Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1913-10-10
BURN THE STALKS.

Antonio, Texas, who was for so many
years one of our best known citizens, the
Gazette has received most interesting
letter, recently published in the San An
tonic Express, written by w. +. Elliott,
on the methods adopted in that section
of Texas to destroy the boil weevil. Tile
letter is too long to be published in our
columns, but the following synopsis OF
its contents may prove of value to our
readers.
Mr.. Elliott states that the information
contained in his letter has been gath
cred by careful study of the life, history
and characteristics of the boil weeyil, as
we'll as from the most scientific and prac-
teal farmers in Nueces county, and from
the United States Department of Agricul-
ture."
"The life, history and characteristics OF
the boil weevil may" according to Mr.
Elliott, "be summarized into eight divis-
ions, which are as follows:
l. The boil weevil lives entirely on
cotton.
2. 1t is easy TO kill and dies very rap
idly during the latter part of fall and
winter.
3. The weevil is very slow to come out
of hibernatin2 quarters during spring and
continues for some time in summer.
3. 1t is almost impossible for the wee
vii to emerge when buried deep under
the soil.
6. The boil weevil cannot live when
exposed to the cold winds of winter.
Z. The immediate drying of the infest-
ed squares destroys the immature stages
of the weevil contained therein.
8. The uprooting and burning OF cot
ton stalks in September destroys over 80
per cent of the weevils, while uprooting
and burning of cotton stalks in Novem-
Der destroys only about "a per cent.
"Bulletin No. ia agricultural De-
partment' says Mr.. Elliot, ''shows that
only rs per cent survived the winter.
Therefore we readily see the necessity of
employing every possible means of de-
stroying the weevil during the fall and
winter. 1t is estimated that the progeny
Of a single pair OF weeyils will exceed r.
600, 900 in one season."
1.-THE key to the whole situation can be
laconically given as follows: burn the
stalks:
Cotton raisers should, Immediately af-
ter picking their cotton, begin the up
roofing of cotton stalks before frost, OF
before the stalks begin to die and become
brittle. The stalks should be raked in
piles, and after they are dried, should be
burned. II the stalks are permitted t.
dry before being raked into piles, the
leaves, squares and old bolls will shattel
off while being raked and some weevil'
will be left upon the ground in thes'
scattered squares, bolls and leaves, ant
from them will make their way int
the ground for alternating. On the 9th
err hand, if the stalks are raked while
they are green there will be very small
loss of squares and bolls. Hence great
err per cent of weevils can be destroyed
il the latter operation is performed"
Mr.. Elliot suggests that about % row.
OF stalks be uprooted and then one row
be skipped and continue in this manner
over the fields Then rake cross wise tC
the rows and windrow the stalks upor
the rows that were left. The object o
this being that the cotton stalks lief
standing will attract the weevil, and af
ter the stalks are dead, burn the entir,
windrow, thereby getting greater pc
cent of weevil than otherwise
"Actual tests by the Government SHOW
that less than one per cent of the weevl
survive if the stalks are plowed up anC
burned during September, and that abou
Is per cent survive if the stalks are no
destroyed until November"
"Of course, it is impossible for all sec
tons to uproot and burn the stalks il
September, because some sections ar
much earlier than others, but il shout,
be done Immediately after the cotton i
picked.
eff the land is well plowed early in TIM
fall, after the burning of the stalks, TIN
greater per cent of the weevils will b
exposed to the cold winds of winter
thereby destroying all which will be abb,
to emerge from the ground"
Az to the time of planting, Mr.. Elliot
says: Cotton should be planted just a
early as possible in spring in order thai
the plant may mature and be well fruiteC
by the time the weevils begin to emerge
from Information" He states that il hai
been found that IS per cent of the wee
wills appear after May LIST and that il
some sections they continue to emerg'
from Information until the latter part o
June.
In conclusion, he says: 81 would say
in conclusion that the greatest cardinal
features in holding in check the boil wee
vii can be summarized in the following
two principles: First-Early nprootins
and burning of the cotton stalks, and
Second-The early planting and matur
inc Of a eroD -