The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-04-10

Of Boil Weevll and Flaring OF the
sracts. Or. W.. D. Hunters Illus
tration.
trash, weeds, and other vegetable mat
ter that serve as winter quarters for
the weevils and by destroying practt.
cally all the weevils alternating along
the fence rows. hedges and ditch
banks, the over-wintersd rweeyils are
often sufficiently numerous to pune
ture the squares. as fast as they form
on the cotton. Under such conditions
It Is not necessary for the over-win-
tered weevils to multiply before the
squares are punctured as fast as they
form on the cotton. When he over
wintered weevils are sufficiently nu-
merous to puncture the squares as
fast as they form no cotton will be
made unless the weevils r picked of
the little cotton and the p%unctured
squares destroyed.
DR.. w. D. Hunter Of the bureau Of en-
tomology estimates the possible prog,
eny Of a single pair Of weevils during
a season beginning on June 20 and ex-
tending to November 4 at 1885, 100,
Nature. has provided a number Of
agencies to prevent such excessive
multiplication, However, the picking
of a pair Of weevils. off the little cot.
ton means millions less later on. Ev.
cry pair Of weevils picked of the little
cotton and destroyed reduces the num-
Der Of puncture squares and bolls by
millions.
Before squares form on the cotton.
the ~over-winter weevils that have
emerged feed upon the opening leaves
or bud of the little cotton. Early in
the morning 1t Is an easy matter to
find the weevils in the buds Of the
little cotton. 1t is not at all difficult
to pick them of the buds Of the little
cotton and destroy them.
The only reason why We cannot
eradicate the weevil by thoroughly
picking them off the little cotton Is
that the majority Of the over-wintered
weevils do not emerge until after the
squares begin to form on the cotton.
As soon as squares form on the cotton
the weevil gets on the inside Of the
bracts and feeds only by inserting its
beak deeply into the squares. After
the squares begin to form on the cot.
ton It is hardly practicable to pick the
weevils of the cotton. -
The over-wintered weevils cannot
multiply until squares form on the
cotton. The weevil passes the winter
in the adult stage and breeds only In
squares and bolls. The most %conspicu-
Gus indication Of the presence of the
boil weevil is the faring OF the
squares. When the weevil punctures
a square it turns yellow and the
tracts "fnre" open. The punctured
square usually falls to the ground in
a few days.
The over-wintered weevils live only
a few weeks after they emerge from
w1r:ter quarters in the spring. If the
little cotton is thoroughly picked two
or three times just a few days before
the squares begin to form on the cot.
ton and every punctured square de-
stroye6 for at least ono month after
the first squares form practically all
Of the over-wintered weevils will be
dead ard there will be no young wee
Wis. II II we're possible to destroy
every punctured square and boil and
thereby prevent the appearance OF
Isw brcods. the weevils could be e
terminated In one year. Willie 1t Ia
not possible to destroy every pune
tured square and boil. We can by care