The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-12-17

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 intensively to
prevent weeds and grass from ever
getting a start. To accomplish
this, frequent shallow cultivation
is advisable. Cotton should never
be cultivated SO deep as to destroy
the roots CT the plants, and under
no conditions should weeds and
grass be allowed 20 get a start in
the cotton, as they Will delay the
growth.
Collecting Wccyils.
It may be helpful 10 pick weevils
from the young cotton plants be-
fore the squa res appear whenever
cheap labor that costs practically
nothing in cash is available. If
weevil collecting is done with the
utmost care, giving special atten-
ton to places where the greatest
number Of weevils hibernated, the
majority of the wcevi!s may be
caught before they lay their eggs.
Il is estimated that wecvil collect
! ing when upon thorough search
less than SO weveilS per acre are
found, is not profitable.
Collecting Squares.
When low-priced labor is avail
able. square collectirs will be help
full if properly done. Collecting
should be begun about ten days af-
ter the first bloom is seen in the
field. But unless it is done thor
. oughly it is improbable. About
every five days every square must
be picked, not only those on the
ground, but also those that have
dried on the plants, as we'll as
those which show yellow color or
are flared. This should be con-
tinued during the first weeks of
the square-forming period. Dur
ing wet seasons when cultivation
is impossible, plow labor may be
| used until cultivation can be re-
sumed. Special attention should
be given to places where large
number of weevils passed the VIM
tre. such as bottom lands, wo ids
and fields adjoining waste land or
other places where rubbish occurs.
1t is advised that all collected
squares. instead Of being Destroy
ed, be placed in a box having one
of its walls made Of ordinary wire
window screening. Instead of q
Eox. a barrel covered with ordl-
rary window screening may DC
used and this laid horizontally at
some convenient place.
; The box or barrel must be tight
so that no emerging weevlls can
escape. The meshes Of the wire
screen are TOO small for weeviis to
escape, yet sufficiently large to
permit the escape Of parasites.
Attempts at poisoning the cot
ton boil weevil in 1921 gave vari-
able and generally unsatisfactory
results. Comparing the work and
| results secured in other states, 1t
! is believed that the results Sc
cured in this state during 1921
were. due to adverse weather con-
ditions during the poisoning pc
Rod, and that poising is profitable
when properly done on high yield
F! ing land, provided that the
weather is favorable.
Use OF Winter Crops.
The value CT winter cover crops
! in fighting the boil weevil can not
be overestimated. In the first
place. the boil weevil can not spend
F; the winter in a green cover crop,
as it is impossible for nim to evapo-
rate a sufficient amount of water
! from his body to enable 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 fer
tiliZer. If legumes are used as
cover crops. they not only save a
large amount Of nitrogen from
teaching out Of the soil but may
actually add several dollars worth
of nitrogen to the soil. They alsc
greatly increase the organic mat
ter in the soil. which is one Of the
most important factors in develop
! ing an early cotton soil.
The extension service of Cler1-
! son College has published EXten-
! sion Bulletin 4S. Farming under
Boil Weevil Conditions" and has
secured through Senator \. +
Dial the publication of a revision
Of the Report Of the South Caro-
lima Boil Weevil Commission
Both OF these publications. whlcs
may be had from county agents OF
from the Extension Service. Glenn
son College, s. c.. contain valuable
suggestions on growing cotton un-
der boil weevil conditions.