The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-09-05
war ON BOIL WEEV|L.
FARMERS SHOULD NOT TRUST
no LUCK.
Agricultural Department Gives Sug-
gestions for Growing War Crops of
Cotton.

Washington. Aug. 30.-what is
South Carolina doing for the boil
weevil? There is no cure-all or easy
way to controi wee Is. Only a COM
bination of measures, or an anti-boll
weevil system Of farming, practiced
the year round. will enable farmers
to produce the most profitable crops
Of cotton under weevil conditions. Re-
porting studies Of the habits and con-
troll Of this pest covering many years
of experimenting, w. D. Hunter, a
specialist in the bureau Of entomol-
ogy, United States department Of ag-
riculture, in Farmers Bulletin S4S
'The Boil weevil Problem" describes
this control system. 1t contains the
formula for growing larger war
crops Of American crops of cotton
without increasing. and possibly by
decreasing, the present acreage in
this crop. Briefly these are it's main
points:
i. Destruction of weevils in the
fall by plowing under or by uproot-
ing and burning the plants.
7 Q. Destruction in their hibernat.
ing places Of weevils that survive ir
the first operation.
3. Locating cotton crops fields
where heavy infesation may be avoid.
ed.
-. Early and thorough preparation
Of the land to obtain an early crop
This means fall plowing and.'wintel
working Of land. or the use of cover
crops.
s. Determination by experiments
on local soils of best methods o
spacing. both between rows and be
between plants in the row.
Q. Insuring an early crop by early
planting Of early maturing varietie
and by fertilizing where necessary.
That Is the working program which
the cotton grower in boil weepii ter
ritory should hang on the wall a.
his guide. Some Of the measures arc
not new in principle. They are ole
methods which, modified and i'm.
proved. have stood the test Of, years
They represent plain and practica
farming methods and. although they
may appear less attractive than man,
Of the fantastical panaceas which
spring up from time to time in cot
ton growing sections they are sound
and reliable. individually they are
effective In checking the ravages
the weevils and collectively they of
fer a practicable system which i
followed carefully, will insure a
crop In spite Of this pest. The sys
tenn may have to undergo sligh
notifications to meet local conditions
For example, In some localities hand
picking of weevils and infested
squares at times may prove a. profit.
able measure. amsa
The department of agriculture does
not rest Its case. however. with the
announcement Of this anti-boll wee.
vii system. The problem Of boil wee
vii control becomes more serious. the
specialists say, as the pest continues
It's invasion Of the cotton belt. East
ern planters must expect q more ser.
ious 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. mus;
be devised for that region that Is
becoming invaded. and II possible,
other means must be developed to re.
duce the enormous loss that is suf-
Tered. especially during unfavorabl,
seasons. in Texas. The principal
work Of the bureau of entomology
at this time is in attempting to devise
means for this requisite additiona'
control.
Much has been learned about the
habits Of the boil weevil. Many seem
ingly excellent thee lies of contro,
have fallen before ehis newly discov-
cred information. A few may be men
toned. Repellents do not repel the
Doll weevil. Sprays innumerable
nave been tried unsuccessfu..y. No
are the weevils attracted to light.
Lantern traps have been hung in cot.
ton helds by many farmers but onl"
occasional stragglers are caught ir
this way. the specialists have learn
ed.
Machines employing suction and
Earring devices designed tn nick u,oo.