Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1922-07-06
FARMERS OF YORK
MUST STOP WEEVIL
TO SAVE COTTON

The cotton fields Of York county are
thick with boil weevils, according to
District Agent A. A. McKeown. who has
visited number Of fields within the
past few days. In fields where not a
weevil. or punctured square could be
seen week ago, there are now scores
of puctnred squares. Mr.. McKeown
states. He visited fields where farmers
said they had seen no weevils, only to
find many squares punctured.
You cannot too strongly urge that
he farmers keep all hands busy picking
and burning the punctured squares. de.
clared Mr.. McKeown in discussing the
weevil conditions. The district agent is
ofNthe opinion that the weevil is rs
umerous in York as he usually is dur.
ing the third year. This is the second
year for the weevil in this county. The
unusually mild winter is believed to be
esponsible for the great increase of the
cotton pest, rs the eggs placed by the
weevils have not yet developed into a
second generation.
1t is for this reason that the picking
of all puncturcd squares and burning
them is urged. If every punctured square
could he burned, then there would be-
no danger of Il second generation consc-
quently little damage until the wecvils
migrated from other territory. The wee
vii lays one Glitter" or "latter" of ercs
nd then dies, although all the eggs ar,
not deposited at the same time. probably
few n day for number of days. By
destroying all the eggs laid by the wee.
wills coming out from their winter hi.
bernation. the possibility of great in.
fiux of the pest when the squares be-
gin to develop rapidly is remote.
Another thing peculiar to the boil
weevil is. experts have found, cotton
squares are the only depository for
eggs. The egg laying season therefore,
begins with the, first squares and the
first crop of eggs are hatchcd and wee
wills mature in the second generation in
ime to push their eggs into the squares
about as fast as they form. Bearing this
in mind. the Importance of prompt ac.
ton in destroying all the squares pune.
tured before the grub emerges is seen.
Agent McKeown stated that many
people in this part Of the country had
not familiarized themselves fully as to
the weevil, this being evidenced by the
fact that after search for the pune
tured squ"res they too quickly arrive
at the conclusion they have no weevils,
when second inspection few days
later would give adequate proof of their
presence. There is nothing like taking
man into his cotton field and showing
him just what the weevils are doing
For this reason Mr.. McKeown urges
the farmers to take their farm hands
and tenants right into the cotton fields
and show them the punctured squares
and explain, by demonstration, JUS,
how the square will drop off and the
stalk will be minus one or more bolls
negro cotton grower usually pays
little attention to the talk about the
weevil, but when you show him how the
insect is destroying the squares and how
by picking the squares and burning
them at regular intervals he can keep
the damage down, he will act, said Mr.
MckeOwn. He recalled an instance of
few days ago in another county when
he was talking with a negro tenant
who had the impression that as he was
an influential church member the pest
would be kept off his cotton. 4 trip into
his field removed the illusion, however
and he was made to see the truth in the
maxim that "thc Lord helps those who
help themselves. As a result he got his
entire family busy picking punctured
squares.
Let the hoe hands and all others who
an keep at work picking the punctured
squares, and let the blowing continue
once and twice week, if possible to
push the growth of the cotton, is the ad.
vice offered by Mr.. McKeown.