The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1913-10-11
BURNING THE REMEDY.
To the Louisiana Farmers and Bust
ness Men:

To the Louisiana Farmers and Bust
ness Men:
The cotton crop of the State for this
year will be the largest in number of
bales since 1903. Owing to cold wealth
er late in the spring, the farmers had
great difficulty in getting a stand of
cotton. 1t is probable that rs per cent
of the cotton crop of the State was
planted two or three times, making
the crop late, which was serious han
dicap. But taking into consideration
| the preparation of the soil, the use of
good seed, the increase in better cult
walton, the increased use of CONNER
cial fertilizer, and the generally fayo-
rable weather conditions from Nav to
the middle of August, very large crop
should have been made. The weevil
damage is conservatively estimated at
25 per cent. This would mean approx
imately $4,000 bales of cotton, or So
100000. Could any of this tremen-
dous loss have been avoided? The eight
years experience of the Farm Demon
stration Work in Louisiana proves that
it could have been materially reduced.
possibly as much as so per cent or a
total damage from weevil of 12is per
cent.
How?
list. If all the cotton farmers in the
State had made a faithful, persistent
and conscientious fight on the adult
weeVil in the bud Of the young cotton
until it began to square, and then con-
ltinued the fight by picking and burn
Ing all punctured squares from the be-
ginning to August LIST, the August mi
grafton of the weevil would have prob
ably been delayed ten days, and be-
sides added many bales to the crop.
The migratory fight this season com.
menced about August 10th, taking the
State as a whole. If this flight could
have been delayed ten days, it would
have meant other thousands of bales
of cotton to the farmers.
End. By the destruction of the green
cotton stalks early in the fall of 1912.
The light infestation of the weevil
during the growing season of 1912 was
caused by (a), the early freeze of DC.
tober %, 1911, (b), by the stripping of
a great deal of cotton of all leaves and
squares in September by caterpillars,
(c), by the unusually cold winter and
wet spring 1911-1912. The early freeze
and caterpillars simply destroyed all
the food and breeding places of the
weevil. Being sudden, short cold
spell, the weevil did not go into hiber.
nation. A great many of them died of
starvation before the next general cold
spell forced Information. Those that
lived to hibernate went into winter
quarters hungry and weak, unable to
withstand the hardships of severe
winter.
Result.
In 1912 Louisiana had remarkably
light infestation of weeyil and some
large sections were practically free
from them, so much so, that large
number of farmers believed that the
weevil had gone forever.
it is not possible to control the date
of killing frost. 1t is possible to de.
stroy the stalks. The same results can
be obtained by general destruction of
the green and growing stalks at the
earliest possible date. October 18th
should be the date set for this work to
be done; and every farmer should do
his utmost to destroy his cotton stalks
as near this date as possible This ap-
plies to the whole state, but with par
| ticular force to all that part living
south of an east and west line through
Alexandria.
Cotton Picking should be rushed as
much as possible. The seed cotton
can be held by proper storing and the
lint will improve in strength and gain
in weight by being kept in the seed.
Ginning cotton direct from the field is
costing the farmers thousands of dol
lars every year.
Don't wait for the last few scattered
bolls to open. Use the "a" shape stalk
cutter with knives on each side which
cuts two rows. Rake into piles and
leave for five to ten days, according
to weather. All the hollis will open
then that are sufficiently matured and
the cotton can be gathered much more
easily than if left standing all over the
field. AS soon as the leaves, squares,
and small limbs are dry enough to
ma kn a ri,io1y hlano ,o,,k a..