The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1922-06-14
MORE WEEVIL ADVICE.

1t will not hurt anyone we think to
have all the light possible on the boil
weevil question. Mr.. D. R. Coker of
Hartsville contributes an article on
the subject in The State of today. 1t
is worth reading. Mr.. Coker is one
of the most progressive farmers in
the state. He is largely interested in
farming and is, we believe, disin-
terested adviser Of the people of the
state. AS The State suggests he is
man who does not rush at conclu-
sions and speaks only after investi-
cation. For that reason we believe
his article worth reproducing in
these columns.
There are many advantages con-
nected with the treatment of cotton
with the calcium arsenate poison as
suggested by Mr.. Coker. For one
thing the. poison may be applied dur
ing the day, as suggested in the arti-
Gle, and without expensive machin-
cry. But the greatest advantage
comes to the farmer in the matter of
expense in applying the poison in
this way. Mr.. Coker thinks that for
ten to twenty cents per acre the mo-
lasses mixture may be applied. If so
this is much cheaper than the dust
ing method.
The Press and Banner has not suf-
fcient facts at hand to advise the
farmers to follow one method rather
than another. We are inclined to fol-
low the Department of Agriculture,
but where this is impossible, we would
certainly suggest to the readers of
this paper that what Mr.. Coker says
is worth considering. If we could not
apply poison by dusting we think we
would try the molasses route. The
cost, as stated, is so little that this
method must at least be in the reach
of everybody.
Mr.. Coker's article is as follows:
GAS boil weevils are now reported
in greater or less quantities on near
ly every farm in the state, and, as
the weather thus far has been ideal
for their propagation, it looks as if
there is small chance of producing a
fair cotton crop, unless some cheap
and effective method of checking
them is found and put into effect i'm
mediately.
l have heretofore recommended
that the farmers experiment with a
mixture of calcium arsenate and mo-
lasses, having both experienced and
heard of good results from this treat
ment and knowing that the expense
of the use of this mixture is so small
that failure to secure results would
not mean heavy loss.
During the past few days 1 have
become thoroughly convinced that
this treatment is extremely effective.
Friday, June 9, on our pedigreed
seed farm, II live active weevils
were placed on few stalks of cotton
upon which a few drops of the mo-
lasses mixture had been placed. A
few hours later our experimenters
found eight dead weevils and no live
ones on these stalks. On May 80 j.
w. Goodson treated half of field
with this mixture and on June 5 he
carefully examined this field and
found hundreds of weevils on the un-
treated cotton and very few on the
treated cotton. He is absolutely con-
vinced of the great value of this
treatment as are Randolph Gillespie,
George Newsom and Geo w. Threat
of this section, A. H. Rogers of Soci-
ETY. Hill and R. Lee Bass of Lanes,
all of whom have made tests with this
roiyt1,ro In foot 7 krnou of ,o toc+
that has been made which failed to
result in killing high per cent. of
the weevils on the treated cotton.
/ believe that if every farmer will
make an application of the calcium
arsenate-molasses mixture this week,
he will make a great deal more cotton
than otherwise. Weevils are already
puncturing the forms on the old cot
ton and these should be carefully