ae THE BOLL WEEVIL PROBLEM. 
Whenever frost or other unfavorable weather causes the plants to 
cease putting on squares, the weevils attack the bolls. A conserva- 
tive estimate of the possible progeny of a single pair of weevils dur- 
ing a season beginning on June 20 and extending to November 4 is 
12,755,100. 
The cotton-boll weevil, so far as known at present, has no food 
plant other than cotton. This has been determined by planting 
various plants related to cotton in the vicinity of infested cotton and 
Fic. 4.—Cotton square showing egg puncture of boll weevil and “ flaring” of bracts. 
Natural size. (Author’s illustration.) 
in cages in which weevils were placed. It has therefore been demon- 
strated beyond any doubt whatever that the insect is restricted to the 
cotton plant for food. When confined in bottles, the weevil will par- 
take of various substances, such as apples or bananas; but this is 
only under the stress of starvation. Under natural conditions they 
would pay no attention to these substances. 
The boll weevil is strictly diurnal in its habits. Repeated observa- 
tions made in the field at night have shown that it is not active after 
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