The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1907-06-22
Important to Cotton Growers.

| Reports from weevil infested dis
tricts, especially those in which the
weevil is appearing in quantities Tor
the first time, show considerable un-
rest among the farmers, and in many
instances, there is a strong tendency
to either abandon or pillow mp the
cotton. Without for an instant dis
counting the seriousness of thesitua-
ton, we think this feeling of panic is
unwarranted.
The experience Of the past shows
that despite the outlook good crop
Of cotton can yet be made. 1t is OF
course now too late to remedy any
mistake that may have been made in
not giving sufficient width vi rows
to enable late cultivation, but much
good can be done by giving plants in
these narrow rows greater distance.
| From now on the greatest enemy
to the boil weevil is hot dry wed
Their, sand everything should he done
to expose the punctured squares anj
their accompanying larvae or young
weevil to the drying action OF the hot
am. This is aided by giving greater
distance in the row. This should be
supplemented by persistent picking
1
10y hand and the destruction Of both
the mature weevil and the infested
squares. When the cotton is small
this can be done with comparative
cheapness, and will accomplish much
toward holding the weevil in check
until the plants have matured a large
number Of bolls. Every pair of the
weevil destroyed now, young or mt
ttured, reduces the number that will
be present n month hence by fifty
by all means then, hand pick aud de-
stroy both the punctured forms AMI
the mature weevil.
Bat do not forget that it il a race.
cotton aud weevil: Check increase uf
the weevil in every way and at the
same time stimulate the growth of
the cotton aud the putting ON Of
fruit. The cultivation should be not
less than every ten days, md prefer
ably once week, because it not only
saves moisture, destroys weeds and
grass and renders avnilnble larger
Quantity Of plant food, Fastening
the growth Of the plant, but at the
same time destroys many immature
weevils. Cultivation should I've shall
low. SD as to avoid any injury to the
roots and the consequent check such
injury would give the plant.
This is a year of bad stands. and
with the fear of the weeyil before
them many farmers are anxious to
put something in the gaps between
their plants. Unless the vacancies
are extreme we do not think this adj
visable, as the larger quantity 81
food left for use of the cotton serves
Ito hasten it's maturity. If it should
be found desirable to occupy these
spaces, the choice can I've made Of sew
rral crops. Probably the best are
June corn, peanuts and sweet pota-
toes. The peanuts, especially Span
ish, will probably give more feed, and
Mt the same time will leave the soil in
an improved condition.
That a good cotton crop can yet
be nude by a close observance Of the
methods outlined above il no longer
n matter Of doubt or speculation. II
has been done repeatedly under con-
ditions fully as adverse, and what |
has beer, accomplished once can he
done again. The apparent cost OF
the methods outlined may frighten
some. A large portion Of this is ap-
parent, hut not real. The cultivn-
ton il only such as should he pur-
sued to secure the best results even
were there no weevils present, and il
would pay for itself many times in
their absence. The only increased
cost, then, is the hand picking.
We recall IN instance in which this
was done in n field of 100 acres at a
total cost of SIS. and Is bales were
made in the field. The neighboring
fields in which it was not done did
not make a lock Of cotton. This
cotton was secured at an expendi-
tire uf Al Iher hale and we think [