The Washington herald., 1922-06-05
SOUTH EXPECTING
GREATER MENACE
FROM BOIL WEEVlL
Good Weather Multiplies
Ranks of Pest-Short
Crop Is Feared.

MEMPHIS. June with practi-
cally all OF the South's chief crop.
particularly its medium for drawing
on the rest of the world for financial
return. planted. attention 10 being
riveted more and more on a little in
sect Of the weevil family and its
ability to make ravages on the cot
ton crop. Perhaps in all history there
as not been more notice given a little
bug than the cotton boil weeviI is now
getting. not only here in the South.
but wherever the heecy staple is spun
or woven into cloth. For, unless
there is an unexpected development,
this little pest is going to figure very
largely in the amount of cotton pro-
duced this season
The winter having been unusually
mild over the entire South, following
heavy infestation from the weeviI
last season over nearly the entire
cotton growing section. the number
surviving was the greatest in history.
Figures announced some time ago by
the government station in TaIlpIah,
La. showed that five times as many
as in any previous year were alive
and apparently well and ready for
business. There has been found no
apparent reason why the rest of the
belt should have Jared any better as
TO the weevil, so the presumption is
and has been that the figures for the
Louisiana district would also apply
TO the rest Of the belt.
Activities Begin Early.
Reports already coming to hand
from various districts, from Texas to
the Atlantic seaboard. would seem to
indicate that the weevil did not suffer
much from cold weather and has got
busy early for his drive on the cotton
crop. Reports from private sources
as well as from the government
agents have told of its activity and
numerous appearances. although the
pest ordinarily is not plentiful enough
to do much harm until later in the
season. when fruiting starts.
Abundance of rains thus far over
practically all sections has been IA
| vorable for its propagation and spread
and there seems no way of esca ping
heavy depredations. In this section
of the belt the past several days have
brought a flood OF reports of how nu-
merous they were in the fields al
ready.
One OF the main reasons why the
| trade appears so concerned over the
crops lateness and the lowness of
condition. reflected by the average of
the private condition. guesses for the
end OF May being under 20 per cent
normal. and but little over last years
| first report of 66. is that experience
! shows how much the weevil can take
! II II gets a chance when the fruit
| ing is done. II is believed by the
trade that the reason the government
statistical experts at Washington have
reduced the par production basis for
May &5 from last years figure of
223.s pounds OF lint per acre to z.l s
is because they appreciate the weeyil
| menace.
Size of Crop Uncertain.
1t is certain that with labor in
abundance and working better than
| in several years and the outlook an
unusual effort will be made to grow
a large crop in spite OF the weevil
Experience has shown that the best
way to beat II is to use intensive
methods of cultivation and get as
much crop made early as possible.
but the burden Of proof is going to be
on the big-crop idea throughout the
season.
Ideas as to the crop. while more or
less indefinite as yet. are beginning to
crystalline between 10000, 900 and IL
! 100000. which has given much stimu-
lus 10 higher notions Of value. Little
| importance is being given to acreage
FOR 10 per cent increase over last
year has been the maximum expecta
ton for some weeks. while many be-
lieve it less. The confusion arising
over the figures last season helps to
make more indefinite estimates on
acreage. although most calculations
are based on what the department
during the latter part of the winter
announced as the picked area, or
about 81. 500. 900 acres.