THE BOLL-WEEVIL PROBLEM. 23 



LOCATING FIELDS TO AVOID WEEVIL DAMAGE. 



The illustration just given emphasizes a method of averting damage 

 by the weevil that can be followed in many individual cases. All 

 planters that have had experience with the weevil know that the 

 portions of their properties near the timber or other locations 

 affording hibernating quarters show the first damage by the weevil 

 and consequently the least production. Of course, it is not always 

 possible to plant other crops in such situations. Nevertheless, farm- 

 ers frequently can avoid damage by devoting the particular fields 

 known to be most susceptible to weevil injury to other crops. This 

 is not pointed out as a general recommendation. In many cases it 

 would be entu'ely impracticable, but its importance should be realized 

 by planters in regions where every possible precaution must be taken. 



CROP ROTATION. 



Save in very exceptional cases the boU weevil never does so much 

 damage on land where cotton follows some other crop as on land 

 where cotton follows cotton. This is due to the fact, as has been 

 pointed out, that the weevils do not fly very far from their hibernat- 

 ing quarters in the spring. Therefore it is evident that a proper 

 rotation of crops may be followed to assist in the fight against the 

 boll weevil. As in the case of the location of the fields referred to, 

 the recommendation here made is no panacea. Nevertheless, 

 rotation can be made to assist in fighting the weevil, aside from the 

 many other advantages that are known to come from it. 



PROCURING AN EARLY CROP. 



Although the destruction of the weevils in the fall is the great 

 essential step in controlling the insect, it can not be depended on 

 exclusively. The full benefits of the fall work and the maximum 

 crop can not be obtained unless the next great step, procuring an 

 early crop, is taken. In fact, the success of the farmer in pro- 

 ducing cotton in regions infested by the boll weevil will depend di- 

 rectly upon the extent to which he combines the various methods de- 

 scribed m this bulletin. 



There are certain localities where the conditions cause the soil to be 

 late or slow. For instance, the planters on the Red River in Louisi- 

 ana state that they can procure early crops on their ''front" land, 

 but that such is difficult or impossible on the fields back from the 

 river. This is largely a matter of drainage. In some sections in 

 Louisiana and Mississippi the essential step in obtaining an early 

 crop win be largely a question of drainage. Lands so situated that 

 they can not be drained economically to the extent that allows an 

 early crop must be devoted to cro])s other than cotton. 



