BOLL T VEEVIL CONTROL BY USE OF POISON. 29 



A very accurate check plat should be provided; otherwise the 

 question of gain or loss is likely to be more or less problematical. 

 For this purpose several fairly uniform cuts should be selected, sub- 

 ject to about the average degree of weevil infestation in that locality, 

 and only one-half of each cut treated, letting the remainder go un- 

 treated as a check on results secured. A little experience of this 

 sort will soon make clear the conditions under which the grower 

 can or can not poison profitably. Of course, this unpoisoned check 

 plat will serve to increase the infestation of the adjacent poisoned 

 cotton, but this slight loss will be far more than offset by the value 

 of the information secured. 



Weevil poisoning has in some cases been criticized as possibly 

 tempting the farmer to neglect securing the proper varieties of 

 cotton and cultivating properly, and other important factors or 

 operations which have been learned as a result of hard experience 

 with the boll weevil. On the contrary, by eliminating weevil injury 

 it should encourage the planter to strive for the increased yield 

 which can be induced by good farming, and to emulate the man 

 who practices such a good method of farming that his gain from 

 weevil poisoning is tremendously increased. No one should slight 

 any other operation involved in the production of the cotton crop 

 just because the plants are being poisoned. Weevil poisoning can 

 not make cotton. It is up to the farmer and the land to do this, 

 and the best that can be expected of poisoning is to save this cotton 

 from weevil destruction. 



CONTROL OF THE COTTON LEAFWORM AND FALL ARMY WORM 

 WITH CALCIUM ARSENATE. 



One question which frequently arises in connection with the use 

 of calcium arsenate is whether or not this material will control the 

 cotton leafworm, fall army worm, or any other pests of this nature. 

 It will undoubtedly be as satisfactory for this purpose as any 

 chemical which could be utilized. It is very nearly as poisonous as 

 Paris green to the worms and has the decided advantage of being 

 cheaper and less injurious to the plants. In case anyone desires to 

 utilize weevil-poisoning equipment solely for leafworm control, 

 however, he should bear in mind that he could considerably reduce 

 the expense of the operation without interfering with its effective- 

 ness by mixing equal parts of lime and calcium arsenate and apply- 

 ing this mixture at the rate of about 4 or 5 pounds per acre. 



