The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1909-09-25
BURN YOUR
COTTON STALKS.
SOUTHERN COTTON FARMERS HAVE
GREAT OPPORTUNITY NOW TO
WIPE OUT BOIL NEEVII..

This Article Pertinent to Lincoln Coun-
" Farmers Read It and be Wise.
The recent hot spell. lasting
three days, killed over so per cent
Of all boil weeyils in Mississippi,
Louisiana. Texas. Arkansas and
Okla ah9ma. Over vast areas of
badly infested districts as high as
SO per cent were literally cooked
in the blistering rays of the sun.
BY oncerted effort the planters
can kill the balance. lis a vast
undertaking to get all planters to
do JUS the one thing necessary this
fall. Next year will be too late.
Hasten the picking of the crop
and just as soon as it is picked, cut
down and burn all the stalks. trash
and weeds. That's all. If it is
done over the entire infested area
and also in the adjoining territory,
we shall be rid OF this pest and the.
danger from this grim destroyer
will be reduced to minimum.
Now is the time to prepare for the
crop of next season.
It has been repeatedly pointed out
--i1 fact, told over and over again
in publications of the Department
of A griculture that the most i'm
|portant step in controlling the boil.
weeyil is the destruction in the fall
of the plants in the field.
To fully acquaint our rea ders
with the conditions in Texas this
year, we give the following bulle-
tin just received from Rr. Hunter,
in full:
A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR
COTTON PLANTERS.
The cotton farmers of Texas and
Oklahorna have the opportunity of
theiF lives to down the Boil Wee
vii. This is the result of two
facts, one Of them we'll demonstrat-
ed and the other self-evident.
They are:
First. The terrific heat of the
last few days has killed more than
99 per cent Of the weevils in Texas
and Oklahoma.
Second. That heat and the dry
ness of the season have everywhere
caused small plants on which the
.bolls will soon open SO that the
crop can be picked at an abnormal-
ly early date.
If the farmers will accept the
opportunity that nature has pro-
vided, hasten the picking of the
crop, uproot and burn the plants,
there is no possibility that there
will be many weevils left next
year. In fact, if the cotton plants
are destroyed generally in Texas by
the middle Of September, which is
easily possible on account of the
peculiar conditions prevailing
there will be no Boil WeeviIs what
ever in Texas next year.
In Dallas, while this is being
written the thermometer registers
ia degrees in the shade, breaking
all records. On the surface of the
ground the temperature is 145 de-
grees. Similar conditions prevail
throughout Texas. Every imma-
ture weevil in square that falls
to the ground is killed in few
minutes. Every weevil that falls
to the ground is killed in a second. /
Thus nature has almost annihilated |
the pest. Will the farmer add the
final stroke and complete the de-
struction Of the weevil?
The early destruction of the cot.
ton plants in the fall even in an
season has so controlled /
the weevil that, in large practi- |
cal test, the crop Of cotton the fol-
lowing season was increased by an
amount worth almost $40 per acre.
This year it is not a question mere
" of control or reducing the num-
bers of weeviIs, but of driving
them out altogether. 1T rests with
the cotton planters Of Texas.
There will never be better oppor-
tunity.
w. d. HUNTER,
In charge Southern Field Crop
Insect and Tick Investigation.
Dallas Texas. Aug. |, 1909.
Two things are to be borne il
mind while reading the above state
ment.
First. The crop is picked inl,
Texas much earlier than it is only
! short distance further north. 50
The time when stalks can be burned
will be later as we 90 further
lorth and into the bottoms.
Second. The weeyil has not been
checked in Mississippi and Louis
ana as it has III Texas, probably
lot over so per cent having been
Eiiled ii these two states BY the
Iun, hence the complete destruction
his fall of every vestige Of stalks
md cover that will afford hiding
md alternating places for these
lugs. even ir communities prcsum
IDLY free from infection. is abso-
utely essential.
By leaving the cotton plants