Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1922-12-02
FLORIDA WEEVL
CONTROL METHOD
INCREASES YIELD.
Fields Treated Average SAG
Pounds Seed Cotton AT Cost
OF $157 Per Acre


ed States department of agriculture,
in statement Friday urges a wide
spread trial Of new method of
combating the boil weevil announced
recently by The Florida State Expert
ment station.
In the experiments the treated
fields averaged 439 pounds Of seed
cotton per acre: the untreated checks
averaged only 164 pounds Of seed
cotton per acre, ran average in
crease of 275 pounds of seed cotton
per acre in all tests, according to the
report. Cost of treatment for the
entire season averaged S1,57 pdr
acre.
The announcement is said to be
particularly Important because it ap-
parently offers means of controll-
ing the boil weevil on low-yielding
land ON which it has so far been un-
profitable to use the dusting method.
A very large proportion of the
cotton crop is produced on low yield
ing lands, it is said, and bureau Of
fcials are greatly pleased with the
new method, urging a thorough trial
during the coming season whenever
conditions appear suitable.
A pamphlet on this subject issued
by the development department Of
the Seaboard Air Line, says:
This method Of control shows
conclusively that any farmer, white
or black, need have no fear in grow
ing cotton under boil weeyil condi-
tions. This improved method is a
radical departure from those. con-
troll methods that have been advo-
Gated for the past twenty years. The
ordinary calcium arsenate method of
treating boil weevil has proven sue
cessful to some extent in the area
served by the Seaboard Air Line.
However, it has not been found
adaptable except on land that will
produce at least half bale of cot
ton per acre. Therefore, the de-
velopment department of the Sea-
board Air Line, railway feels that
1t should present to the farmers it
daily serves this cheap, and by lar
the most efficient, method for con-
trolling the boil weevil that has vet
been discovered, that these farmers
may be better able to support pros
porous homes.
While this method of control has
not been worked out, or tried, in
any otker states than Florida, there
at present appears no theoretical
reason why il should not be- appli-
cable to the other states. In the light
Of the information which is at pres
ent available, the improved method !,
adapted to the farms in the coun-
ties through which the Seaboard Air
Line passes, is briefly this:
Remove all squares, whether
punctured, from the cotton plants
just before the first bloom appears
in the field.
Follow this at once, or within a
day or two, or before the squares
start growing back, with a thorough,
dustlng of each plant with either
calcium arsenate or powdered ar
senate of lead. The poison should
be applied by means of hand dust
gun, which forces the poison into
the top buds of the cotton plants
where the boil weevil feeds when
tilere are no squares.
Representatives of the seaboard,s
development department have care
fully followed and studied this meth
Cd in the fields as it was being test
ed out, and have personally talked
with the farm owners and tenants
white and black, who have made
three to twelve times more cotton
N those fields where they used this
improved method over whera tEpv
sid not follow it. In some fields
there. was only small number Of
~eevils, but in other fields there were
as many as 1900 per acre. This
improved method proved equally
effective under both conditions.
THE development department OF
TIE Seaboard Air I'ne railway, at
Norfolk, Va, is publishing circular
entitled An Improved Method Of
Controlling Boil Weevil, giving full
details regarding this 'Smproved
Method and the results obtained. A
copy of this circular will be gladly
sent to any one requesting it."