Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-05-15
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION
81 DR. ANDREW M. SOULE
More Dope on the Boil weevi1 Fight

More Dope on the Boil weevil Fight
The following suggestions with
| reference to fighting the boil weevil
| have been prepared and submitted to
| the attention of the editor of these
| columns by Prof. j. G. Oliver. of the
extension division of the Georgia
! State College of Agriculture. Prof.
| Oliver is assistant state agent of the
institution in question and has prob
ably had more experience in actually
leading the fight against the weevil
under field conditions in Georgia
| than any other man in the state. Our
readers should cut out the sug
gestions as summarized below by
Prof. oliver and keep them where
they can refer to them from time
to time throughout the growing sea.
son. These suggestions will be
found invaluable and if carefully
followed out. will sbring, worth
while reward in gold dollars to the
Cotton can be grown in spite of
the boil weevils if the proper pre-
cautionary measures are practiced.
The fight divides itself naturally
fight. and second; direct fight.
The Indirect Fight
1. A self sustained farm. All the
feed stuffs needed on the farm for
all the people, work stock, and live
stock on the farm, and a little to
sell to neighbors in town :.
2. A well planned cropping plan
with a, purpose in mind. The soil
of most Georgia farms needs build
with legumes growing with the main
crops affords a means to this end.
A well drained fertile soil is need
ed on which to plant cotton under
can be made on cotton with ,weevils
on land which did not produce as
much as a half bale per acre with
out WeeVilS.
A. A thoroughly prepared seed
bed. The land should be broken in
the fall or winter and narrowed two
or three times early to aid in warm
ing the soil early.
5. Rows should be about half
foot wider than the cotton stalks ;
gives best yields without weevlls
will give best yields with weevils.
6. Fairly liberal use of a high
grade fertilizer will pay. The plant
food in most instances &c, could :, be
ever should all be put. into the soil
at or a few days before planting
well mixed with the soil. If top
dresser is used it should be applied
before squares begin to form.
7. Plant just as soon as cotton
planting weather comes, no sooner.
If seed are put into. cold soil germ1-
nation is retarded, the plants do not
grow rapidly, gets sore shanks, pos
sum cared, and. lousey, a condition
not wanted under weevil conditions
certainly. .-...
8. Put down enough seed, be sure
of a good stand It is too expensive
to cultivate space under WeeVll con
ditions.t
8. Use harrow or weeder after
planting and after cotton comes up.
Warns up soil more. keeps down
grass; thins plants some, gets crop
growing in good shape:
10. Chop to a stand as early as
POSSIBLE; Or, land that will grow
teen inches in drill is perhaps, about
yield more cotton. than one. It has
keen determined by experiments in
ency toward crowding in the drill
rather than too much distance will
give better yields with weevils.
H. Cultivate once week and as
soon after rains as possible: Con-
tinue to cultivate later in the sea-
der to keep the plants growing and
fruiting, producing squares to fur
nish food supply for. weevils in or
der to keep them from puncturing
the bolls.
Il. Use only standardized seed
with early fruiting and rapid matur-
ing tendencies. IF you will not Sc
lect your own seed then pay some
body to do it for you. You want the
ton : wits the two best varieties, per
maps l1a 'sis 81 Big Boil III varieties on
lands that do not wilt Cleveland big
boil and College No. l. Staple va
rieties. Weber and Meade on lands
that do not wilt.
IS. Be sure not to plant more
acres to cotton than be properly man
aged.
IA. Plant some of the acres that
have been to cotton to other supple
mental cash crops. Commercial pea
nuts, sweet potatoes. tobacco, soy
beans on stiff soils, grazing crops for
hogs.
Is. Absolutely no need to become
frightened. Do not lose your head,
go off at tangent, leave the farm.
growing cotton with weevils. you
can if you will:
The direct fight: 5.-..:-..
1. Get out the cotton early and
rip UP the cotton stalks. That is,
destroy the weevils' food supply.
This must be done, before the first
killing frost or. it is. of no value in
controlling the weevil. Destroying
the food supply three or. four weeks
wills off your farm SO that when cold
weather comes you have no WeeVils
going into winter quarters on your
place. Perhaps there is more in this
control measure if done thoroughly
than in all the other direct control
measures. .-.ct>. r4t' 81
2. When warm spring weather
comes keep a close watch in the cot
ton field nearest. old houses, thick
hedges, wood, old stumps and such
like hybernating places. Find and
kill all the old weevils that can be
found before squares form. This
saves much trouble later. You can
afford to offer premium for all the
old wintered over weevils brought to
you up to this time.
8. When squares begin to form
keep all fallen and punctured squares
picked and burned once week until
at least the first of July. This will
not be the hard job that many thing
it to be who have not had it to do
for the reason infestion is. not gen
Allow no young weevils to hatch out.
The old Wintered over weevils are
not hard to manage; it is young
weevils that get the better of you
later in the season.
4. When there is about a twenty
to thirty per cent infestatfon over
the field generally begin to poison
with calcium arsenate, and cease
picking squares. Consult your coun-
ty agent, write to the College of Ag-
riculture at Athens, Ga. about it's use,
Remember it is poison and also
that it has to be applied properly to
be effective. See or get in touch
with some one for more detailed in
formation about it,, than can be given
here. ...'- "..,'' -..
Directions for Using Calcium Ar
senate
l. The use of calcium arsenate for
liable if it is used under proper con-
ditions.
2. 1t will be more profitable when
used on high yielding areas.
3. Only a high grade of calcium