2;" 



;) 



1912 Movcniciil- I'lic actual iuinil)cT oT weevils sui- 

 vivint* llu- winter ot 1911-12 was very greatly reduced 

 below the usual average survival ])y three especially 

 nnportant factors: (1) The unusual period of hot, dry 

 weather which continued for about two months in 

 the early sunmur of 1911. (2) The general stripping 

 of cotton throughout Alabama and other infested states 

 by tlu- cotton leaf worms {Alabama argillacea) during 

 the fall of 1911. This stopped the fall multiplication 

 of weevils by destroying or preventing the formation 

 of their only possible breeding places and gave us the 

 linest possible demonstration of the value of a general 

 l)raclice of tlie early fall destruction of stalks as a 

 method of weevil control (see pp. 47-55). (3) By the un- 

 usually severe winter weather in 1911-12. The weevils 

 reached (-oll'ee and (ieneva counties this season, mak- 

 ing an advance of about 75 miles in south-central Ala- 

 ])ama. ' 



1913 3/oz;e;?Jp/?f.- Extremely early frosts occurred on 

 tlu' mornings of October 20 and 21, almost a month 

 earlier than the average date for first killing 

 frosts in this State, and extended along practically the 

 entire line of weevil advance. Some sheltered locali- 

 ties escaped killing temperatures, but as a general rule 

 the advance was checked about that time. Largely on 

 account of the short season for their spread, the wee- 

 vil advance averaged only between 20 and 25 miles. 



1914 Movement. — Again, unusually early killing 

 Irosts put an early stop to the advance of the weevil. 

 In the southern part of Alabama, the weevils were very 

 effectively controlled during the early summer by an 

 unusual period of hot, dry weather. In many localities 

 where the weevils had been for two years, practically 

 none wer{> seen until after the middle of July when 

 more rain fell. Thereafter weevils multii)lied so rapid- 

 ly that in spite of the early control, little cotton was 

 madt after the middle of August. On account of 

 this unusual cond>ination of summer climatic condi- 

 tions, cotton in the southern third of the State put on 

 an extremely heavy top growth through August, Sep- 

 tember and "October. This furnished the w^eevils de- 

 veloping after July, with an abundance of uninfested 

 scpiares and bolls right in the fields where they devel- 

 oped and there was, consequently, no necessity foi- 

 such widespread dissemination as usually occurs after 

 August 15. These facts may fully explain the failure 



