The Marietta journal. (Marietta, Ga.) 1918-1944, 1922-03-30
BOIL WEEVIL
| CONTROL FACTS
Methods Generally Employed With
Success, and Mistakes Which
Farmers Make.
By C. A. Whittle,
Soil Improvement Committee.

TO be no marked reduction in tn
amount of cotton grown as result
The fact is the boil weevil can no
and will not overthrow the South
greatest crop.
How are farmers meeting thu
boil weevil most successfully? Their
are two main ways: (D Pushing thu
cotton to early maturity and ~ Kill
Ing Tie boil weevil.
The following questions and answer!
give the main things that are being
done and also the mistakes that are
being made:
PUSHING THE COTTON CROP.
What soils are preferred for hasten
ing the crop?
Well drained, light soils warm VI
earlier and grow off the cotton quick
er than heavy or poorly drained soils
Sandy soils are, therefore, better than
clayey soils.
Is it advisable to use poor soils 4?
1t would be a serious mistake. Poor
soils never did pay. and with the boil
weevil taking toll, poor land cotton
viii only put the farmer into deeper
hole
Remember that it costs more to grow
cotton under boil weevil conditions,
and there must be enough cotton
to make it worth while to fight with
the boil weevil.
What varieties Of cotton are pre-
Eerred?
Any variety which will set an abun-
dance of bolls early and will continue
to set fruit throughout the season A
variety which is early but which also
quits fruiting early is not desirable
because the weevils will do heavier
damage to the bolls when they do not
lind squares to puncture Cleveland
strains are most generally preferred
by farmers.
What methods of cultivation are
used TO hasten maturity?
Frequent, shallow cultivation until
the greater part of the crop is set
Then less frequent cultivation. The
later cultivation should be the skip
middle method, taking alternate mid
dies and with the next cultivation TAX
Ing the ones that were skipped. This
keeps half OF the roots of the cotton
plant undisturbed so that there will be
less shedding, more squaring and bet
Ter protection OF the cotton bolIs.
IN@
Is the poison method of killing the
Weevii practical?
1t is, but it is a particular method
which many farmers may fail with
when they first try it, because they
are not in the habit of doing particu-
tar things right the first time.
If the rules for poisoning are ad.
hered to strictly the cotton farmer
VIII get the most complete and eco
nomic control OF the weevil of any
method known,
ANY one contemplating the use Of
poison should get complete instruc
lions from the Government Boil Wee
vii Station, Tallulah, Lathe Stats
Entomologist, or agricultural col
teges.
Does it pay to kill the weeviis OF
the young cotton stalks before square.
begin to form?
If the weeyils come out of winter
quarters in large numbers and threat
en- to take all the first squares. il
is considered advisable to kill as man,
of them as possible Calcium arsenats
sprlnkled from perforated can Oh
from cheese bag on the young plants
is the most efficient and economica
method of killing the weevils on the
young plants.
1t is not necessary to apply the moi
son until just before the squares begin
TO form
Is it practical to gather and destrc,
squares?
II the poison method is not used il
will often be found necessary to gath
er and destroy damaged squares tina
contain immature weevils, in order Il
Lave assurance OF any sort of a crop
Picking up squares is not as efficien
nor as inexpensive as poisoning. bu
Ii thoroughly done fair to good crol
can be obtained.
Is poisoned moiasses applied to cot
tor effective?
Poisoned molasses or other poisope,
sweets will kill some boil weeyiIs dur
lng dewless nights. but the poisoned
sweets will kill honey bees and othe,
sweet loving insects that are needle,
to carry from Cover to flower tn,
pollen that causes them to fruit Cal
cium arsenate dust is more efficieut
and less expensive to use where DO;
soned molasses are effective.
Are boil weeVli traps practical?
farmer never .ries a tran NOR,
than once. The government has tried
Eli kinds and recommends none.
Can the say Of cotton be poisoned
o.