THE COTTON-BOLL WEEVIL 



303 



too expensive. At present there seem but few ways to 

 fight the weevil. One is to grow cotton that will mature 

 too early for the weevils to do 

 it much harm. Another is to 

 destroy the weevil as far as pos- 

 sible during the winter. In adopt- 

 ing the first plan Texas farmers 

 have found that by the proper 

 and careful selection of seed, by 

 early planting, by a free use of 

 fertilizers containing a high per- 

 centage of phosphoric acid, and 

 by frequent plowing, they can 

 mature a crop thirty days earlier and thus defeat the weevil. 

 In addition the rows are put farther apart. This allows the 

 sun to reach the stalks better and the weevil greatly dislikes 

 sunshine. In this way a good crop can be harvested by Oc- 

 tober. This is before the army of weevils has reached its 

 greatest number. Cotton may be improved by methods of 

 seed selection and breeding as suggested in Section XVIII. 



FIG. 263. THE MEXICAN 

 COTTON- BOLL WEEVIL, 

 SHOWING STRUCTURE 



FIG. 264. 



A SERIES OF WEEVILS, SHOWING VARIATIONS 

 IN SIZE WHEN FULL GROWN 



These methods applied to Texas cotton produce the most 

 satisfactory results as to the grade of the staple, the yield 

 per acre, and early maturing. 



