Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1921-12-14
COTTON PRODUCTION, UNDER
BOIL WEEVIL CONDITIONS

ash also tends to delay the maturity
Of the crop and for this reason mod.
crate applications will generally give
best results. A we'll balanced fert.
lizcr which supplies the needs OF the
soil to which 1t 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 1t is advisable to apply
more OF this nitrogen after the cotton
is up. but in no case should this ap-
plicat:on be delayed until late In the
season. Where large applications OF
fertilizer are made at planting time,
1t is important to mix the fertilizer
with the soil thoroughly SO that 1t will
not interfere with the termination
and early growth of the cotton.
Rapid Cultvation.-From the very
start, cotton should be cultivated in.
tensively to prevent weeds and grass
from ever getting start. To ac-
complsh this. frequent shallow cult
vation is advisable. Cotton should
never be cultivated so deep as to do
story the roots OF the plants, and un-
der no conditions should weeds and
grass be allowed TO get start in the
! cotton. as hey 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. X weevil collecting is done
with the utmost care, giving special
attention to places where the greatest
number OF weevils hibernated. the
aiOrity of the We" wills may be caught
before they lay their eggs. 1t is esti-
mated that weevil collecting when
| weevils per acre are found. is not pro-
ftable
Collecting squares.-When low
priced labor is available square col-
lecting will be helpful II properly
done. Collecting should be begun
about ten days after the flrst bloom
Is seen in the field. But unless Il is
done thoroughly 1t is umprofitable.
About every Ave 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 farod. This
should be ooattnued during the frst
weeks Of the square-forming period.
During wet seasons when cultivation
Is Impossible. nlnv labor may be used
until cultivation can be RESUME cd.
Special attention should be given to
places where large number Of
| 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 It's
walls made Of ordinary wire window
screening Instead Of box. a 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 unsatisfacto results Com
pairing the work and results secured
in South Carolina with the work and
! results secured in other states. II 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 s
, 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 tho second place, winter cover
| crops prevent washing and teaching,
thus saving a 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.
erai dollars worth OF nitrogen to tho
soil. They also greatly increase tho
organic matter In the soil, wn'r.
one OF the most important factors in
developing an early cotton soil