The log cabin Democrat., 1921-06-22
OUTLINE METHODS
 10 FIGHT WE[y|L
THREATENS COTTON CROP
County Agent Advises Methods Tried with Success-Must Kill First
 Weevils Out.

By County Agent T. M. Williams)
 Boil weevl reports are coming from all parts of the county and in few of the mild winter they promise to be factor to reckon with if a crop of cotton is to be harvested in some sec tions.
 The old method of gathering the dropped squares has in some instances proved to be a costly method of com batting the weevil, especially if the pickers were hired, but to the small farmer with his own help this is still recommended as a means in their con- trol.
 In using this method in addition to gathering the squares from the ground a sack fastened to a barrel hoop is used, holding the mouth of the sack under the stalk after it is bent over and shaking the stalk vigorously so that weevils and punctured squares will be gathered at the same opera tion. EtIW WyN
 The most successful farmers of I ex- as whom I have talked with recently state that they fasten a sack across the arch of their cultivator, low enough the the stalks are bent over as the cultivator passes, thus giving the stalk a "flip' and knocking the punctured squares and weevils to the ground where they are plowed toward the mid dle and into the sunlight where the embryo weevil is destroyed. Also in front of the blows brushes are fasten- ed to give the side of the stalk a shake to aid in the knocking of the weevils and squares to the ground.
 This method is kept up throughout the summer and the entire cotton fields are gone over once each week.
 One farmer stated that he gathered 59 bales of cotton from 80 acres one season by following this system where his neighbors failed entirely.
 The object of the frequent culti- vation aside from knocking off the weevils and the punctured squares, is to keep the plants putting on new squares on which the weevils feed in- stead of attacking the bolls already formed and set. When there are no tender squares the weevils work on the bolls.
 Calcium arsenate sprayed on at night while the stalks are wet with dew has proved to be the most successful method yet used, where the cotton promises a, full crop and will yield half a bale per acre or more. The in- itial cost of the dusting machinery prevents many from using this meth cd on the smaller farms and, too, the arsenate is expensive which necessi- tates that large yield must already be evident before the risk could be taken.
 Fields enclosed with hog-tight wire might be pastured with good success by hogs. This method proved extreme 1 ly successful in a small field for E. L. King last year. Also favorable re. ports from near Texarkana were re- ceived in favor of this method.
 To summarize: The farmer with his own help and not otherwise em. polyed, pick all punctured squares blow shallow and frequent with brushes fastened to sides of cultiva tors in front of blows with a sack across the row fastened to the arch of the cultivatcr. Flow until oper bolls are seer. Bottom farmers with good yields evident and sufficient acreage could we'll afford to try the calcium arsenate in addition to the frequent cultivation.
 Remember it is the first crop of weevils that you need to work harder for, as they soon have the fields we'll stocked with eggs for future matching and if is this brood that works havoc.