The Bolivar County Democrat. (Rosedale, Miss.) 1887-1969, 1918-03-16
FREEZES AND BOIL WEEVIL

idii'eiS to assume that the freezes
CT the past few weeks have exter-
minated the cotton boil weeyil
says the Department of Ae.icul-
ture, III answer TO many Inquiries
from the South.
During the past winter the tenn
peratnres have been lower than at
any time since 1899. and there can
heard]y he any doubt that this
| extreme cold has reduced the num-
bers Of weevils in many sections of
the South. The impression has
been gained by many planters that
the weevils has been reduced to
negligible numbers. il not altogeth-
er exterminated. 1t is too much
to expect that the Temperatures
have been uniformly cold enough
to absolutely exterminate the wee
vii from latge areas The records
Of the Department Of Agriculture
indicates that there is at least from
to S per cent survival of the
weevil in those sections which
have been thoroughly studied as
against a normal of 7.6 per cent
survival. This percentage of sur
viving weevils Is Sufficient to re-
stock the cotton fields Of the Soutl,
before the end of the growing
season.
There is always a possibility
that there may be some specially
sheltered spots even in the more
northetuly infested regions where
some Weevils will survive. The
instinct of the weevil leads 1t TO
seek the warmest shelter available
in the vicinity of it's breeding
groun 1t will shelter itself under
the bark of.trees. or in thick hang.
ing t1loss upon the trees. under the
thatch of roofs, and in straw stacks,
in seed storehouses and gins, ard
in other buildings. 1t is therefore
quite easy to see that no matter
how cold the external temperatures
are there is always probability
that there will be weevils surviv
ing in each field sheltered securely
enough to carry them through the
winter.
The experience of rs yeare with
the boil weevil in this country has
shown that one or two weev'ls sur
viving in a field can easily produce
enough offsprinRs to destroy all
but the earliest portions CT the
crop
No reliable prediction can be
made on the basis Of what happen
ed during the winter. Frequently
seasons in which verv few weevils
pass the winter have been follow
ed by great injury to the crop by
the weevil. This has been due to
favorable conditions broueh, about
bv heavv rains during the early
part of the growing season. which
permitted the weeviis TO overcome
their losses duiing the winter, or
to early dispersion of the weevils
from toe warmer sections of the
cotton belt. and sometimes to Sc
we're tropical storths which fire.
quen,ly sweep over the Gulf States.
1t is therefore apparent that the
conditions of the spring and sum-
mer will largely determine the ex-
tent OF damage due to the weevil.
rather than the number of tveeVils
which survive In a given locality.
In the opinion of the Depart
ment of Agriculture, 1t would be
very unfortunate ii the prevailing
impression concerning the boil
weetil should increase the acreage
of cotton at the expense of food
crops. At the present time. what
is most urgently needed through
out the South is an increased pro.
duction of food ami feed crops.
There is every indication that the
normal acreage In cotton. with
proper cultivation. will give sup
Div of the staple sufficient for all
purposes. 1t is clearly a mattel
of patriotism as we'll as sound
Judgment of the planters to in
craese the acreage in food crops.
The planter who increases his cot
ton acreage cannot be assured that
his crop will not suffer greatly
from the boil weevil attack. and
will be utilizing his land In a
way which does not best serve the
necessities of the country.
Director General McAdoo has
already issued warning that
transportation difficulties i'll 1913
may make it difficult. if not i'm
possible, to supply food and feed
promptly to occmmunities that neg
lect to provide their own necessi-
ties. To say the least. the drain
on transportation is so heavy that
any exceptional requirements for
hauling food and feed to the South
will be an actual embarrassment to
the Government in the prosecution
of the war. The Department OF
Agriculture is not asking the South
to contribute materially to the
Nations food and feed supply. but
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