Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1920-02-27
FACTS of Importance in Connection
with tho BOIL WsaviI EIGHT

Ol many lnaJ We nave nau severe
enough VIC Their to seriously damage
the ALTERNATING boil weevils. 1t is
greatly to be regretted that this is
not a fact, but all our knowledge
and experience with this pest point
20 the contrary. 1t takes very severe
weather to kill out the weevil to
that extent where he is likely not to
do any material damage in our cot
ton fields this year. 1t is said by
those who claim to speak with au-
thority that temperature of at
least s degrees below zero is nee
essary to the attainment of this end,
The boil weevil is able to obtain
such a very large amount of cover
in this state that he is relatively
secure except against starvation. We
should Away endeaVor, therefore,
to send him into winter quarters i'll
the worst condition possible, for,
strange as it may seem, he does not
seem to starve readily after hyber-
nation begins. If we send him into
winter qua ters, however, in run
down condition, he is much more
likely to succumb than if he is al
lowed to engorge himself in the cot
ton field until cold weather comes
and then take deep protective cover
to pass the months elapsing before
the next crop develops sufficiently to
sustain him.
This question of the INFORMATION
of wGevils has been studied at con-
siderable length and it was found
by the experts who did this work
that of 10000 weevils which went
into hybernation less than 81 per
cent survived. Only about 3 per cent
of weevils survived where the cotton
stalks were destroyed by October Is,
but if we leave the stalks in the
field until Christmas probably 40 per
cent of those which go into hyber-
nation will come out. This bears out
the statement made above, and shows
the very great Importance of de-
stroying cotton stalks early in the
fall. This can certainly be done by
one of the methods advocated as eff
fective by all who have had expert
ence with this pest.
1t is a long time until fall. The
cotton crop of 1920 has not been
made yet. The average farmer will
think it is not worth while to give
consideration to stalk destruction at
this time, but the most important
thing after all is to get the idea
clearly in mind and then make prep
arations to accomplish the end in
view sufficiently far in advance to
make sure of the weevils' destruc-
ton before he can take cover.
From the correspondence which
comes to my attention it appears
that many farmers will not attempt
to reduce their cotton acreage this
year. This will happen in the case
of a large number of individuals as
we'll who suffered very severe losses
by weevil depreciation last year. 1t
is the case of the old, old story of
the spilled milk and the child who
is not afraid of the fire. 1t is sur
prising how many times we have to
have our fingers burned before we
learn that the stove is hot. One Of
the means of fighting the weevil
most successfully is through re-
ducing the acreage. Concentrate the
energy and the labor of the farm on
a small area. Give better cultiva-
ton and attention to the crop and
then use every means OF fighting the
Weevil which can be brought into
play. Where this is done cotton can
be grown even in the face of heavy
infestation with some considerable
profit and success. OF course, the
conditions will vary in different
PARTS of the state. In some cases,
probably a normal crop of cotton will
be made; in others, the loss may be
severe, but the average of the re-
suits indicated can certainly be OBJ
20 = ~ ;rrlo lie Of
tice are instituted and followed.
In our opinion not over five acres
of cotton should be planted per plow
We have heard of instances where
twenty to thirty will be planted. This
surely is a suicidal policy to follow,
and while it may not be appropriate
to say II told you So next fall, it
will be unfortunate for the individ-
uals concerned as they will lose very
heavily and initiate against the
prosperity of the state, though duly
warned of the dangers they face in
time to escape the calamity.
Every one wishes to know what
they shall do with the surplus land
TREY have previously been devoting
to cotton and will now have to de-
vote to something else. There is al
most an endless variety of crops
which can be grown on soils of this
character with both profit and adj
vantage. We are still reputed to be
sending out of Georgia more than one
hundred million dollars annually for
milk, butter and eggs, corn, wheat
and canned goods. We purchase
large amounts of meat from this
west. We can grow all of these
things that we need at home. The
land not devoted to cotton should MOI
remain idle. 1t can be made to pro.
duce as much relative profit as the
cotton land if it is judiciously anc
wisely handled. Plans advising the
procedure to follow have been fire.
quently sent out and they are easily
Cbtainahle on the part of all who
may be interested.
Under existing conditions we mus
do everything we can to hasten the
maturity of the cotton crop. To th!!
end a new order in the use of Ger
tiliZers is about to be consumma ted
1t hasj undoubtedly been demonstrat
ed that phosphorus will influence tn.
fastening of maturity more thar
any other element of plant food W.
should use it literally, therefore, O.
all our cotton land. 1t has been cred
tied in experiments made in various
PARTS of the country increasing the
yield of lint cotton as much as II!
pounds per acre. Its application wa
found very valuable by Texas farm
ers who previous to the advent o
the weevil had used comparatiyel,
little of it on their lands. The us,
of phosphorus alone would be mis-
take. In addition we must provid,
nitrogen. This in asmeasure delay!
maturity, but on the other hand
nitrogen is essential to the gr0wtl
and development of cotton, and w
must have q vigorous, rapidly deveI
oped stalk in order TO support an
mature a part of the crop which tn
Weevil would otherwise destroy
Hence it is desirable that we EN-
rhasizc applications of nitrogen
! While potash in the minds of man.
IN hn