The Port Gibson reveille. [volume] (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1890-current, 1910-01-06
GROWING COTToN.
rIr. Afford Gives Best rlethods to
be used in Weevll Territory.


the Farmers Cooperative Demon
stration work, with headquarters
at this place, to-day gave out the
following in reply to the several
letters asking for the Government
Methods of growing cotton in spite
of the boil weevil:
I. The most important step IN
producing cotton in the presence
of the boil weevil is the early tall
destruction of their only feed plant
the cotton stalk. This may be
done by burning the stalks early,a
least by the first of November II
possible by cutting the stalks down
by the middle of October or earlier.
By cutting the stalks down, the
feed of the weevil which consists
of squares and tender parts of the
stalk will be destroyed, at the
same time the few remaining bolls
on the stalks will open and may be
picked. After the cotton is picked
out, these stalks should be piled
and burned in order to destroy the
immature stages of the weevlls
then existing in the squares and
forms. Pasturing cotton fields Is OF
good practice where the fields are
fenced and the number OF cattle
turned in the field is sufficient to
eat up all of the leaves, squares
and immature bolls in a short time.
However, it is not the best practice
because a good many of the squares
and small bolls will not be eaten
by the cattle even where a large
number are turned into the field,
The cattle may be turned IN for,
say one week, and then the stalks
cut and brned.
2. 1t matters not how careful We
are in destroying the stalks, many
weevils will escape from the cotton
&elds, but all will not get beyond
our reach. Many will be found
along the fences, hedges, and in
decayed logs and dead trees around
the cotton fields. The clearing
and burning of hedges, fence cor
ners, and in general the destruction
of all alternating places in the
vicinity of the fields will destroy
many weevils. Most of the wee
wills remaining in the cotton fields
after the stalks have been destroy
ed can be killed. If all of the
grass, trash and other aubbish is
plowed under deep and through
during the fall and winter very few
weevils will survive for spring dep
relations.
8. Plant only quic k-making land
in cotton. The weevil will play
havoc on 'late" lands.
a. Thoroughly pulverize the soil
for FIVE or six inches deep SO that
the cotton will grow off in hurry.
The little cotton can not grow off
we'll in a mass of clods.
S. Where the soil responds to
commercial fertilizers, use mainly
fertilizers that stimulate the fruit
and not the fruit growth. High
grade 10 per cent acid phosphate
may be considered a basis for in
,creasing fruit and Fastening ma
lturity. A mixture of three parts
of I6 per cent acid phosphate and
one part of 6 per cent cottonseed
meal is a good fertilizer to use. A
good plan is to apply about two
hundred pounds of acid phosphate
in the furrow and bed on it and
then apply about fifty pounds Of
nitrate of soda per acre at planting
time. Acid phosphate is of nc
benefit to lime land.
g.. The sun is the most effective
weapon at our service. Wher
punctured squares fall to the
ground and are subjected to the IN
obstructed rays of the sun. the
mortality is very high. Where tht
rows are wide and the cotton small
practically all of the larvae anc
pupae are killed curing hot, fai
weather. If the rows are narrow
and the cotton makes a ranl
growth and shades the ground
very little benefit is derived from
the sun. The more rankly tn
cotton grows and the more th
ground is shaded the more damag
the weevil will do. The row