cow-peas have come
up and. needing subsistence until
their favorite food plant is provided
by the farmer, turn their attention
to the teuder young cotton plants,
eating into the leaves and stems.
Their favorite point for attacking
the small cotton plants, appears usu-
ally to be the main stem, just where
the leaves branch Off A hole eaten
into the stem at this point of course
soon causes the plant to wilt and die
down.
Treatment ofthe cotton plants with
Paris green or other arsenical poison
would be OF doubtful efficiency as the
insect, after tearing of the surface
tissue, feeds on the inner portion Of
the stems where poison could not be
made to reach.
Fortunately, expensive treatments
involving au outlay for poisons and
labor, are entirely unnecessary, for
the farmer can save q good stand of
cotton, despite the attacks of these
insects, by judicious management OF
the "choppings." The attacks of
the cowpea-pod weevil are not long
continued and it is very rare indeed
that they destroy over one-half ofthe
plants.
Chopping of the cotton should be
della we'd until the bulk of the damage
is over. or as nearly to that time as
circumstances viii permit, 30 that
while the insects are ut work, their in
Jury will I've distributed among the
great number of plants. After the
extent of the damage is ascertained
the chopping can then be done and
enough healthy plants will by that
time have escaped the insects to per-
NIT good stand being left.
If cotton be chopped out when the
insects are actively at work on the
cotton, their attack would be but
concentrated upon the few plants left
and much danger would thus be in
Cured OF the entire stand being de-
stroyed.
When cowpeas appear above thu
ground the cowpea pod weevils leave
the cotton aud turn their attention
TO the cowpeas. where they remain
for the balance of the summer. AL
though it is not impossible that thit
weevil may in future years increase t.
~~<.ut nc m no a sorinus