The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1912-04-20

The over-wlntered weevils live only
a few weeks after they emerge from
winter quarters in the spring. II the
little cotton Is thoroughly picked two
or three times just few days before
the squares begin to form on the cot
ton and every punctured square de-
stroyed for at least one month after
the first squares form practically all
Of the over-wintered weevils will be
dead and there will be no young wee
wills. II it were possible to destroy
every punctured square and boil and
thereby prevent the appearance OF
new broods. the weevils could be ex-
terminated in one year. While 1t is
not possible to destroy every pune
tured square and boil, we can by care
full and painstaking work get practi-
cally all of the punctured squares
while the cotton is small.
The beneficial results obtained from
picking the punctured squares de-
Ponds mainly upon the seasons. When
the punctured squares fall to dry
ground in July and August. and are
subjected to the unobstructed rays Of
the hot sun, practically all of the lar
vac and pupae are killed. Where the
soil is dry and the cotton small prac-
tically all Of the 'grubs" in the pune
tured squares are killed during the
hot. fair weather, especially IL there
is dust mulch on the ground. II the
soil is moist, the rows narrow. the
cotton rank and shades The ground,
or II it is cloudy practically all Of the
grubs in the punctureo squares will
come to maturity unless the squares
are picked and destroyed. The more
moisture in the ground, the more rank
ly the cotton grows and the more the
ground Is shaded. the greater the ne
cessity for gathering and destroying
the punctured squares. Under any
and all conditions 1t is certainly ad-
visable to collect all the punctured
squares for at least one month after
the first squares form on the cotton.
The soil is cool at this season of the
year and the sun is seldom very hot.
1t is not advisable to burn the pune
tured squares. The punctured SQUARES
should be placed in wire cages for the
reason that many weevil larvae in the
infested squares harbor parasites.
These parasites prey upon the boil
weevil. There are about rs species of
parasites which by means Of their owl
positors place eggs on the larvae and
pupae Of the weevil within the square,
The young of the parasites feeds upon
the immature boil weevil which 1t
kills. The bureau of entomology re-
cords one instance in a field near Rob-
son. La, where the parasites killed n
per cent. of the weevils. About the
same time 81 per cent. Of the weevils
in field near Victoria, Texas. were
killed by parasites.
The meshes Of the wire cage to put
the punctured squares in should be at
least 16 to the inch. The parasites
are very small and can easily escape
while the weevils will soon die for
lack Of food A timer will make the
cages at small cost.
The destruction Of myriads Of wee
wills can be accomplished during the
growing season by working in cooper
alton with the natural agencies that
destroy the weevil. The temperature
at the surface Of the ground is gen.
orally about 40 per cent higher than
at two or three feet above the surface
1t is not surprising that the cotton
squares that fall on the hot ground in
July and August and are not shaded
are parched at once and the immature
weevils destroyed II the immature
weevils are not killed at once by the
heat, they will starve for lack OF food
because Of the hardening of the
square-the weevils' food.
The use Of brush on culti&ators to
brush or agitate the plants when cul-
tivating the crop will assist to some
extent In destroying the weevil. The
punctured squares will be knocked
to the hot ground sooner than they
would fall and at the same time a-few
adult weevils will be knocked to the
hot ground. When an adult weevil is
thrown on the surface of finely pull
verified hot soil, it is killed almost In
stantly.
Attempts continue to be made to
poison weevils. If the advocates of
poison would only remember that dur
ing the growing season the boil weevil
feeds only by inserting its beak deep
ly into the squares or bolls, they would
realize that it Is impossible to place
poison where the weevils will feed up
on It,. In all the experiments per-
formed in the field by the bureau of
entomology very heavy applications
throughout the season from chopping
to picking have failed to show any ad-
vantage in the use Of poison.