Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-07-25
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION
81 DR. ANDREW M. SOULE

it falls to the ground. The young
boil that is punctured does not fall
to the ground, but the weevil ma
lures and energies from the boil
while it is still on the plant.
Each female weevil lays from one
to about five hundred eggs during
a lifetime. The average Of all fe-
males is probably about one hundred
and fifty eggs. The egg-laying Pc
riod is about thirty to forty days,
the weevils lay one to as high as
twenty-five eggs per day during
this period. The average is about
four or five per day.
Second Stage. The second stage is
the larva or grub. A small larva
matches from the egg and feeds on
the tissues of the square, or boil
in which it was Matched. This larva,
or grub, or worm, is very small
when Matched, but grows rapidly as
it feeds. 1t resembles the worm so
often found in a peach or plum. 1t
is the feeding of this worm that
causes the square to fall to the
ground and that Injuries or destroys
the boil. The larva develops in from
seven to forty-five or fifty days, de-
amount or moisture. In average
summer weather they mature in
about ten to fifteen days, but in
longer to develop.
Third Stage. When the larva is
full grown, it goes into the pupa
stage. 1t does no feeding in this
stage, which is passed inside the
cavity eaten out on the inside. of
the square or boil. During this in
active stage the larva gradually
changes it's shape. 1t grows snout,
wings and legs, and finally becomes
a full grown adult weevil.
The pupa stage is usually three to
seven days, but in cold dry wealth
err it may be longer.
Fourth. Stage. After it is fully
grown it cuts a hole in the square
or boil and comes out and begins
feeding. A great many young, new
ly emerged weevils may be found
feeding on the pollen in the newly
opened, white blossoms just before
or about noon, almost any time in
late summer.
The female weevils do not begin to
lay eggs until three to eighteen days
after emerging from the square or
boil. Mating of male and female
weevils takes place during this time.
The entire time from egg through
larva, and pupa stage to adult Wee
vii of a new generation, will aver
age about twenty-one days in the
summer, but during the fall it may
be much longer than that.
Fighting Bool Weevil with
Machinery
In response to numerous inquiries
with reference to the use of ma
chinery in fighting the boil weevil,
I have asked Professor Frank G.
Ward, cotton specialist, Georgia
State College of Agriculture, to pre-
pare such data as would likely be
of most service to our farmers along
this line. Professor Ward has the
following suggestions to offer.
There are several types of dust
ing machines adapted to different
conditions. There are several COM
panies manufacturing each type.
The horse-drawn buster does the
most effective and most satisfactory
work.
The type Of machine that will
probably be most satisfactory in
the greatest number of cases is the
one-horse two-row buster. This ma
chine dusts two rows, and the man
operating it walks behind as in run
ming a planter or pillow. One of these
machines can dust 10 to 20 acres
a night or rs to so acres a season.
They sell for about $125 each.
Two-Horse Machine. The two
horse cart machines give q better
distribution of poison than the one
horse machines, but are more ex
pensive. These machines take three
rows at a time and will dust Is to
80 acres a night. They will take
care of SO TO 100 acres of cotton a
year. In operating this machine
the man rides and drives two mules.
1t is more satisfactory to the opera
tor since he rides, and it puts him
up out of dew and mud. Machines
of this type sell for $3.50 to $400
each.
Mule Back Buster. The mule back
buster does not give us satisfactory
distribution of the dust as the two
above named machines, but are sat
isfactory under certain conditions.
With these machines the operator
rides a mule and turns two cranks
with his hand taking two rows at a
time. They will dust 10 to Is acres
a night and take care of 80 to so