Department of Agriculture 51 



Don't wait until after weevils have punctured squares to 

 start the weekly poison program. If the poison kills all the 

 over-wintered weevils the egg-infested squares will soon 

 hatch out another supply of adults. 



Don't delay any of the weekly poison applications on the 

 theory that all weevils have been killed. Keep poisoning 

 until June 12-14 in fields where no moss-covered timber 

 occurs and until 18-20 in fields where moss-covered timber 

 is nearby. 



Don't permit last year's stubble plants to put up sprouts 

 or fruiting branches as an early weevil generation will ma- 

 ture and migrate to the cultivated poison fields about June 15. 



Don't expect profitable crops of Sea Island cotton where 

 the poisoning operation is only half done. It has been proven 

 that all over-wintered weevils will be eradicated if the poison 

 operation is started on time and properly carried out. 



Don't permit a single weevil to be in your field at the end 

 of the poisoning season. If, for any unknown reason, an 

 infested spot is found in the field, flag the location, go back 

 to it at least two to three times each week and gather all 

 infested squares. At the time the spot is located poison a 

 circle about 100 feet in all directions from the infested spot 

 in order to kill the female weevil. 



Don't fail to take advantage of weather conditions during 

 the poisoning season. If your poison date falls on Wednes- 

 day and indications point to rain on that day poison on Tues- 

 day or at a six day interval. It is much better to be a day 

 ahead with the poison schedule than a day late. 



Don't miss an application during the poisoning season and 

 expect good weevil control. Allowing the cotton to go two 

 weeks between poison applications will nearly always defeat 

 the poison program. 



Don't expect to control migratory weevils under Florida 

 weather conditions. The rainy season usually begins about 

 July 1 and lasts for four to six weeks. The annual summer 

 weevil migration usually starts from unpoisoned cotton fields 

 about July 15. Under such long, almost daily rain seasons, 

 neither dusting, spraying or mopping will pay in the hands 

 of an average farmer. 



