14 
weevils to mature the gathering will have to be continued for the 
period of the second generation of females and their egg laying. 
Properly and scrupulously followed up, there should be very few shed 
weevil-infested squares to gather after the hibernating weevils have 
finished their egg laying. 
It should always be borne in mind that as the cotton gets older the 
plant naturally sheds more squares, even though they were not ray- 
aged by insect pests. Hence planters should not be discouraged with 
their success or results simply because squares continue to fall. The 
uninfested squares must be gathered at all times during the egg-laying 
season to make sure that no infested ones escape. 
This method, as also the pan-shaking process, has often met with 
all kinds of ridicule, and has been dismissed by many as entirely 
impracticable. It is worthy of note, however, that this ridicule comes 
from those who have never tested the method. No one can deny the 
efficiency of these methods, and their value, therefore, hinges upon 
whether they are practicable and economical. Those planters who 
have only a small acreage have been the ones who during the past 
year have applied these methods most extensively. So far as tests 
among these small planters are concerned, there have been hundreds 
of them. The planters are all perfectly satisfied with the practical 
utility, economy, and effectiveness of these plans. Children can be 
employed to do this work of gathering. In this way many small cot- 
ton fieids have been protected from the ravages of the boll weevil the 
past season by the industrious work of the children, and the farmer 
has had no perceptible extra expense. 
Cost of gathering squares.—But it is the large planter who has a 
thousand acres under cultivation who stands aghast at the extensive- 
ness of the task set before him. In order to secure actual figures and 
experience, tests were made upon these large plantations. In the 
trials adult negroes were employed, while as a matter of fact boys 
from 10 to 15 years could as well have been utilized. By actual test 
in this way it was estabiished beyond question that for the months of 
May and June every fallen square can be gathered at a cost of from 5 
cents to 10 cents per acre per gathering. When older, the cotton 
naturally sheds more and the expense for July may reach 25 cents 
per acre. When boys are employed the expense can be proportion- 
ately decreased. In the actual test an adult laborer easily gathered 
the squares from 15 to 20 acres per day during May, and from 10 to 
15 acres during June. After that time the area gathered per day 
decreased to from 3 to 5 acres. Hence, early in the season with a 
squad of ten laborers a 1,000-acre plantation can be gone over each 
week if necessary at an expense of $60 per week, or 6 cents per acre. 
This certainly must appear economical to really thoughtful, practical 
minds. Many extensive planters have proven to their own satisfac- 

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