41 



twcen a yield of two-lhirds of a bale per acre and an 

 absolule failure. Where all fields in the locality devel- 

 op together the weevil finds no such advantage for ils 

 multiplication and must therefore do less injury. 



Laic Planling Inadvisable. — Do not be misled by 

 newspaper "letters" advising late planting to "starve 

 out" the over-wintered weevils. The writers of such 

 letters are usually sincere men who have an idea that 

 tliis plan should be effective. They do not happen to 

 know what has been found repeatedly to be the fact: 

 That while a few weevils will come from their winter 

 quarters and be looking for food even before the ear- 

 liest planted cotton will break ground, many will not 

 stir to seek food before the latter part of June or even 

 the first of July. Extremely late planting, with the idea 

 of starving out the over-wintered weevils is therefore 

 doomed to failure and should never be attempted. 

 This has been tested many times and has always result- 

 ed in loss. 



Cullivatc Oflen And About one and one-half Inches 

 Deep. — Cultivation of the crop should be shallow and 

 frequent. Its first object is to retain moisture and to 

 keep the ground in a favorable condition for the 

 growth of the plants. The destruction of grass and 

 weeds is accomplished incidentally. The surface of 

 the ground should be stirred at least every w^eek dur- 

 ing the growing season to a depth of about 1 1-2 inches. 

 Where the weevil is found the crop should not be "laid 

 by" as early as usual, but cultivation continued two or 

 three weeks longer if possible to get through the row 

 without much breaking of the plants. This may well 

 be continued until cotton begins to open. 



Use Chain Drag or Cultivator. — In Press Bulletin No 

 78 of the Alabama Experiment Station, will be found 

 an illustration and description of a very simple home- 

 made implement which can often be utilized to excel- 

 lent advantage not only in giving an ideal type of shal- 

 low, surface cultivation, but also in checking the mul- 

 tiplication of the weevils during periods of hot, dry 

 weather. The arrangement of the chains is such that 

 they draw the fallen infested squares from under the 

 shade of the plant to the middle where the heat of the 

 sun may destroy the weevil stages in them. 



Pick Weevils When Squaring Begins. — Beside the 

 cultural practices which have been mentioned there are 

 two special steps that are necessary where weevils are 



