THE BOLL WEEVIL PROBLEM. 43 
ever after emergence was 90 days and a considgrable number lived 
from between 6 to 12 weeks after emergence. This ability to sur- 
vive without food, together with the late emergence, render it entirely 
out of the question to exterminate the boll weevil by late planting. 
Moreover, there are always to be found along roads, turn rows, in 
cotton fields, and elsewhere, a considerable number of volunteer 
plants which come from seed scattered accidentally or blown from 
the bolls during the fall. These plants, starting early in the spring 
in such numbers as to be beyond control, would furnish a means for 
the weevils to subsist to the time of planting, regardless of how late 
it might be. In 1906, for instance, at Dallas, Tex., it was found that 
volunteer plants appeared in the spring at the rate of about 1,000 
per acre. An investigation showed that the number of such plants 
increases to the westward as the climate becomes drier. Nevertheless, 
numbers of plants were found near Memphis, Tenn., and Vicksburg, 
Miss., in a region of more than 50 inches of annual precipitation. 
Similar observations have been made each season since 1906. 
Trap rows.—The idea of attracting weevils to a few early plants or 
trap rows seemed hopeful at one time. Practical work in the field, 
however, has shown that nothing whatever can be expected from this 
means. The difficulty is that the early plants exert very little attrac- 
tion. Moreover, before the majority of the weevils have emerged 
from hibernation the planted cotton is always large enough to furnish 
them plenty of food. In practice it has been found impossible to 
defer planting long enough to concentrate any appreciable number of 
weevils on the trap plants. Trapping weevils to hibernating quarters 
is an equally mistaken idea. They can not be induced to resort to 
any particular places. It is likewise impossible to attempt to make 
the cotton fields more favorable for hibernation than places outside 
of the field. 
There is one way in which trapping may occasionally be resorted 
to with good effect. When the plants are destroyed in the fall and 
the weather is so warm that the majority of weevils have not entered 
hibernation, many of them will be found upon the plants that are 
left. Under these conditions the farmer can leave a few trap rows 
to good advantage. They should be uprooted and burned within 
10 days of the time the other plants are destroyed, to Kill the 
weevils that may be found upon them. Hand picking at frequent 
intervals before destruction may be practicable where labor is inex- 
pensive. 
Attraction to lights—Many insects more or less resembling the boll 
weevil are attracted to hghts. This has caused many persons to 
attempt to destroy the cotton pest by taking advantage of the sup- 
posed habit. It has been found, however, that the boll weevil is not 
512 
