The Port Gibson reveille. [volume] (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1890-current, 1909-09-09
I have a large number Of address

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es of men we have fought the wee
( vii successfully this year, and have
done so under the most adverse
conditions. They all agree that If
then can whip him year like this
they can do it any year.
do not mean here to go into a
description of the cultural method
of fighting the weevil. This has
already been done so frequently and
so thoroughly until it is every
farmers own fault if he does not
thoroughly understand 1t.
The point I wish to stress most
In this article is the destruction, by
fire, before Nov. Ist. of every cot
ton stalk in your fields. This Is
the first and by far the most i'm
portant step in whipping the vice.
vii. Experiments conducted by
the Louisiana Crop Pest Commits
sion during the current year
showed where all stalks were de-
stroyed by Oct. goth last year that
less than 3 per cent of the weeyils
lived through the winter. Part of
them were starved to death before
frost, and those that did go into
winter quarters were so weakened
by lack of food that few of them
survived until spring. Onthe 9TH
er hand, where the stalks were not
destroyed at all, 4I per cent or
practically IS times as many wee
wills lived through the winter and
were ready to attack the young
cotton in the spring. They went
into winter quarters strong and
we'll fed and so were able to live
for long time without food.
III the weevil counties this year
every farmer agrees that the wee
wills came out of the winter quar-
ters in immense numbers and at
tackled the young cotton before it
was six inches high, generally
puncturing every square as soon
as formed. Not only did they des-
troy the young squares, but they
laid the eggs that were to produce
millions of weeviIs few weeks lat
Eer
To get ride of this heavy crop of
early spring weevils, it is abso-
lutely necessary to destroy your
stalks before frost, the earlier the
better. Pick ont your cotton early,
and then cut your stalks, either
with mower, hoe, or with one of
the patented stalk cutters, rake them
up with hay rake, leave in piles
for four or five days, and then burn
them. Experience has shown that
this can be done at a cost of rs
cents or less per acre, and it may
mean the difference between a
profitable crop and no crop at all.
There is no need of saying 1t cam
not be done; it must be. If your
tenants will not do 1t themselves,
have it done yourselves and charge
it against them for the ensuing
year. Prevail on your neighhor to
destroy his stalks also. He has no
right to endanger your cotton
field with his hord of hungry wee
wills. But destroy your own stalks
whether he does or not. 1t will
pay you.
Along with plenty of feed and
food-stuff, we are going to continue
to grow some cotton, but to do it
we must make strong, well-organ-
lied fight.
This matter of early fall destruc-
tion of stalks is something that
every planter, business man, bank
er, commercial secretary, and busi-
ness organization in south Missis-
sippi should push increasingly.
Take it up and see that it is accom-
pIished. II means much to the
prosperity of your section of the
State.
B. L. MOSS,
District Agent, United States De
partment of Agriculture.
LOWEST ON RECORD.