The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1922-06-24
Unusual Abundance of Boil Weevils
Necessitate Some Notifications in
Methods of Poisoning.

For the past few weeks we have
been accumulating records on the E.
mergence of the boil weevil from
nearly all of the cotton states and
are finding universally, as we fore
casted some months ago, that the
number of over-wintered weevils is
far greater than usual; in fact, in
many districts where accurate counts
have been made it has been found
that we have in the fields now as
many weevils as are ordinarily pres
ent a month later when the first
summber-bred brood has started to
appear. With anything like normal
weather conditions this is going to
mean tremendously rapid increase
in the weevil damage, and this will
have an important bearing on the
program to be followed by those US
ing calcium arsenate for the control
of the weevil.
In the first place, it should be re-
membered that we recommend start
ing poisoning when from ten to fif-
teen per cent of the cotton squares
have been punctured by the weevil.
AS a general rule this condition does
not arise until after the newly bred
weevils have started to emerge from
the squares. This year, however,
we have found many fields where
there are already sufficient weevils
present to destroy practically all
squares as fast as formed. In other
words, such cotton will never start
blooming unless the weevils are con-
trolled and from the very outset so
per cent or more of the squares are
punctured. Under such conditions it
is undoubtedly going to be neces-
sary to poison earlier than ever be-
fore. OF course, there is no advan-
tage in poisoning the cotton before
the squares form, as the weevils are
continuing to emerge from hiberna-
tion during this period and further
more they are doing the crop no
harm. However, where such a hea-
Wy infestation occurs it will be ad-
Visable to make..the first application
just as soon as the cotton starts
squaring freely, or about the time
the plants average from 4 to 5
squares each. The regular poison
ing schedule should be started at
that time and continued along the
lines of the usual recommendations
for controlling this early infestation
of weevils.
Another very important effect of
this heavy infestation will be felt la
ter in the season. When the weevils
first emerge from Information and
reach the cotton field they move a.
round very little as long as they can
find an ample supply Of unpunctured
squares for their use, but Just as
soon as the infestation becomes suf-
fciently heavy to puncture practi-
cally all squares these weevils start
to move in search Of fresh pastures
In an ordinary season this means
that you usually have only the wee.
wills bred in your own cotton to con.
tend with until some time from the
latter part of July to the last o.
August, depending on the locality
This year, however, this movement
or migration of weevils will probab
ly start several weeks earlier thar
usual. Consequently, 1t will not on
ly be necessary for you to start pois
oning earlier to control your owr
infestation, but you should also ex
pect that, before you have had tim,
TO mature the fruit which you
plants have set during this period o.
protection, you will begin to exper
fence an immigration of weeviIs from
imprisoned cotton. OF course, thiI
condition would not arise If ever,
one in district was successfull.
poisoning his cotton. but this will
not be the case this year. and jus
Rs soon a. All squares In the un