The Green Forest tribune., 1911-10-13
DESTRUCTION OF
 BOIL WEEVILS
Address Made by G. H. Afford, Special Agent of the Farmers Cooperative Demonstration Work, at Brookhaven, Miss, October Eth.

tlOn or WeeNllS.
 There are four methods of reducing the number of weevils to the minimum First, completely denude the cotton stalks of foliage, the weevils' sole food blow the stalks under good and deep or burn the stalks at the earliest pos sible moment in the fall; second, at some time during the winter, destroy the rubbish ill and about the fields which might serve as hibernating quarters to1 weevils; third, when the Weevils appear on the little cotton early in the spring pick them off and destroy them; fourth pick up the punctured squares and de stroy them for at least one month after the first squares form on the cotton.
 The results obtained by the United States Bureau ot Entomology, the Farm State Crop Pest Commission and thou, sands of successful farmers point to the supreme importance of the early fall destruction of the boil weeviis sole food supply, the squares, small bolls, and foliage on the cotton stalks. The con- clusion reached by thousands of eXperi- mentors justify me in making the state ment that the most important step in producing cotton in boil weeyil territory is the early fall destruction of the foli- age, squares, and immature punctured bolls on the cotton stalks. In fact, l feel almost justified in saying that the early fall destruction of the cotton stalks outbalances all other remedies that may be employed to destroy the weevils.
 In an experiment performed by the Bureau of Entomology in Calhoun coun- ty, Texas, the stalks growing on 40 acres of land were destroyed early in October. Careful records kept during the following season showed that the destruction of stalks on this land in- creased the yield $14.56 per acre. An experiment was conducted on opposite sides of the Guadaloupe river near Vie toria, Texas. The stalks were burned on one farm the latter part of Septem- Der, and on the other they were allowed to stand until in the spring before plant ing time Forty acres on the farm on which the stalks were destroyed made fifteen bales. Forty acres on the other farm made three and one-half bales.
 Experiments conducted by the Louis- jana State Crop Pest Commission are summed up in the following extracts from Circular No. 28: Where the cotton plants were destroyed before October 15, only per cent of the weevils survived the winter to infest the present years crop. Where the stalks were destroyed from October 15 to October 27, an aver age of about 15 per cent of the weevils passed through the winter successfully. Where the stalks were destroyed be- tween November 1st and 25th, an aver age of approximately g per cent of the weevils survived the winter. Postponing fall destruction of cotton stalks until the middle of December, or later, per mitted over 43 per cent of the weevils to survive the winter and attack the next crop. Where the stalks were de- stroyed before October 18th only per cent of the weevils passed the winter. Where the stalks remained in the field until December 18th over 43 per cent of the weevils survived the winter. These figures will certainly silence all opposi- tion to the early fall destruction of the boil weeviPs food supply.
 The farmers in the weevil infested districts of South Mississippi have picked millions of weevils off the little cotton and have picked up tons of pune tured squares this year. Millions of weevils appeared on the little cotton be- fore the squares began to form and the expense and trouble of picking them was very considerable item. And let us not forget that the expense of picking weevils this year has been compara- lively light, on account of the early freeze last fall. The effectiveness of the early freeze last fall was almost equal to the complete early fall destruc- tion of cotton stalks. However, one lesson has, or should have, been thor oughyl learned, and that is the urgent need of so reducing the over-wintered weevils as to reduce the cost and labor of picking the weevils and squares tc the minimum.
 The heat and dryness of the season for the last few weeks have everywhere caused the bolls to open so that the crop can be picked at an abnormally early date. If the farmers will accept the opportunity that nature has pro vided and devote the same enthusiasm and energy to picking out the crop early that they have to picking up punctured squares this year, the cotton stalks can all be destroyed by October goth. The farmers are urged to rush picking with all available labor until the cotton is ] all picked and then destroy the food supply of the weevil at the earliest date possible.
 No definite rule can be laid down as l to the exact time for destroying the sole food of the boil weeviI in the fall However, the rule should be to destroy the squares, bolls, and foliage on the cotton stalks at the earliest possible mo ment in the fall It is much better tc i turn the cattle in the field, cut the stalks into pieces and blow them under good and deep, or cut and burn the stalks at an early date and thereby de stroy small amount of cotton thar to defer the work until later date When the weevils only food is destroyed early in the fall, they will either starv' for lack of food before cold drives then into winter quarters or will go into win ter quarters Hank and lean" and very i
 ESSENTIALS m EApMTNG