Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1921-05-11
BOIL WEEvIL CONTROL IN
EARLY SUMMER
Weovii Plcktnu.

OAoAAcSA SoiA0SCI "eSJ Aho WV
ton boil weevil requires a long time to
come from it's winter quarters in the
spring and early summer. These pests
begin to emerge usually during the
latter part Of March and while nearly
all Of them will be out by the first
week In June, yet there are stragglers
that will not come out until the first
week in July. They feed upon the
tender leaves and the tips Of the buds
until the squares begin to form.
Whichever weeyils are present in no.
ticeable numbers on the young cot.
ton, 1t will pay to 60 over the field
carefully once or twice and collect
these oyerwinttred weevils from the
buds, says Prof A. r. Conrad, entomo-
logist This can be done most econom-
ically and effectively just before the
time with the utmost care, the ma
jorty Of the wnevils may be gathered
before any eggs have been laid. The
weevils may he killed by crushing
them when carght or by putting them
in a vessel &C ntaining water with a
film Of kerosene over It, The collec-
tion Of weevils before the squares are
formed, it is estimated, will not pay
where upon tn )rough search less than
80 weevils pec acre are found. To
catch weevils from the plants, the fol-
lowing method is generally used: One
hand is held horizontally under the
tip of the plant SO that whom this tip
is bent over with the other hand it
may lie readily Gnught. This method
is based on the tact that the weevil
plays possum" ana will drop to the
ground like dead when disturbed. The
operator will soon learn this. a great
many weevils will escape by dropping
to the ground so quickly that they are
not even noticed by the collector.
Square Picking.
Where an attempt at square pick
ing is contemplated, the following
should receive careful consideration.
First, collecting should be begun
about ten days after Ehe first bloom Is
seen in the field. Second, unless the
work Is done thoroughly it is not pro-
fitable, and this means not only that
squares must be picked from the
ground, but also those that have dried
on the plants, as we'll as those that
show by their unnatural pale or yell
low color, or by flaring, that they are
injured so that those squares hang
ing on the plants may not give the we
evil sufficient time to come out be-
fore the next collection. This means
that collection should be made about
every fifth day. Fourth, the collec-
tion Of squares should be continued
lor at least six weeks. Fifth, the col
lection Of squares is generally advised
during the first few weeks of the
square forming period where wGuyiis
have livod through the winter in large
numbers. Sixth, It, must not be Tor
gotten that under boll waeyil condl.
lions much depends upon cultivation
The chief object is to urge the growth
and fruiting Of the plants as rapidly
as possible. Seventh, 1t Is estimated
that 1t will not pay to pick weevils or
squares unless low priced labor is
available. Frequently this can be
secured by the employment Of women
and children who have an interest in
the crop.
Those who are planning to use the
calcium arsenate poisoning method
for controlling the boil weevil are di-
rected to Circular 1852, u. S. Depart.
ment of Agriculture, Washington, D.
c., which gives explicit information
in the fewest words possible.