The Bulletin. 49 



while many of our own people are utterly ignorant regarding the 

 nature and appearance of the weevil, the persons from Texas v/hv 

 have reported its presence, have at least been nearer the truth and 

 have doubtless had only the best of intentions. 



Cotton growers throughout this State may, therefore, set themselves 

 at rest regarding this pest for the present, but they should still 

 keep their eyes open for the weevil, and meantime receive with a 

 liberal grain of allowance all unauthorized reports of its appearance. 



REMEDIES. 



Under this head we can only discuss the remedies that have been 

 used in the weevil-infested districts, and consider them in the light of 

 our own conditions. The recommendations here given are taken from 

 Farmers' Bulletin No. 189 of the United States Department of Agri- 

 culture, by Mr. W. D. Hunter, who is in charge of the Boll-weevil 

 investigations. These same lines of work will have to be followed 

 when the weevil appears in this State. It will be observed that the 

 principal object is to hasten the crop td early maturity, this being 

 then supplemented by destroying food and winter quarters as soon as 

 the crop can be gathered. 



Plant Early. — If possible, plant seed of varieties known to mature 

 early. It is much better to run the risk of being obliged to replant 

 than to have the crop delayed. In this State this recommendation 

 will not be of as much value as in Texas, for we already grow the 

 early varieties and plant reasonably early. 



Wide Rows. — Plant the rows as far apart as experience with the 

 land indicates is feasible, and thin out the plants in the rows 

 thoroughly. The idea here involved is to give the plants room for 

 rapid growth, so as to secure a crop before the weevils become numer- 

 ous enough to destroy most of the squares. It is also of value in 

 allowing the sun to shine well between the plants and rows, so as to 

 dry up the infested squares that fall to the ground, thus destroying 

 the larvse that may be contained in them. 



Fertilize Well. — Here again the idea is to hasten the crop forward 

 so as to mature a crop ahead of the weevil's most destructive season. 



Destroy by plowing up, windrowing and burning all the cotton 

 stalks in the field as soon as the weevils become so numerous that 

 practically all the bolls or squares are being punctured. This may do 

 away with the "top crop," but if the weevil is abundant it will not 

 be worth picking anyway. This is the recommendation which is most 

 likely to be neglected, for the farmer, once he gets the crop of this 

 year, is not apt to look ahead to the next. Yet it is entirely a 

 practicable recommendation, and the writer has seen it in actual prac-, 

 tice in Texas. 



