Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-10-12
CHECKING wEEv1r RAvAeEs.


and concerted tight for the purpose of
minimizing the damage which boil
weevils will do in Georgia next sum-
mer. Experience has shown that one of
the most successful ways of fighting
this best is through the destruction of
the cotton stalks in the early fall I'M
mediately the cotton is picked out this
work should be commenced with vigor
and dispatch. A survey of the state in
dictates that weevils have been found
during the season now closing in all
the counties I'm the southwestern part of
the state. and in some sections the dam
age has been severe. In this connection
it is important to state that the boil
weevil lives on cotton alone. Therefore,
If the plants are destroyed in the early
fall before frosts occur and before the
boil weevil has gone into winter quar-
ters. it's host plant not being available
large numbers of the weevil necessarily
starve to death or the functions of their
bodies are so greatly reduced that they
cannot survive the cold weather of the
winter.
In fighting every pest which attacks
crops useful to man, nature has always
provided relatively simple and effective
way of checking it's inroads. There
is nothing mysterious about the plan
suggested. 1t is something that can oe
put into erect Immediately on every
farm. 1t is cheap method of fighting
this pest; therefore, every farmer who
Is wise and judicious should employ this
method. Not only will a large number
of weevils be starved or destroyed by
being buried completely in the ground
through the turning under Of the infest-
ed stalks, but thousands of eggs and the
young worms which may develop into
weevils before frost will be killed as
well. Thus, in the state of Georgia
alone, if there is cooperative, systemat-
ic effort on the part of all cotton grow
ers millions upon millions of this pest
may be destroyed cheaply and quickly.
On the other hand, if the stalks are not
turned under and the ground plowed just
as soon as possible, millions of weevils
will survive the winter and be ready
just as soon as the cotton comes out of
the ground to start their depredations.
and thus, in many instances, the farm
er's crop may be completely destroyed.
Since cotton Is our main money crop
and likely to continue so IT does not
seem that we would neglect this oppor-
tunity of dealing effectively with its
one great and serious enemy. 1t is now
bringing a high price and this Is bound
to continue In so far as any economist
can determine at this time. Apparently.
there will be a great demand for cotton
next year because the worlds reserve
supplies are low and the consumption of
cotton greatly increased by the demands
Of the war.
There is another great advantage in
destroying the stalks in the fall. Where
this is done the land in many instances
has been thoroughly prepared for plant
ing early next spring. Everyone knows
that in fighting the weevil early plant
ing is a matter of the utmost impor-
lance. Those familiar with our sea-
sonal conditions in the southeast know
that, as a rule. fall-plowed land can be
planted much earlier than spring
plowed land. Moreover, cotton loves
fairly firm seed bed, and, as rule, If
the land is disked or narrowed thor
oughly in the spring, 1t will be suf-
ficiently friable to enable the farmer to
Immediately bed it for cotton; whereas,
if he has to wait for the spring to pre-
pare his land, the soil often dries out
and the seed bed becomes so loose that
it is hard to obtain a stand, and GER
tainly early planting can seldom be
accomplished.
Remember in this connection that the
earlier the cotton stalks are destroyed
the better. If the work is done in Sep
TENDER it will generally be an advantage.
1t should certainly be accomplished In
the early part of October. Some one
will say Immediately that this is i'm
practicable because a large part of the
cotton crop cannot be picked out until
the first OF November or later. This
no doubt applies to some sections which
the boil weevil has not invaded, but in
those sections where the damage is most
severe there will never be a top crop of
cotton because the weevils destroy it so
completely in the late summer and early
fall In other words, under boil weevil
conditions the farmer must depend on
gathering a profitable crop of cotton
from those bolls which set on very early
i'm the season and mature rapidly. or. in
other words. before the weevil develops
sufficiently to effectively attack them.
AS to the method of destroying the
stalks the best practice will be to pillow
them under. Covering them deeply Is
absolutely essential. If the stalks are
not large, say over three feet high, they
may be we'll covered into the soil by
attaching a heavy chain to the Golfer
and to the end OF the doubletree. On
plows without Golfers the chain may be
attached to the beam. Enough slack, or
course, must be left to drag the stalks
down successfully. A relatively heavy
chain should be used. because the stalks
at the season indicated are green and
tough and have a considerable re-
sistance on that account. Remember
nat it is very, very important to cover
the stalks thoroughly and to depth of
several inches Those who have been
practicing shallow blowing in the past
will now find It essential If they expect
to continue the cultivation of cotton on
n profitable basis to use heavier turning
blows in the future than they have en-
ployed in the past
Where the stalks are very tall, say
four or five feet, the disk or cutaway
harrow must often be resorted to to
break them down sufficiently to permit
of the pillow turning them under to
proper depth. When this implement Is
used the gangs must be set at an angle
that will enable the disk to cut deeply
and successfully straddle each row. In
some instances it may be necessary to
go over the rows twice. Occasionally
the ground becomes so hard that the
stalks can not be turned under in the
fall Every one in the southeastern
states is familiar with the fact that We
frequently have dry periods In the au-
tumn. When this occurs one should rip
up the stalks with a bull tongue or with
any sort of an implement that will
destroy the roots and lift them out of
the ground so they will die quickly.
While this is not as desirable a prac-
tice as blowing them under, the destruc-
ton of the stalks is a matter of such