Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1909-07-02
Latest and Best Advice as to Extermi.
nation Of tie Boil Weeyil.

Below is given some Splendid adj
vice from the Mississippi Crop Pest
Commission as to the best and most
practicable method of combating
the boil weevil, So pregnant with
valuable information and suggestion
is the instruction that we reproduce
for the consideration and guidance
of all planters as unquestionably
the best plan of battle that has yet
been outlined:
Be impressed with the truth that
the boil weevils you now find in
your cotton are all over-wintered
ones, that is, weevils that have re-
manned in winter quarters since last
fall, and are just now putting in
their appearance, doing some dam
age, but not much at present, in
comparison with what may be done
later on, unless you take quick and
proper action ut this critical period.
In short time the weevils that
are at the present moment in the
fields will disappear, but only to
come in vast numbers later on. 1t
is a well known fact that they in
crease by thousands and tens of
thousands, even hundreds of thou
sands, where proper action is not
taken by destroying the old, over
wintered ones.
From high authority on the
boil weevil, we gather that this is
the very time to fortify yourselves
against crop destruction, by de-
stroying the old weevils now pune
turing the squares and depositing
their eggs for the July and August
generations.
Hire all the children you can to
go through your cotton fields,-
LIST. To be provided with a bottle
or jar.
End. To pick off every weevil
found and put same in bottle or jar.
Bird. To examine stalks and where
boil weevils or punctured squares
are found, pull them off, and put
them in the bottle or jar; also all
squares found on the ground.
4th. Be sure to see that all bolls
weevils and punctured squares are
destroyed by burning.
9th. Keep up this process daily
from now, until every boil weevil
and punctured square found is tax
en- and destroyed.
9th. Hoe hands can greatly assist
in this work, but it has been found
more advantageous to have child
rem or idle labor do it. Any meth
cd is good, SO it is rapid, thorough
and cheap.
9TH. A punctured square is recog-
nized by the fact that it flares and
turns yellow. We deem it essential
to say that some grown, experienced
person should accompany the child
rem through the fields at first, so
that they may know how to find
the boil weevil and recognize the
punctured squares.
Follow this carefully and thorough
ly. Although tedious it will indeed
mean much to you and your inter-
It. BY destroying the punctured
luares, you destroy the very nest
tlat produces thousands and tens
of thousands of young weevils which
would otherwise put in their APP
pearance in July, August and Sep
TENDER, and which are destined to |
elt up your crop in these late sum-
nler months.
1t may be said by some that this
is troublesome, tedious and expen-
sive, and So it is-but nothing to
be compared with the dreadful re-
suits of having your crop totally
destroyed, after having spent so
much money, time, and labor to
produce it. We consider this one
of the most vital steps at this Pc
Rod. Do your full share of think
ing, and you must inevitably con-
clude that il is far better now To do 1
your full duty, and to put yourself
10 the trouble and care of carrying
)ut these suggestions, rather than :
nave your crop totally destroyed, ,
your credit ruined, your finances
zone, in other words, be poverty
stricken.
We REPEAT-destroy all the boil /
veevils that can he found now, af- q
er the most diligent search. De-
troy also the punctured squares, 7
'ecause these are the poisoned spots Q
n your field which will produce n
ntold quantities of weevils, and
ring on failure, which it is our
arrest desire to avert. g
This is the most opportune time y
, carry out these instructions. The N
rye, over-wintered weevils are on
le surface and can be destroyed. vi
postponement of this work will fc
ing on fearful results, and then n,
efforts are futile, and all hope A
ne. W
The invasion of our own cotton