Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1917-02-02
90 d Bon Wesvil Wlater surviysI.

Facts Of Boil Weevil Winter Survivals
II is an accepted fact that the mum.
Der of boil wecyils which survive hiber-
nation is determined by the winter
temperature. Entire determination is
not 10 be hoped for. Boil wccy.ls like
all alternating insects, can stand a
lot of freezing-thc f%tte-t. on %fattcst,
survive when the great majority per
ishcs. This fact is being tested and
proved by numerous personal inycsti-
cations this winter, as in those that
have preceded it. A farmer Of Union
county, in the northeastern part Of the
state, has been convinced by success
in restoring u number Of frozen stin
wccyils 10 warmth and life, that di-
ycrsihcation is the only solution. In
the same connection, the following
from a Bolivar county farmer is
quoted:
Editor Enterprise;
after making a close study as pos.
siblc of the boil weevil since the year
1911, / I'm convinced that the greater
part Of them are carried over from one
season 10 the other, and especially as
far north as Bolivar county, in the
seed cotton. On the fifth day of No
ycmber, 1918, ! put fifty-three weeyils
in a half-gallon fruit jar partly filled
with cotton seed, and on the first day
Of April, 1915, there were still living
eleven Of them, but by the eleventh Of
the month, there was only one alive.
On the third day Of November, 1916.
| put one hundred and twcnty-three
in a fruit jar as before and buried them
in cotton seed, and about ten days
ago there were ten or twelve left, but
since all have died. On the seventh of
December, | put three hundred and
twenty in another jar, and at least
one hundred and fifty Of them are
alive to-day. Anybody that wishes
can come to my home and see Just
how a boil wccvil looks in the winter.
must say that they are as leet-footed
on n warm day now as they are in
August.
someone may want to inquire as
to where | got these weeyiIs. They
anne from the dust pipe at the Plant
RS gin at Merigold, and also that of
NJ. kIcine. If all gins would clean up
hcsc trash piles and burn them, they
lessen the number Of boil
ycevlIs every year. If the people
throughout the cotton belt would put
heir shoulders to the wheel sand
rcat their cotton seed to kill the
y%ccyils before planting time, | feel
IRE that it will do lots Of good. There
hould be Il law compelling every
.armcr to treat his cotton seed for
Wccyils, but since there is none, they
houId do it anyway; and | think this.
with the production Of more corn, peas.
beans and potatoes and less cotton.
will enable the farmers to- take an easy
breath next fail. j. C. Heck"
The practical merit of Mr.. Hcck's
interesting story of boil weeyil winter
quarters is quite apparent. What is
wanted is more facts and less specula-
ion and theory on the boil weevil.
Though the rule that boil wccyil sur
'iycrs first appear ON the timber edges ,
S impressive of the belief that they
md their greatest alternating security
With other insccts-undcr the bark and
racks Of trees and logs, where they ;
re best sheltered from rain. Gins !,
nd other plantation houses would I
lso, doubtless, afford good cover |
or carrying Uyer the surviyals. And :.
o carry out Mr.. lIeck's suggestion to I,
lean up and burn the trash piles p
'ould bring good results. Vicksburg t
u