New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1910-11-19

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ject: % To reduce the number
of weevils and (2) to aid early
maturity in order to obtain a crop
4t advance Of the wenHll
A few remarks concerning the
main features of this plan may
prove of value.
Destruction Of the Weevils.
One of the greatest dangers to
the cotton crop is the wlnterlng
of large numbers of weevils. BY
failure to destroy early in the
fall the immature cotton bolls
land the rubbish IN the fields,
enough weevils may be wintered
over to Jeopardlze the crops the
ensuing year. If the immature
hollis and the field rubbish are
destroyed the stalks may be safe
" pIowed under. The rubbish IN
the field which may serve for
alternating quarters includes the
borders and fence corners. Two
methods of destroying the over
wintered weevils while they are
feed ng on the tender terminal
buds are advocated: D They
may be hand picked and burned
or CIV some may be destroyed by
the iudicious use of poisons.
Fall and Winter Cultivation of
the Soil.
Deep breaking of the soil in the
fall assists in the destruction of
the wepviIs and in the preparation
of the field for successful cropping
the following season, In order to
air the soil and destroy grass,
shallow winter cultivation of the
SOL should be practiced. i, e.,
working the hand with section
harrow or a disk once every TWEEN
ty or thirty days during the win
ter. as the weather may permit.
The soil should be in excellent
condition at the time of planting
Use of Fertilizers.
The use of fertilizers, especial
|ly acid phosphate and potash, to
hasten maturity and increase fruit
LACE. as well as the use of cotton
|seed meal when necessary to obtain
more vigor and growth, IS recon-
mended Soils and methods OF
duplication are fully explained IN
1.-The course of the work. and it has
lbeen demonstrated that small
Quantity of fertilizer properly APP
|plied accomplishes marvellous re
Isults.
Spacing Between Plants and
Rows.
| Planting in rows wider than us
ual and allowing more space III
the row on light lands are adj
Ivised under boll-weevil conditions
Especial attention must be direct
led to have tn rows the proper
distance apart and to Thin the
plants in the rows. There must
be width enough for the sun s
rays to reach the earth between
the rows and thus aid in destroy
ling the larvae Of the weevil in the
fallen squares,
Generally speaking, more space
Ito the plant makes a better stalk
with more Limbs. more bloom, and
, a higher grade of cotton. Tht
c spacing between the rows and IL
. the rows must depend ON the sol
and the variety of cotton.
Use Of the Section Harrow.
The use of the section harrow as
) soon as the crop comes up is OF
sufficient Importance to warrant
; special mention. After earl,
planting the termination is fire
louently slow and the earth ma!
Ibecome cr1sted. The harrow ma,
: be used to break the crust be
: fore the plants are up and shoulc
: be used soon afterwards to keeT
the soil loose so that the plants
Twill take on rapid growth at once
The crop is surprisingly advanced
bv the judicipus use of the harrow
The field should be narrowed thor
} Roughly just before planting anc
Immediately after planting. AND
again as soon as the cotton IS up
1.-THE harrow should be used Oh
agonally across the rows.
Agitation Of Stalks.
Violent agitation of the cotton
stalks when cultivating or blowing
: bv means of brush attached to the
handles of the cultivator or pillow
$ recommended. The great ma
; jority of squares fall off natural
!, lly in a very few days after they
become infested. Abundant testl
lmony has come from our coopera.
tors to show that as long as week.
lly cultivation of the crop with
violent agitation of the stalks Is
continued the damage done by the
weevil is greatly reduced.
One of the serious disadvant-
lagos i'm sections of considerable
rainfall is a failure to have the
lands sufficiently drained, because
they retain moisture to an extent
that prevents RAPID cultivation
Hence under boil weevil rondi-
|tions it is absolutely necessary to
Iplant cotton only on well-drained