The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-12-09
COTTON PRODUCTION UNDER
BOIL WEEVIL CONDITIONS

Of the crop, and for this reason mod
crate applications will generally give
best results. A we'll balanced fert-
lizer which supplies the needs of the
soil to which it is applied gives the
earliest crop and the largest crop.
All of the phosphorus and the pot
ash and most of the nitrogen should
be applied by the time the first
squares begin to form. On very light
sandy soils it is advisable to apply
more of this nitrogen after the cotton
is up, but ip no case should this ap-
plication be delayed until late in the
season. Where large applications Of
fertilizer are made at planting time,
it is important to mix the fertilizer
with the soil thoroughly so that it will
not interfere with the termination
and early growth of the cotton.
Rapid Cultivation.-From the very
start, cotton should be cultivated in
tensively to prevent weeds and grass
from ever getting start. To &C.
complish this, frequent shallow culti'
vation is advisable. Cotton should
never be cultivated 80 deep as to de-
story the roots of the plants, and un-
der no conditions should weeds and
grass be allowed to get start in the
cotton, as they will delay the growth.
Collecting WeeviIs. - 1t may be
helpful to pick weevils from the
young cotton pants before the squares
appear whenever cheap labor that
costs practically nothing in cash Is
available. II weevil collecting is done
with the utmost care, giving special
attention to places whore the greatest
number of weevils hibernated, the
majority of the weeyils may be caught
before they lay their eggs. 1t is esti-
mated that weeVl collecting when
upon thorough search less than so
weevils per acre are found, is not pro-
fitable.
Collecting Squarss.-When low
priced labor is available, square COL
lecting will be helpful if properly
done. Collecting should be begun
about ten days after the Arst bloom
is seen in the field. But unless 1t Is
done thoroughly it is improbable.
About every five days every square
must be picked, no: only those on the
groand, but also those that have cried
on the plants, as we'll as those which
show yellow color or are fiefed. This
should be continued during the first
weeks of the square-forming period.
During wet seasons when cultivation
is impossible, plow labor may be used
Until cultivation can be resumed.
Special attention should be given to
places where a large number Of
weevils passed the winter, such as
bottom lands, woods and fields ad-
joining waste land or other places
where rubbish occurs.
1t is advised that all collected
squares, instead of being destroyed,
be placed in box having one of its
walls made of ordinary wire window
screening. Instead Of box barrel
covered with ordinary window screen.
ing may be used and this laid hori-
zontally at some convenient place.
The box or barrel must be tight so
that no emerging weevils can escape.
The meshes of the wire screens are
too small for weevils to escape, yet
sufficient large to permit the escape
of parasites.
Attempts at poisoning the cotton
boil weevil in 1921 gave variable and
generally unsatisfactory results. Com
pairing the wor!; and results secured
in South Carolina with the work and
results secured in other states, it is
believed that the results secured in
this state during 1921 were due to ad-
verse weather conditions during the
poisoning period, and that poisoning
is profitable when properly done on
high yielding land, provided that the
weather is favorable.
Use of Winter Cover Crops.-The
value Of winter crops in fighting
the boil weevil can not be over-esti-
mated. In the first place, the boil
weevil can not spend the winter in
green cover crop. as it is impossible
for him to evaporate sufficient
amount Of water from his body to en-
able him to live through the winter.
In the second place, winter cover
crops prevent washing and teaching,
thus saving very large amount OF
nitrogen, which is our most expensive
fertilizer. If legumes are used as
cover crops, they not only save large
amount of nitrogen from teaching out
of the soil but may actually add sew
eral dollars worth OF nitrogen to the
soil. They also greatly increase the
organic matter in the soil, wn1r:'
one of the most important factors in
developing an early cotton soil.