THE CONTROL OF THE BOLL WEEVIL 



RECOMMENDATIONS. 



The work of the Bureau of Entomology for several years has indicated 

 that there is not even a remote probability that the boll weevil will ever 

 be exterminated. As a matter of fact, no injurious insect has ever been 

 exterminated. Some species, like the Rocky Mountain locust in this 

 country, have died out more or less on account of climatic influences, and 

 reasonably effective methods of combating others, like the Phylloxera in 

 France, have been perfected. 



Although the very large yields of cotton of former times may no longer 

 be possible in the region now infested by the boll weevil, it is entirely 

 feasible to produce cotton at a margin of profit that will compare favorably 

 twith that resulting from the production of most of the staple crops of the 

 United States by following what has become generally known as the cul- 

 tural method. This method consists of the following changes and modifi- 

 cations of the system of cotton raising, made necessary by the boll weevil. 

 It was originally suggested by a careful study of the life history and 

 habits of the pest, and naturally any improvements that may eventually 

 be made will be the result of a continuation of that study. It has now 

 been tested successfully on a large scale by the Bureau of Entomology, as 

 'well as by many planters, during three seasons. Of greatest advantage 

 is the reducing of the numbers of the weevils by the destruction of the 

 plants in the fall. The advantage thus gained is followed up by bending 

 every effort toward procuring an early crop the next season. 



(1) Plant early. If possible, plant seed of the varieties known to mature 

 early, or obtain seed from as far north as possible. This recommendation 

 is made as a suggestion for the benefit of those planters who have not 

 taken care in the selection of the cotton seed for planting on their planta- 

 tion. By far the best method for obtaining early seed is by selection in 

 tthe field. 



It is much better to run the risk of replanting, which is not an expen- 

 sive operation, than to have the crop delayed. The practice of some 

 planters of making two plantings to avoid having all the work of chop- 

 ping thrown into a short period is very bad policy from the boll-weevil 

 standpoint. 



Early cotton of improved varieties has yielded from two to three times 

 as much as native cotton under the same conditions, and in many cases 

 much more. Planted at the same time, the early varieties begin to bloom 

 much earlier than native cotton. 



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