REPRESSION. 161 



during the early part of the season. The obtaining of an early crop 

 is brought about by early preparation of the soil, by early planting, 

 by the use of early-maturing varieties, by a system of fertilization 

 which will stimulate the growth of the plants, and by continuous 

 shallow cultivation during the season. 



5. Increasing the effects of climatic control. As has been shown, 

 practically 50 per cent of all the weevil stages throughout the infested 

 territory are destroyed by climatic influences. This means that the 

 power of reproduction of the weevils is reduced by one-half. A 

 planter can increase the advantage in his favor by providing a suitable 

 distance between the plants and between the rows. It is also impor- 

 tant to use varieties, where possible, which have a comparatively 

 small leaf area. The use of the chain cultivator will be found of 

 great value in connection with obtaining the full effects of climatic 

 control. 



6. Encouraging the insect enemies of the weevil. This is accom- 

 plished in part by procedures already recommended and further by 

 the use of varieties which have a well-developed tendency to retain 

 the fruit and which also have a comparatively open structure and 

 small leafage. 



7. Hand picking of weevils and squares. This is a practice of little 

 general importance. Although under some local conditions it may 

 be highly advisable, everything depends upon the cheapness with 

 which the work can be done. On crops produced by wage hands it 

 is doubtful if the hand picking of the weevils or squares will ever 

 result in any profit. Where the crop is produced on the share basis, 

 and the acreage is sufliciently small to allow considerable work in the 

 picking of the squares, the practice will undoubtedly pay. It is, 

 therefore, a matter that must be taken into consideration by each 

 individual planter. It can not be recommended generally, for the 

 reason that under many conditions it would result in loss. 



Wherever square picking is practiced the squares should not be 

 burned. They should be placed in cages, so that the parasites may 

 escape and continue their work. As a matter of fact, under most 

 conditions it is likely that the encouragement that can be given the 

 parasites by this means is of much more importance than any direct 

 checking of the weevil by the process of hand picking. Wherever 

 squares are burned the planter is merely destroying the enemies of 

 the weevil and consequently working against his own interest. 



8. Control at gins. — The use of modern cleaner feeders will eliminate 

 practically all of the weevils from cottonseed. Such devices should 

 be used at least in the case of all seed that is intended for shipment 

 into any infested localities and especially along the outer border of 

 the infested territory, where wagons may carry infested cottonseed 

 some distance into territory that has not been reached by the weevil. 

 It is important in connection with the cleaner feeders to provide 

 some means for the destruction of the insects that are captured. In 

 some cases where the cleaner feeders are in operation the discharge 

 is allowed to accumulate in an open barrel or box. From such recep- 

 tacles weevils readily make their way into the seed cotton in storage. 

 It is a simple matter to provide compression rollers through which 

 the discharge from the cleaner feeder is passed. If, for any reason, 

 the use of compression rollers is impracticable, the trash should bo 



28873°— S. Doc. 305, 62-2 11 



