The Semi-weekly leader., 1910-04-06

DF. s. A. Knapp Discusses Lessons 10 he
Learned from Growth and Yield Of
Cotton Crop Lasl Year Summary
Of Essential Factors il Fight on
Boil Weevil.

- - -
The season Of 1909. while one of
the worst we have ever known for
the cotton crop in all but the At
lantic States. taught some valuable
lessons:
First. 1t demonstrated that q
crop Of cotton, under heavy boil.
weevil infestation. could be made
after July 1st. provided the farmers
pick up the punctured squares and
work the field intensively. In fact.
there were very few bolIs on the
cotton plants in Louisiana and
Southwest Mississippi on July 1st,
1909. The weather then became
dry and warm. and such as follow
ed the instructions Of the Gov
ernment Demonstration Work
made a fair crop Of cotton, both.
on the alluvial bottoms and on the
hill lands. and the planters who
failed to follow such instructions
made very little. Louisiana has
always had years of a short cotton
crop. due to adverse weather condi-
tions. The crop of 1905, though
practically unaffected by the weevil,
was only 511. .738 bales, which is less
than half the product of 1904.
Owing to loss Of labor and fear Of
the boil weevil, about thirty per
cent less than normal acreage was
planted to cotton in 1909 and when
practically no cotton was made up
to July 1st. such was the alarm
that a large area of cotton was
plowed up and planted to other
crops. The amount pIowed up or
abandoned is estimated by good
judges at forty per cent. But al
low that it was twenty per cent,
deducting from the probable crop
in such a season, to.wit, 51l ,738
bales the thirty per cent not plant
ed and twenty per cent pIowed up or
abandoned and the crop Of Louisi-
ana without allowing anything for
weevil damage should have been
about 1885, ,574 bales. AS far as
can be ascertained the crop was
about 270. 900 bales. This clearly
proves. that the fright is more
damaging than the weevil.
The second item emphasized by
the experience of 1909 is the i'm
portance Of picking up and burn
ing the punctured squares. There
never had been any question but
picking up the squares in the fore
part of the season would check
the weevils. but it was proven in
1909 that it was effective after the
field was fully infested if rapid cul-
tivation was continued.
The third item of value demon
strated by the season of 1909 is the
importance Of having the land we'll
drained 50 the crop can be worked
as soon as the rain ceases. Under
boil weevil conditions the heavy
black land and the poorly drained
fields should be devoted to other
crops. because intensive working
of the crop is a necessity. There
must be no weeds and no grass in
the crop.
Fourth The past season has add
ed its conclusive testimony in favor
of the plan for making cotton under
boil weevil infestation which plan,
approved by the United States De-
partnent of Agriculture, is as fol-
lows:
/. The destruction of the wee
wills in the fall by burning all rub
bish and material in and about the
field which might serve for
alternating quarters oil the weeyils,
and breaking (plowing) the soil as
deep as conditions will allow.
2. The shallow winter cuItiva-
tion of the soil if no cover crop is
used.
8. Delaying the planting till the
soil and temperature are warm
enough to make it safe.
4. The planting Of early matur-
ing varieties of cotton.
5. The use Of fertilizer.
s. Leaving more space between
the rows, and on ordinary uplands
having greater distance between
plants in the row than is usually
allowed.
Z. The use of the section harrow
before and after planting and on
the young cotton.
5. Intensive shallow cultivation.
3. Agitation Of the stalks by
means Of brush attached to the
Ecultivator.
10. Picking up and burning the.
squares that fall under weevil con-
#ditions. especially during the first
thirty or forty days of infestation.
II. Controlling the growth of
the plant if excessive by deep and
close cultivation while the plant is
young
~. Selecting the seed.
13. The rotation of crops and the
use Of legumes.
It will be noted that the system.
as outlined, has a two-fold object.
1. To reduce the number of weevils
and 2. to aid early maturity. The
foregoing methods may require
modification to suit the soil and
climate. Where there is too
much food and a surplus Of
n1nisk,Ire availabIa far cottOy ii any