BOLL WEEVIL. 7 



t«^;„^^^* *°.?® merchant whose business has been principally that of advancing 

 to farmers, the coming of the boU weevil has meant one year of prac icallv no 

 business and the practical abandonment of the present advancing system on the 

 S^run?nh1S^c't^?;Sr ^' reduced volume on a caslf ba^sis ha^^^L^ 

 n^^n*^"" ^°Ku^^°° Strongly emphasized that cotton production on the basis of 

 cfaUyto'the merchant. '''""''" '"'^'"'"'''^ disastrous to both parties, but espe 

 „ J, I^^*^ "^'^ degree of permanent disaster is dependent upon the cooperation 

 and determmation with which the people of infested territory meet the s tuation 

 Where people have recognized a common problem and met the situation firmly 

 and with sane business conservatism ; where the merchants have restricted ad- 

 vances on the cotton crop as collateral and insisted on rigid economy ; where 

 the farmers have practiced this economy and diversified their agriculture pro- 

 ducing first a living from the farm, the general testimony is that agricul- 

 ture under such conditions promises a readjustment on a sounder basis than 

 existed before the coming of the weevil. Those who have prepared for the 

 weevil's coming have suffered little of financial embarrassment But for the 

 man in debt, the improvident, and the unbeliever, the boll weevil has spelled a 

 disaster almost inconceivable in its completeness. 



It is the purpose of this report to go into greater detail as to the 

 conditions to be expected and the remedies to be applied. 



The Boll Weevil. 



Since this report is concerned chiefly with the agricultural and 

 economic aspects of the boll weevil, no attempt will be -made to give 

 a detailed or strictly scientific statement regarding its habits orlife 

 history .2 Only such information as will aid in a better understand- 

 ing of the necessary methods of control will be attempted, and this 

 in simple and popular form. However, the facts are taken mainly 

 from Dr. Hunter's bulletin (Farmers' Bulletin No. 512), and are 

 to be relied upon. 



LIFE HISTOIiT. 



A fuIUgj:©w:n Mexican boll weevil is from one-eighth inchjo one- 

 fourth inch in length. Its snout is about one-half its body length. 

 In color it varies from light yellowish when young to a grayish 

 brown or black when fully matured. 



There are so many insects resembling very closely the Mexican 

 boll weevil that the only sure way to determine whether an insect is 

 a boll weevil or not is to send it to the State entomologist for exam- 

 ination. If a cotton field shows an unusual number of falling 

 squares, the bracts of which flare out instead of closing in closely 

 upon the bud, it is a good indication that weevils are present. The 

 boll weevil lives through the winter only in the adult stages. With 

 the first cold weather the weevils seek shelter under logs, in high 

 grass and weeds, in old fences, and anywhere that will furnish pro- 

 tection during hibernation. The moss that hangs- from the trees 

 in the low country is an ideal place of refuge. In these sheltered 

 positions the weevils try to live out the winter, but only about 3 

 per cent survive. Since a conservative estimate of the possible 

 progeny of a single pair of weevils during the season is above 



2 Those interested in a scientific study of the weevil should write to the United States 

 Department of Agriculture for Bulletin No. 358, entitled " Study of the Mexican Cotton- 

 Boll Weevil in the Mississippi Valley." 



