The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-04-09

atoms that confronts us IS that the
losses are both direct and indirect
The planters suffer by the decreased
production. and railroads, banks and
merchants suffer Indirectly Moreover.
the damage is not uniform in different
seasons. Climatic conditions exert d
profound effect upon the multiplied
tlon OF the insect. At the same time,
there is great variation in the same
season IN different localities. One re-
Sion may be provided with shelter
which allows high percentage Of the
WeeEilS to pass the winter, while an
other without such shelter furnishes
comparatively few weevils to injure
the crop. The estimation OF the dam
age caused by the insect is compli-
Gated further by the fact that certain
compensatiOns are returned. 4 di-
versitication Of crops is forced upon
The planters. This in many eases
brings about a better system Of agri-
culture. For this reason it is fire.
quently said that the boil weevil is a
blessing in disguise, bt no planter
IS known to the writer who would not
greatly prefer to have diyersification
brought about by less revolutionary
and less dsa strous means.
In 1904 the State Entomoloeist of
Texas estimated a direct loss for the
preceding five years Of |, ,725, 900 bales
At this time the weevil was confined
to Texas.
In 1909 a careful estimate resulted
in the determination of an average
| loss per acre in Texas Of $500, and in
| louisiana, where the problem is more
| serious, of $1o.25.
One Of the most careful estimates
OF Weeyil damage that has ever been
| made was furnished BY the Bureau Of
! Statistics. of the United States De
! partment of Agriculture, based upon
! the injury to the crop of 1909. The
/ inquiry was conducted by correspond
ence with large number Of report.
ers throughout the cotton belt. Other
factors affecting the crop injuriousiy
were taken into consideration. The
result showed a loss due to the weeyil
t Of 1.26700 bales of 500 pounds for
i the year At the price current dur
| ing that season the value OF this loss
would be SIS, 800.
In Il general way it may be stated
/ that for some years the weeyil has
caused q reduction of the cotton crop
Of the United States varying from
100000 bales to over million.
In this connection it Is Important
to call attention to the very large crop
| produced in 1911. The inquiry nat
urally suggests itself as to why with
the continued spread of the boil
weeyil such an unprecedented produc-
ton could be reached. A careful eX-
i animation Of this question leads te
the conclusion that the large crop OF
the year 1911 was due to several fac
tors The acreage was large and the
conditions throughout the growing
season were unusually favorable
Moreover, the boil weevil was less
; numerous throughout its range ant
did much less damage than Is nor
NAL This is the result Of two sue
cessive seasons Of drouth and tive
winters OF unusual severity. Thi
cOmbina ton Of climatic checks re
, duced the weevil to as low point a
it can be expected to reach at any
future time. In general the damagt
: was less by fully 10 per cent thar
, 1t would be under normal conditions
Therefore. the weevil infested terri
: tory was relieved temporarily of
, large portion Of the damage and fur
nished an unexpected and abnorfna
contribution to the crop of the coun
try In other words. the large crol
=. produced in 1911 is an indication Q
; the power of the boil weevil. II show
8 what can be produced when its de
. pressing effect upon production - re
lieVed.
Prospects of Spread OF Weevil
It has already been intimated tina
: the boil weevil will undoubtedly con
I tinue to spread in the United States
: 1t IS eElOent, however, tHd licie df
l. certain checks that it will experience
t The most important of these is dry
9 ness In a dry climate the develop
{ ing broodS of the weevil are deStroye
q BY heat soon after the squares ia
t 10 the ground. For this reason tn
insect has been unable to maintai
itself in the dryer portions OF Texa
l. and Okla hofna. Another check tgains
e the weeyii is low winter temperature
: There is no fixed temperature know
: n destroy all the weevils in their h