Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1924-05-03
Growing Cotton Under
Weevil Conditions

One-half of each of these
farms was busted with calcium
arsenate; the other half was not.
Each side was picked out sep
arately and weighed. The dust
ed area produced an average of
295 pounds more of seed cot
ton than the undusted
The busting cost between 81
and IS per acre. Figure the in
creased yield of 295 pounds at
Is cents, deduct the cost of
busting at S., and you'll readi-
ly see that a profit of $69.75
was realized by the use of poi
son.
These figures were given in an
raticle, Growing Cotton IN
der Boil Weevil Conditions,
published by the Southern Rail
way. Regarding the 1922 ex-
periments mentioned above,
we find this
Each side was picked out sep
arately and weighed. Exact
yields of seed cotton per acre for
both the busted and undusted
sides of each demonstration field
showed yields of 857 pounds per
acre and 562 pounds Per acre,
respectively. The average gain
due to busting was 295 pounds
of seed cotton per acre. The
cost Of treatment through the
use of calcium arsenate varied
from 81 to S. per acre.
Regarding experiments made
on 933 farms in 1923, in which
o,7Z9 acres. an average of 7 IL
acres to the farm, the article
gives these figures:
The average yield per acre on
these farms VISA 37.7 percent in
excess Of the average Of adjacent
farms where the sama methods
OF cultivation and treatment
were not pursued.
Cultural and poison methods
will be carried on in 1924 by
the Southern Railway on 1000
farms operated by white farm
ers and 1000 negro farms.
"A convincing illustration of
what may be done by intensive
cultural and poison methods IS
given by the Southern Railway
in this instance:
A South Carolina farmer
cultivated 100 acres of cot
ton, from which he gathered 1877
paless or more than a bale to
the acre,in 1928. This crop was
on well-drained upland, not par-
uealarly fertile. A crop Of COW
peas was plowed under in the fan
Of 1922, followed by thorough
oisclng m che spring win the an
pheatlon, before planting. of $50
pounds of high-grade fertilizer
per acre. The plants, in 31-2-
1901 rows, were chopped to a
stand of one to five stalks in the
NIL, the width of a hoe. Ere
quent shallow cultivation was
given until the crop was prac-
tically matured, and three appG-
cauohS OF homemade syrup poi
son mixture were made.
The results cited above prove
the value of poisoning with ar
senate and prove that its use is
PROFITABLE. Poison does
not make cotton. Its use is in
the nature of insurance against
weevil and weather.
Fight the weevil all the time.
and do not rely on poison alone
Plow under all cotton stalks
grass, weeds and trash in the
fields in the fall. Clean nm rub
Dish and brush about the farm
and burn hedges and bitches.
But, with the best care, some
weevils will live through the win
ter, It will pay handsomely to
go after these as soon as they
come out of Information, either
by picking them off or by poi
soning the bud of the cotton
with calcium arsenate, because
these alternating weevils are to
be the ancestors of the thousands
and millions that may later infest
the crop.
Select land that is best adapt
ed to cotton; that is, high, we'll
drained, dry land that has been
put in good mechanical condition
by the plowng in of humus-mak-
ing materials such as legumes or
animal manure-land that warns
up early and on which cotton
makes rapid growth from the
very beginning.
Break early, preferably in the
fall or winter
Harrow thoroughly and pulv-
erie the soil well before bed
ding up.
Use a liberal amount Of COM