The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1919-07-24
HOW TO FIGHT THE WEEV1L.
Alabama Citizen Offers Timely ad-
vice to Bamberg Farmers.

v;]1e Alabama. spent several days in
Bamberg last week visiting relatives
and friends. Mr.. Dantzler is related
to number of Bamberg county taml-
lies. and visits the county occaslou-
ally. He resides in a Mexican DOH
weevil infested country, and knows
something about the ways OF the wee
vii, and also knows what the people
in Alabama have done to combat the
weevil. Mr.. Dantzler relates the eS-
periences of the Alabama farmers
with the weevil as follows, which Will
bo of interest to the farmers here:
s*The first year he usually makes
his appearance in the fall and out
little can be done toward checking
him except to destroy as many as
possible before they hibernate 1or
the winter. Though they are usual
" so few the first year that 1t Will
not pay to spend much time IN LOOK
ing for them. The second year there
will not be many weevils before the
last of August or September, there
fore. it will do but little damage. 1t
will pav however to have hoe and
plow hands keep sharp Lookout 1or
weevils from the time. cotton chop-
ping is commenced and when they
see pne follow and catch him and
TO make the hands move vlllgant
offer a reward of say cents each
for all weevils caught early III the
season. The first weevils are usually
found in the bud of the cotton ABOUT
the time the third leaf is coming out
where he subsists until the cotton
puts on squares Cor forms) after
which he lives by puncturlng the
snuare and sucking the juice there
from. Before leaving each square
he deposits an egg therein when
brings forth another weevil in about
three weeks.
"The third year is the time TO
make the fight in earnest for with
all that you can do great damage
will be done, especially if there Is
much rain during the months OF
June and July. Commence the fight
same as the second year and in addi-
tion soon as the punctured squares
begin to drop have them picked up
and burned once a week fo- about
six weeks (children can do this
work.. 1t will also pay to use
boil weevil catcher, which is simply
two tin troughs connected, contain
ing oil drawn along the row with the
cotton passing between them Into
which the weevils and punctured
squares drop. There are several
kinds of these machines, all of which
that I have seen are good.
"The most important work to be
done this, the third year, is to gath
or the cotton before cold weather,
and cut up and plow IN the stalks
with two or three-horse ploWs or
tractors before the weevils hiber-
nate for the winter.
"a full crop of cotton should not
be planted the third year. Five to
10 acres to the plow is best, contia-
gent of course upon the labor supply
and the risk you are willing to take,
but by all means the stalks should
be buried or, burned before cold
weather and this should be co1t!n-
ued several years-how long de-
pends entirely upon your work OF
destruction and the rains in June,
July and August.
'EAfter the third year by using
energetically the experience and
knowledge you have gained you can
make cotton right along, but it will
be unsafe to plant more than hall
of a normal crop for several years,
because when he comes it is to stay.
He has not even deserted the trst
friends he made on entering the
United States.
:*You already have the weevll in
this State putting in his work OF de-
struction and will advance from ~
to 40 miles a season, therefore, it is
well to commence preparations for
his coming next year, by reducing
the acreage in cotton and planting
more grain and raising more cattle
and hogs. Keep up this diversllca-
ton every year with gradual reduc-
ton of cotton acreage until the third
year after the weevil first visits your
cotton field where if you have only
five acres to the plow you will be hurt
very little.
"While the destruction of the wee
vii is almost beyond the limit of imag-