Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press., 1924-05-08

Boil weevils are not unlike inhabi.
tants Of cities. When "city folks"
find the crowds in midsummer are
becoming unbearable they want to get
away to quiet places where they will
have more elbow room" When the
square "tenements" of the Doll wee.
wills become too crowded, they also
become restless and take to the air.
However, 1t is not necessary that they
be crowded before their movement
begins for their migratory instinct
prompts them to seek new fields.
The weevil moves srom place to
place by flight. Although it does not
fly far as compared with many other
insects, 1t has been known to cover a
distance of more than forty miles In
short time. It is unable to con.
tinue flight very long but by series
of short flights, especially when the
wind is favorable, it may cover con-
siderable distances.
The first movement is In the spring
from winter quarters to the nearest
cotton, usually short distance. At
ter the weevils reach the field there
is very little movement except from
plant to plant until well along in the
summer. Over,wintered weevils and
their offspring for several months only
move like slowly advancing over
flow. Up until August about 80 per
cent of the weevils in any field are
those which develop practically where
they are found.
About the middle Of August an in
stinct on the part of the weevils to
move about becomes noticeable. Dur
ing this period weevils become rest
less and take to the air very active
lv, flying in all directions. This Is
sometimes due to heavy infestatlon
in the field but seems primarily to be
an instinct that has caused the ex-
tension of the infested area IN the
United States year by year until now
it covers more than 100000 square
mites.
With the approach of cold weather
there is another distinct movement on
the part of the weevils This Is in.
to winter quarters in and about the
cotton fields, and usually is a short
flight.
One of the most striking things
about the boil weevil is the rapid ad>
vance it has made across the cotton
belt. The insect made It's way into
Southern Texas about 1892 and since
has swept across the cotton territory
to the Atlantic seaboard and as far
north as Virginia. The annual ad-
vance has been from 40 to 100 miles.
Under some conditions the boil
weev'I IS sometimes spread by man
through the shipment of cotton and
cotton products or of any commodity
which originates on the farm. Spread
by this means, however, has been Of
very little importance.
"We drove the automobiles out Of
the Delta" said the boh weevils, land
we can drive the farmers off the farms
if they don't stop us scoD."
save your money by saving your
cotton from the boil weevil.
WeeviI control will help farmers
who help themselves by using the
methods approved by THEIR experts.
Tests and experiments by experts
prove that 1t pays to apply cultural
methods of boil weevil control under
all conditions and calcium arsenate
In dust from where the soil will yield
as much as one third Of a bale to the
acre.
Farmers should help their cotton
crops to early fruiting and maturity
before the boil weevils have had q
chance to destroy them by planting
selected seed and applying intensive
cultivation.
Applications of calcium arsenate In
dust form should be vnade ON cotton
when 10 per cent Of tho squares have
been punctured by boil weevils. From
five to seven pounds cs poison shoulS
be used to the acre anG the applica.
tion should be repeated two or three
times at four and five day intervals.
Others have proved that boil weevil
control pays. Prove 1t yourself by
using government methods and check
the result on small tract where con-
troll measures are not used.
Boil weevils go into winter quarters
before frost occurs. Reduce the mum.
ber by burning trash and burying the
stalks as soon as the crop is gathered.