The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1925-02-03
HORDE OF BOIL WEEV|LS.
ARE READY FOR ATTACK
FARMERS ARE WARNED THAT
1924 DROUGHT DID NOT PER
MANENTLY INJURE PEST.
VISITS EXPERIMENT STATION
No Reason Found for the Farmers to
Expect Immunity This Year. What
Records Show in Georgia and Other
States. Many in Information.


NEW ORLEANS, La-Enough
weevils will emerge from Information
to develop into a destructive army if
the weather in April, May and June
OF 1925 favor weevil development, and
the drought OF the summer of 1924
will not assure freedom from weevil
menace to cotton this year it was de-
clared by Clarence Ousley, director of
the National Boil Weevil Control As
ISOLATION, after a visit to the United
States Department of Agriculture S
boil weevil experiment station at Tai
lulah, La.
Contrary to popular impression
which seems to be widespread" says
Mr.. Ousley, there is no good reason
for cotton farmers to expect in 1925
immunity from the boil weevil. Last
wears weather conditions were happily
unfavorable to weevil development and
favorable to cotton growers. 1t is
about the third such experience in 80
wears and to assume that it will be
repeated in 1925 is to make a very
dangerous gamble On the other hand,
bv the practice of the cultural meth
DDS now thoroughly tested and dem
onstrated in every cotton state by the
practice of the processes of control by
poison equally tested and widely dem
onstrated, the cotton belt by intelli-
cence and industry need have no fear
Of being able to control the boil wee
vii. provided only that the farmers do
not trust to the luck of weather but
make the most of the information
which has been gathered for them by
painstaking research and confirmed by
the best farmers in every cotton COM
munity.
What the Records Show.
After a visit to the United States
Department of Agriculture's expert
ment station at Tallulah, La, and con-
sulting the records there | find there
has been a veritable crop of boil wee
wills going to Information. In typical
reuiofYs in the west OF the cotton~belt
the number is rather small in some
sections and about the average in 9TH
ers. East OF the Mississippi river the
numbers are much larger and in some
parts of the southeast are very large.
observations on survival to this
date show variable results. Generally
speaking. the survival is no larger than
in the wears for which records have
been kept; that is, from 1915 to 1924.
For example, it varies from 10 at TAI
ulah. La, to 1914 ton OF moss at
Washington, La, for the period OF
late October to the middle OF Decem-
Der. At St. George, S. C., at the mid
die OF December, it was 1872 and IN
the region of Valdosta, Ga, it was So
These figures merely indicate the vary.
ing circumstances of weather and OF
location.
1T remains to be seen at the close
OF the winter, that is about the last
OF February or the first of March, how
many weevi1s will finally emerge tor
the spring attack upon the cotton
crop. but there is not the slightest rea-
son in the experience of thirty years
nor in the minutest observations and
records of the scientists to believe that
the weevil has been eradicated or been
reduced below the point of danger,
Whatever the number OF WeeVlls IN
Information and whatever the percent
age OF emergence, all experience teach-
Is that enough weevils will emerge to
develop speedily into a destructive
army il the weather in April, May and
June favors weevil development.
Bottom Crop Promised.
In most of the cotton belt except
the southwest present conditions, II
followed by average February cold
and by average March and April
weather, promise bottom crop. That
is to say unless there is abnormal
emergence or abnormal weevil devel-
opment we may expect in most OF
the cotton belt enough squares TO De
put on in the early part OF the grow
ing season to mature few Dolls on
the bottom OF the plant But bottom
crop is not a crop. 1t will hardly pay
the cost of planting, much less the
cost OF cultivating."