The log cabin Democrat., 1916-07-08
WfFY|L APPEARS
 IN THIS COUNTY
FAULKNERF RFARMfRSALER1
Believed that Intelligent Methods Will Prevent Serious Damage by
 Invasion of Pest.

Although as yet confined to a com paratively small section of the coun- ty, the Mexican boil weevil, as pre- dicted by the United States agricul- tural forces some weeks ago, has al ready made its appearance in Faulk- ner county. Wiley Mosley, the May flower merchant, said that the weevil IS being found in considerable num- bers on his farm and other adjacent farms on the Arkansas river, in Dan- ley township, the extreme southern township of the county.
 Close cultivation rather than pick ing up the punctured squares is be- ing adopted to stop the spread of the weevil, MT. Mosley said today. We had the weevil on the same farms last year." he stated, land we followed with success plan suggested to us by farmer from the boil weevil terri tory of Texas. This plan is to blow shallow between the rows between g and o'clock on sunshiny days, go- ing over the cotton field once a week for four weeks. The singletree will knock off the punctured squares and when they fall in the hot sand and dust the young weevil immediately die. The blowing must be done, how ever, when the sun is hot, else the weevils vii have sufficient vitality to crawl off and get into shelter where they can live. Hot sunshine is fatal to the insects, while moist, shady spots are conducive to their growth and multiplication.
 A bulletin issued yesterday by the United States extension office at Little Rock gives further warning of the in- vasion of the weevil and suggestions as to it's control. The bulletin is re- produced below:
 Reports coming from all~over cen tral and, southern Arkansas show that the weevil is already at work in many fields. This early appearance of the weevil will mean almost the total de- struction of the August crop as we'll as partial destruction of the July crop unless immediate steps are taken to prevent the rapid increase of the weevil Right now and during the next three weeks is the most critical time in the boil weevil fight.
 According to Prof. G. G. Becker, entomologist for the Arkansas agri- cultural experiment station, an infes- tation of 10000 boil weevils per acre will be sufficient to kill all squares that can be put on the cotton plants even during the heaviest fruiting sea- son, which is usually in August. One pair of weevils coming out early in the spring may by time of frost have 25O,OOO living descendants, and for each pair of weevils in the field at this time, we can expect thousands of liv- ing descendants by the middle of Au- gust, or enough infestation to kill all squares formed on several acres of cotton. If we are to avoid heavy in- festation during August, we must de- stroy as far as possible all weevils as fast as they appear at this season of the year. The only way to prevent this rapid multiplication is through the destruction of the square which contains the young. It is commonly known that when the weevil punctures the square it deposits an egg which matches out in few days time to grow into young weevil. After square has been punctured it soon turns yellow and flares open and in few days falls off the plant These f1ared squares are very easy to see on the plant, and it is simple matter to pick them up after they have fal- len to the ground or to pick them off the plant. If all flared squares are picked up every seventh day and de- stroyed the spread of the weevil can be kept under control.
 After the weevils are in the field in large numbers it will be too late to accomplish much in this way. The time for effective work is the time when the weevils first appear in the field. Its first appearance is usually in isolated spots over which it will be an easy matter to pick the squares. By carefully picking up and destroy ing all squares where the weevil first makes its appearance, the infestation can be kept from spreading to other parts of the field. Right at this time the weevils are not in the fields in extremely large numbers. During the l next three weeks is the critical time. Get them now. Every square contain ing young weevil that is destroyed now will mean several hundred fewer weevils during the month of August
 Where there is danger of boil wee vii infestation the cotton must be so managed as to make it fruit very rapidly in order to produce as heavy a crop as possible before the weevil becomes numerous enough to destroy