fceinen ge 56. 
United States Department of Agriculture, 
BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY, 
L. O. HOWARD, Entomologist. 
THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP IN THE CULTURAL SYSTEM OF 
CONTROLLING THE BOLL WEEVIL. 
By W. D. HUNTER, 
In Charge of Cotton Boll Weevil Investigations. 
The agitation of the necessity for procuring an early crop in order to 
avoid damage by the boll weevil has been carried on to such an extent 
by the Department of Agriculture that the details have become common 
knowledge. There is, however, a tendency on the part of many planters 
to lose sight of the fact that procuring an early crop is but one step and 
is strictly secondary to the great essential step, namely, the destruction 
in the fall of the plants in the field. As a matter of fact, early planting, 
the use of early varieties, and the use of fertilizers, are simply to further 
the advantage gained by the process of fall destruction. 
REASONS FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF THE PLANTS IN THE FALL. 
There are four principal reasons why the process of fall destruction 
recommended in this circular should be practiced universally by planters 
in infested regions. 
First.—Fall destruction prevents absolutely the development of a 
multitude of weevils which would otherwise become adult within a few 
weeks of the time of hibernation. The destruction of the immature 
stages of weevils in infested squares and bolls is accomplished, while 
the further growth of squares which may become infested later is also 
prevented. This stops materially the development of weevils which 
would normally hibernate successfully, and by decreasing the number 
of weevils which will emerge in the spring the chances for a successful 
crop the following season are very greatly increased. 
Second.—A proper manipulation will bring about the destruction of a 
great majority of the weevils which are already adult. 
Third.—It has been shown conclusively that the only weevils which 
survive the winter are those which reach maturity late in the season. 
Those maturing earlier are unable to survive the long period of hiberna- 
tion. In one instance, out of 240 weevils taken from the field at the 
middle of December and placed in hibernation, 38, or 15.8 per cent, 
passed the winter successfully, while out of 116 which became adult 
about November 15, only 1, or less than 1 per cent, survived. It is evi- 
