Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-12-24
GOVERNMENT GIVES ADVICE
ON FIGHTING BOIL WEEVIL

The great destruction wrought by
the cotton boil weevil this year has
made the problem of it's control a
vital one to practically all cotton
planters. Everywhere the question
is heard, What can be done to
avoid this loss next year,"
For many years prior to the deVel-
opment of poison-control measures
the United States department of ag-
riculture advocated fall destruction
Of cotton plants by burning or plow-
ing under, as the most important
step in controlling the boil weevil.
1t is still good practice as an auxil-
larry to control by poison.
The proper time for the destruc-
ton of the plants in the fall is
whenever the weevils have become
so numerous that there is no pros
pect that any more cotton will be
made. It is an easy matter for any
planter to determine this point, by
an examination of few plants in
his field. Whenever it is found that
all, or nearly all, of the squares and
some of the bolls are being punctur-
ed, there is no hope for producing
any more cotton. The farmer should
then wait until the bolls already
set on the plants have opened, and
destruction should then take place
Immediately.
By all means, if possible, destruc-
ton of plants should take place be-
fore frost, but destruction after
frost, though not nearly as effica-
cious as early destruction, should
always be practiced when it has not
been possible to remove the plants
previously. The plants should be
plowed under deeply, or completely
destroyed by. fire. No sprout cot
ton should be left to furnish breed.
ing places for the weevils.
There are four principal reasons
why the process of fall destruction
should be practiced universally by
planters in infested regions:
First. Fall destruction prevents
absolutely the development of a null.
titude of weevils which would other
wise become adult within a few
weeks of the time of Information.
The destruction of the immature
stages Of Weevils in infested squares
and bolls is accomplished, while the
further growth Of squares which
may become infested later is pre-.
vented. This stops materially the
development of weevils which would
normally hibernate successfully, and
by decreasing the number of weevils
which will emerge in the spring the
chances for successful crop the
following season are very greatly
increased.
Second. A proper manipulation of
the stalks will bring about the de.
struction of a great majority of the
WeeVilS which are already adult.
Third. 1t has been shown conclu-
sively that the bulk of the weevils
which survive the winter are those
which reach maturity late in the sea-
son. 1t is evident that the weevils
that pass the winter and attack the
crop of the following season are
among those developed latest in the
tall and which, in consequence of
that fact, have not exhausted their
vitality by depositing eggs for any
considerable length of time. Fall
destruction Of the plants, increasing
the length of the alternating period,
reduces MANIFOLD the number of
weevils in the fields that would other
wise emerge in the spring to damage
the cotton.
Fourth. Clearing Of the field in
the fall makes it possible to practice
fall blowing, which is not only the
proper procedure in any system of
cotton raising, but also greatly ia
cilitates the early planting Of the
crop the following spring. The
ground becomes clean by this prac-
tice, so that but few places for shell
ter are left for the weevils, and vari-
Gus climatic conditions still further
reduce the number of survivors:
The early planting Of the crop
next spring and the use of an early
maturing variety are also strongly