The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-12
Army Worm Threatening 70
 Starue BoN Weeuil 10 Death
Gist Sees Latest Pest To Strike Cotton Crop a Bless
 ing In Disguise
STATE CAPITAL BUREAU I
 THE AGE-HERALD !

Montgomery. Ala, Aug. II
 HaS the cotton caterpillar come to Alabama farmers as a bleESing in disguise. This question may be asked as a result of a weekly summary of crop conditions issued today by r. w. Gist, agricultural statistician, in which the statement is made that the cotton worms are destroying the leaves on which boil weevils feed with the result that weevils are be- ing starved.
 MT. Gist mentioned the experience in 1911 when the leaf worm was ac- tive in Alabama and continued: From July 25 to August % (of 191t) the condition of cotton dropped from S9 to 7S, loss of 16 per cent, hut the average yield per acre turned out to be 209 pounds, the largest on record"
 He said the presumption was that the destruction of the foliage by the leaf worm in the fall of 1911 served the same purpose as a killing frost toward destroying weeyil food in early September and that in conse- quence very few weevils went into Information.
 MT Gist said it is doubtful that a campaign for the poisoning Of the leaf should be started in the sections NtACAC SONNOil lo pI IdCllCdlIY Hldue ana that it might be well to let the worm starve the weevil.
 one farmer in a section where cotton is made and the weevil active is seriously considering purchasing enough worms to infeSt his entire farm and section with this idea in view" he continued.
 Week Unfavorable.
 MT. Gists weekly summary of crop conditions follows:
 The past week has been quite fa- Vorable for cotton in the south half of Alabama. Some rain, with con- siderable cloudiness. and with tenn pcrature not so high as to seriously impair the activity of the boil wcevil has made the weather altogether such as would encourage the damage to cotton by that pest. Reports are to the effect that the insect is very numerous and exceedingly active, es- pecially in the southeastern group of counties. One small farmer is re- ported to have gathered 3,40O live WeeVlls from his crop in one day. Another reports most half-CroWn and many grown bolls punctured from one to seven times. Another secured rom open blooms large numbers of adult weevils. One of the most con servatiVe and studious farmers in that section is of the firm opinion that no more cotton will go on the plant, and that the harvest will de- pend upon the future damage to bolls already set. Some fair yields are expected in those counties in fa- Vored places and under favorable conditions; on the whole, however. a lighter yield per acre than last year IS looked for at this time.
 
 northern counties indicate a splendid crop in prospect at this time. Weevil damage is not as yet severe, the crop IS excellent and fruiting is heavys
 other crops still present good prospective yields.
 Reports are beginning to come or leaf worm infestation. which is apparently most pronounced in north e[h counties. The question of the worm IS being raised. Some history or this insect is interesting at this time. '''''
 The last general infestation by thls worm, which is leaf eater, was ln l9ll, when it spread over the en- tire Delt and consumed a large DOT ton Of the foliage, in many places IoaVlhS tae stalks bare over wide areas. From July 25 to August 25
 
 oo To 15, loss of 16 per cent, but the average yield per acre turned out lo De aDout 209 pounds, the largest on record. That year the loss of cot ton chargeable to insects averaged Z2 pounds per acre. next to the low est sthce I9O9, and the following year the loss was only 1J pounds per acre with no insects active except the boil Weevil The winter of 1911 was about normal, while the months of June ana July, 1922, were on the whole iaVoraDIe to the weevil where it was in edvidence. The presumption was that the destruction of the foliage by the leat worm in the fall of 1911 served the same purpose as a killing In early September and that in conse quence very few weevils went into hibernation.
 Doubts Poison Fight.
 Serlous consideration is being gwen now by thoughtful farmers as to whether a fight on the leaf worm by poison is wise. Where the cot ton is practically made at present, with the weevil very numerous, and the weed large, it is not believed that poisoning will pay, if indeed it will not be best to let the worm starve the weevil from now to frost. one farmer Tn a section where cotton IS made and the weevil active is seriously considering purchasing enough worms to infest his entire farm and section with this idea in view.
 Tn northern counties, where the crop is still making and where the weevil Is least active. and where the cotton is late, different view is en- tertained. Under such conditions, 1t is suggested that individual condi- tions and personal knowledge of such should control the farmer in his ac- tivity along this line. Possibly pois-