ty to a considerable extent, and in sections badly infested by 

 the boll weevil, nothing should be neglected which will be con- 

 ducive to early maturing of the crop. On most of the alluvial 

 lands, nitrogenous fertilizers are not needed, and indeed are 

 for the most part undesirable, as nitrogen tends to make a luxu- 

 riant growth of the plant at the expense of early fruitage. 

 Luxuriant plants furnishing an abundance of shade and moist- 

 ure are conducive to the rapid development and increase of the 

 boll weevils. 



IV Thorough Cultivation. 



The effect of thorough cultivation is to keep the plants 

 growing continuously and to increase the formation of bolls 

 and hasten their maturity. One chopping and three cultiva- 

 tions cannot be considered "thorough" cultivation. The ideal 

 cultivation is one which results in a "dust mulch'' being main- 

 tained in the field throughout the spring and early summer. As 

 conditions vary to a great extent in different sections of the 

 state and upon different soils and plantations, a hard and fast 

 rule regarding what constitutes a "thorough cultivation" can- 

 not be laid down. In general, howeve^ three choppings and 

 about five cultivations will result in rapid development of the 

 plants and in hastened maturity. 



Upon many farms and plantations in Louisiana the cultiva- 

 tion of the cotton crop heretofore has been virtually as good as 

 it could be under any conditions, and very little" if any im- 

 provement in the care of the crops could be made. 'Upon the 

 majority of farms, however, thorough cultivation has not been 

 practiced, and especially is this true where the tenant system 

 has been employed, and where plantation managers themselves 

 have attempted to cultivate the largest possible acreag-e 

 with the labor at their command. Upon such plantations 

 there must be a reduction of the cotton acreage in proportion 

 to the labor employed, to the point where the crop can be thor- 

 oughly cultivated and cared for. . Hard and fast work to make 

 a "quick" crop must be the motto in heavily-infested boll wee- 

 vil sections. 



V Fall Destruction of Cotton Plants. 



This is by far the most important step in the cultural reme- 

 dy. The steps enumerated above early planting, use of quick- 

 maturing varieties, judicious use of fertilizers and thorough 

 cultivation all have as their object the production of a crop 



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