The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1914-05-15
The BOIL WEEVlL is DUE EARLY.
Prompt Work BY Louisiana Cotton
Growers Will Keep Pest Down
and Save the Crops,

and Save the Crops.
Baton Rouge.-The following from
the United States department of agri-
culture, bureau of plant industry. was
issued Saturday:
To the Louisiana Cotton Planters:
From present indications and re.
ports there will be an early and
heavy emergence of the boil weevil
from their winter quarters. This
should not cause unnecessary or I'M
due encouragement to the farmers.
A heaYy early emergence of the wee
VII is easier to control than late
gradual one. With a heavy early
emergence, the fight on the weevil
can be concentrated into a shorter
period and can be won while the cot
ton is still small Remember that the
successful control of the weeviI
means an intensive fight to prevent
the overwintered weevil from raising
the first brood in the cotton squares,
therefore the earlier that the over
Wlntered weevil emerge, the easier the
control as the cotton is small and the
squares are scarce. The life of the
overwintered weeviI after emergence
IS comparatively short, being about fiji
teen days.
in 1909 there was the heaviest in
festation of weevil ever known in the
State. The emergence was heavy and
early. According to the records of the
State crop pest commission 1924 per
cent OF the surviving weevil had
emerged from winter quarters June 10
OF that year. While the cotton crop Of
the State for 1909 was the smallest on
record, it was caused by the farmers
either becoming panic-stricken and
ploWlng up their cotton or refusing
to follow demonstration methods. In
all cases all over the State where the
instructions of the demonstration
work were closely and persistently fol-
lowed, profitable crop of cotton was
produced. Many specific examples
were recorded of successful crops
where from 500 to 1000 adult weevil
were picked to the acre, and where
the punctured squares were carefully
picked and burned
The following points should be rigid
ly followed
/. Rapid, intensive cultivation adapt.
ed to the condition of plant, soil and
climatic conditions.
2. Persistent picking of the adult
weevil from the bud of the young cot.
ton, until rapid squaring begins. The
first weevil sign is the black withered
terminal bud. Then begin the pick
ing. This work can be done rapidly
and cheaply by children. The cotton
should be picked over, at least once
a week, and twice would be better.
The only good weevil is a dead one,
8. All punctured, yellow squares
should be picked from the ground and
stalk. This work should commence
when the cotton first begins squar-
ing. A pint of squares picked up in
late May or early June is worth
bushel picked up after young weevil
have been allowed to hatch Again,
let me say that the fight is to pre-
vent the overwintered weevil from re-
producing themselves. When you pre-
vent this by picking and burning all
squares punctured by them, victory is
yours and a crop is the reward.
The fight on the punctured squares
should be kept up intensively until
July Is and to Aug. l, If necessary,
The infestation Of the cotton by the
overwintered weevil is never uniform.
There will be heavy infestation in one
field and very light in another Even
in ten-acre cut, there will be spots
of heavy and of light infestation.
Mark the heavy spots and fields and
concentrate the fight on them as much
as possible.
Call on your parish demonstration
agent for any assistance needed, or
write to the Baton Rouge office.
Yours very truly, Mason Snowden,
State Agent, Farm Demonstration
Work.