The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1911-01-26
THE BOIL WEEVH PROBLEM
Its Scare and Its Solution-By w. A.
Reynolds.


belt
No natural enemy of the pest has
ever been found nor has any artifi-
cial means been discovered to exter-
inmate or control his advance or
multiplication. The ablest entomolo-
gists who have studied his habits
and life lend no hope that he shall
be destroyed as the grasshopper,
army worm or caterpillar by some
natural calamity to the genus or
from a gradual weakening of the vi
tality of the breed.
To successfully meet his inroads
upon the cotton plant, we should
learn what he is like and something
of his habits.
The following pertinent facts have
been learned after years of careful
study and are the basis for sensible
and successful war upon the destruc-
tive pest.
First. Only a small per cent. sur
vive the winter season.
Second. Each female lays about
two thousand eggs in lifetime.
Third. The period of eggs to wee
vii is about seventeen days.
Fourth. Eggs are only deposited
in the squares or forms of the cot
ton plant.
Fifth. Heat is his enemy and
when knocked from the plant onto
hot dust mulch he likely dies.
Sixth. Wet weather and abundant
shade in the field favor his propaga-
ton.
To put the matter plainly, the only
way to produce profitable cotton
crop in any locality where the boil
wevil exists is to produce and ma
ture the forms and squares into bolls
faster than the weevil can infest the
squares. Your cotton must beat the
weevil in the race for life.
TO do this two methods must be
followed
First. Produce a quick growing,
heavy-fruiting cotton that will leave
a surplus after the weevil takes his
share
Second. To use such means that
nreyent his rapid multiplication,
thus giving the plant handicap in
the race.
In this brief paper we will touch
only upon the first as the second
method is now generally known in
all infested sections and is not yet
pertinent information for the At
lantic States where the weevil has
not yet come.
Unfortunately, each State or Sec
ton that has become infected. was
found without previous preparation
with which to make a successful
fight. The natural result has been
an enormous loss and utter tempo
rary Encouragement.
Let the States east of Mississippi
commence the battle now, for a fight
we'll planned is half won.
Fighting the boil weevil merely
means better farming. 1t is needless
to think that the weevil is not going
to take his yearly toll of cotton. The
farmer only gets the surplus.
How shall we produce these favor
able conditions in advance? We take
the liberty of suggesting these few
ideas for your consideration.
First. Be equipped in advance with
the proper type of plant that will
beat the weevil in the race for ex-
istence.
This means a plant of the follow
ing characteristics: One that does
not afford an abundance of shades to
shelter him. One that natures its
crop in the shortest possible time.
One that is very prolific in it's ten
dency so that it will produce enough
squares for both fruit and weevil.
How shall we get this type of plant?
Breed it.
Don't pay fabulous prices for ques-
tionable seed and shipped from some
far-off section that may be totally
unfit for the soil on your farm. Al
most every section Of the Atlantic
States has few farmers who plant
the early varieties. Get the seed
from them. Learn the first lessons
of seed selection and breeding and
raise your own planting seed, either
by a selection from the field or by
means of a seed patch of cotton.
Write your State department OF agri-
culture and you can get the inform
alton.
The second method to be introduce
ed in advance of the arrival Of the
weevil is to build up the land you