THE BOLL- WEEVIL PKOBLEM, 37 



which come from seed scattered accidentally or blown from the 

 bolls dm-iiig 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 

 volmiteer plants appeared in the spring at the rate of about 1,000 

 per acre. An investigation showed that the number of such plants 

 hicreases to the westward as the climate becomes drier. Neverthe- 

 less, niunbers of plants were fomid near Memphis, Tenn., and Vicks- 

 burg. 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 tliis method. Before many 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. 



Tliere is one way in which trapping occasionally may be resorted 

 to with good effect. When the plants are destroyed in the fall and. 

 the weather is so warm that the majority of the weevils have not 

 entered liibernation, many of them wiU 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. 



Attraction to lights. — Many insects more or less resembling the 

 boll weevil are attracted to lights. This has caused many persons 

 to attempt to destroy the cotton pest by taking advantage of the 

 supposed habit. It has been found, however, that the boll weevil 

 is not attracted to lights to any extent whatever. In one experiment 

 a number of strong lanterns were placed in cotton fields in Victoria 

 County, Tex. In all, 24,492 specimens of insects were captured, 

 representing about 328 species. Of these, 13,113 specimens belonged 

 to injurious species, 8,262 to bmeficial species, and 3,111 were of 

 a neutral character. Not a single boll weevil was found among all 

 these specimens, notwithstanding the fact that the fights were 

 placed in the midst of fields where there were milfions of these insects. 



Chemical treatment of seed. — It is scarcely necessary to call atten- 

 tion to the fallacy of attempting to destroy the boU weevil by soaking 



