San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-04-01
OBTAIN 80 PER CENT CROP
THROUGH FL ORIDA METHOD
OF BOIL WEEVIL CONTROL
Stripping of First Squares From Plant and Applica.
ton of Poison at Time Weevil Is Least Prepared
to Resist Is Found Best Method for Use Against
Pest-Is to Be Adapted for Use in Texas.

Since the first appearance of the
boil weevil in alarming numbers in
the southern part of Texas in 1894,
efforts to control the pest have been
almost continuous, and in many parts
of the cotton belt it has been a losing
fight for the growers. At first, though
the damaging results of the weevil
were unmistakable, little was known
of the insect, its habits, or how it
worked, and unable to cope with it,
farmers left it to work its destruc-
ton.
Finally the best scientific and agri.
cultural brains of the country took
up the fight, and investigation devel-
oped certain farm practices that, in a
| measure at least, provided a step to-
ward the control if not the extermin-
alton of the weevil. The necessity of
early fall destruction of old and volun-
teer cotton plants; killing of hiber-
mating weevils by burning stubble
fields, ditch banks, margins of wood.
cd areas, and other places where they
might find winter quarters selection
of fields for cotton as far as possible
from the weevirs alternating quar-
ters; early planting and the use of
early maturing varieties and q thor
ough cultivation of the growing crop
is now the common knowledge of
every farmer. However, these meth
DDS are not sufficient for the reason
that, while they may prevent the to-
| tai destruction of the crop and may
mature enough cotton to pay the
farmer a return on his investment
q nd 10 thntr Cts1 Il NJ
ton the unfailing crop and the unsur-
passed source of credit that it was in
the days prior to the advent of the
pest.
The Florida Method.
In Florida, where experiments have
been going on for several years, o
solution of the problem seems to have
been found. The FLORIDA Method OF
Control" developed there and tried in
the last two years, has received the
recognition of scientists and agricul.
turists over the entire country, and is
said to be the surest and most prac'
ticable method yet found. Perhaps
the message of most vital interest to
the farmer of this part of the state
brought by Henry Wallace, secre-
tary of agriculture in the cabinet OF
President Harding, on his recent visit
here was that the Florida Method
would be introduced to Texas this
year. Secretary Wallace spoke OF
having local employees of his depart.
ment plant a test plat of cotton in
the vicinity of San Antonio in the
near future for the purpose of adapt.
ing the method developed in Florida
TO conditions in Texas. C, ii. Alvord
county agent and director of the agri-
cultural department of the Chamber
OF Commerce, has started movement
to apply the method on a larger scale
with the hope that a real benefit can
be derived from it during the coming
season. He has studied the method
and its application to Texas condi.
tons with the result that he is pre-.
pared to enter the proposition. not as
an experiment so much as along clear
cut and definite lines with a positive
result in view. During the last week
he has gotten out. circular letter
describing the method and giving ex.
plicit instructions that should be fol.
lowed out by those using it. This let.
ter will be sent to every farmer in
Bexar county who last year planted
1
| Except for the knowledge that the
FLORIDA Method" is a refined use of
poisoning the weevil little is known o!
it generally. Bulletin 1Gj of the agri.
cultural experiment station of the
| University of Florida gives a detailed
account of the method and the results
obtained with it as well as the man
ner in which it was developed. From
| hn
! peared the idea of fighting it with
poison has been very attractive, and
this was one of the first methods tried
C. ii. Tyler Townsend, entomologist
| of the United States Department oil
| Agriculture, in 1894, made an exten.
sive study of the weevil in Soutl
Texas and found that some Of tn,
weevils could be killed by the use Of
arsenical poisons. After further re
search. the division of entomology II
July. 1898, recommended to planter,
the use of a liquid spray Of arsenic
molasses and water on the young croI
of the main field as well as on tn,
volunteer crop. In 1890, F. W. Maily
state entomologist of Texas, starte,
an investigation that lasted unit
1902. He reached the conclusion tina
| the CULTURAL lneluou VI toHtioi was y
first Importance. and that, as an aux
iliary. good could be accomplished b
spraying the cotton early in the sea
son with a mixture of white arseni,
arsenate Of lead. molasses and watei
Actual experiments made swith thi
method resulted in a reduction in tn
weevils of from to % per cent. Thi
spraying became quite common i
Texas in 1902 and 1903. however, tn
expense of the molasses, the poiso
and the spraying apparatus was s
great that the method was droppe
These experiments with arsenici
lpoisons proved that poison could