The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1917-09-04

eff the farmer desires to kill these
insects then he can do so. If it is not
practicable to burn these stalks they
can still be uprooted, thereby de-
stroying the green food supply of the
weevils and preventing the further
| increase of the insects. Fall destruc-
ton of weevils insures a crop for the
following season."
This measure of control, it is
pointed out by the entomologist, can
not be applied alike to all infested re-
gions. 1t is of the greatest import
ance in localities of the extreme
South where the boil weevil problem
is most serious. Farther north the
colder winters make this step less i'm
portant. AS the practicability of fall
destruction depends upon the supply
of labor available and upon the size
of the paintings, it is a measure par
ticularly applicable to the southern
and southeastern parts of the cotton
belt where the cotton fields are small
and labor is sufficiently plentiful to
perform the work in ample time.
determination of boil weevils in
the fall has not been adopted as wide
ly as it should be, the department
entomologist reports, but individual
instances everywhere show its value.
In one of many experiments per-
formed by the bureau of entomology,
this one in Calhoun county, Texas,
the stalks growing on 40 acre of
land were destroyed early in October.
Production Is Increased.
Careful records kept during the
fall each season showed that this
work had increased the production
more than one-fourth of bale per
acre over the crop on a check area
nearby where such work was not
done. Circumstances surrounding
the experiments show that the adj
vantage was probably considerably
greater than indicated by the estimat-
ed increased yield, which is very con-
sentative.
No definite rule can be laid down
as to the proper time for destroying
weevils in this way. In general, the
proper time is whenever the weevils
have rachel their numbers as to in
fest practically all of the squares
that are being set. This may occur
much earlier in some seasons than in
others. Fall destruction as late as
November will accomplish much, but
several times the number of weevils
can be destroyed if the work is done
in October This rule should be to
destroy infested plants at the earliest
possible date in the fall. 1t is much
better to sacrifice a small quantity
Of cotton than to defer the operation.
The loss will more than be made
good by an increase in the next crop.
In regions where the loss of or
ganic matter from the burning of
stalks is important, it is advisable,
the specialist says, to cut the stalks
by means of the machine usually en-
ployed for that purpose and bury
them deeply as soon as possible. This
will cause the destruction of many
of the immature stages of the weevil
in the squares and bolls. Other fall
measures against the weevils include
blowing under infested squares, graz
ing cotton fields with cattle, sheep or
goats, and preventing the growth
of volunteer cotton or sprouts from
the old stumps.
More Serious in Georgia.
The departemnt of agriculture
does not rest its case, however, with
the announcement of this anti-bon
weevil system. The problem of boil
weevil control becomes more serious,
the specialists say. as the pest con-
tinues its invasion of the cotton belt.
Eastern planters must expect a more
serious problem than that which con-
fronted the farmers of Texas because
the humid conditions in the east are
more favorable to the life of the wee
wills. Better means of control must
be devised for the region that is be-
coming invaded, and, if possible, 9TH
er means must be developed to re-
duce the enormous loss that is suf-
fered, especially during unfavorable