The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-11-30
THE BOIL WEEVl
IN ABOUT FOUR YEARS II WILL
REACH THIS STATE.


Great Pest.
The Augusta Herald says the boil
weevil Is a tangible evil, a terrible
pest. The farmers of Texas have
realized this years ago. The tai-
mers Of Louisiana have learned it
| since. and the farmers of Mississippi
are learning it now. This terrible
! insect doesn't destroy all the cotton,
Hut wherever it makes its appeal
ance It's rarages so greatly reduce
the yield that cotton growing De-
comes Improbable.
, Ever since it's first appearance
il. Individual farmers have done all
'hey could to check its spread. The
ate governments Of the states az
fact.d aided in the work. and the
). deral government went 10 The linn
I Of its resources aiding In the iigh'.
but all 70 no avail. No method has
| been distovered to eXterminate these
weeviiS where they have once alp.
vance.
This has been steady. From the
district first infested the boil weerll
Las moved eastward and n%orthward
steadily and almost regularly, 80
that it now only appears now that
The entire cotton belt will ne aGec:-
| I'd, but almost the time may he set
Tor its appearance in any county, or
when there shall be no u%ninfested
district left.
AS yet there are NJ bool wcerils
in Georgia. but unlaSs a method Is
found for fighting the pest, more sur
ccssful than any so far discovered,
the time is near when Georgia also
will be the loser by its rarages. In
anticipation of this coming calam-
ity a great convention is to be held
in the near future in Atlanta, at
| which the situation will be fully dis
lcu.scd and the best protective course
mapped out.
On this same line the Southern
railway, so greatly interested indi-
rectly N the success of cotton grow
ing, has issued a circular giving ad
| vice rs to the best course to pursue
| after the boil weeril shall have made
It's appearance. This Is.
!. The destruction of the weerils
in the fall by burning all rubbish
md material In and about the field
| which might serve for h~iberna''nS
quarters of the weevils.
2. breaking (~plowing) the soil as
| deep as conditions will allow.
8. The shallow winter cultivation
| of the soil if no " crop is used.
4. Delaying the planting till the
4oil and temperature are warm
| enough TO make it safe.
5. The planting OF e~arly-matur-
| ing varieties Of cotton.
g.. The use of fertilizers.
I. Leaving more space between
| he rows. and on ordinary uplands
| having a greater distance between
| 1iants in the row than is usually al
owed.
s. The use Of the section harrow
| before and after planting and on
| the young cotton.
| g.. Intensive shallow cultivation.
10. Agitation OF the s:alks by
means OF brush attached to the cul-
ivator.
II. Picking up and burning the
| ,nuares that fall under the weevil
conditions. especially during the
frst thirty OF forty days Of infesta-
lou.
| -. Controlling the growth OF
he plant if excessive by deep and
| lose cultivation.
II. Selecting tho seed.
il. The rotation OF crops and
| he use % legum"s.
As soon as cotton can be gathered.
| If the stalks are still green al!
growing, kill all unmatched weevi
in square and immature boils. AMI
| 1t the same time deprive The adI!s
weevils Of food and breeding
| grounds by Immediately cutting and
| burning all the cotton stalks.
The earlier this can be done lie
| better. Where a sufficient number
# care can be turned into the fed
10 eat 1t clean in a few days this
may be done, instead OF cutting and
| burning the stalks.
In heavy soils, where the winter
| rainfall is heavy, II may answer 10
ut the stalks and pillow them under.
1ut ARE must be taken 10 have the
stalks completely covered and turn
al as deeply as possible.
This sectian Is still remotr from
he infested district. and Il IS 10 ~
hoped that some method Will he
| discovered for discriminating lhis
,est. before it shall reach here.