BOLL WEEVIL. 19 



An of the phosphorus and potash and most of the nitrogen 

 should le applied at or before planting time and the rest of the 

 nitrogen should le applied by the time the first squares begin to 

 form,. On very light sandy soils it is advisable to apply more of the 

 nitrogen after the cotton is up, but in no case should this application 

 be delayed until late in the season. Where large applications of fer- 

 tilizer are made at planting time, it is important to mix the fertilizer 

 with the soil thoroughly, so that it will not interfere with the germi- 

 nation and early growth of the cotton. 



CULTIVATION-. 



From the very start cotton should be cultivated intensively to pre- 

 vent weeds and grass from ever getting a start. To accomplish this, 

 frequent shallow cultivation is advisable. Cotton should never be 

 ■cultivated so deep as to destroy the roots of the plants, and under 

 no condition should weeds and grass be alloived to get a start in the 

 cotton, for they will delay the growth. 



VARIETIES. 



Numerous experiments in the boll-weevil infested area of this and 

 other States have amply justified the recommendation of the follow- 

 ing varieties for the conditions designated: 



A. Short staple varieties. 



1. Cleveland Big Boll for wilt-free land. 



2. Dixie Triumph for wilt-infested land. 



B. Long staple varieties. 



i. Webber No. Jf9. 



2. Delta-type Webber. 

 It is important to have an early fruiting variety, but it is also 

 im'porta'ftt to liave a variety xohich continues to fruit throughout the 

 season. The boll weevil prefers to puncture squares and will do so 

 if they are present on the plants, but if none are to be found he xoill 

 then puncture the half -grown bolls. This explains why it is impor- 

 tant for a variety to continue fruiting throughout the season. 



It should be understood tliat other varieties may in a given season 

 and under favorable conditions yield more than these, but when 

 taken for a period of years these varieties have proved their supe- 

 riority. 



PLOWING UNDER OF STALKS. 



Remembering that the weevils which survice the winter are the 

 parents of the destructive army of the next year, every effort should 

 he made to reduce the number of those which go into hibernation with 

 the coming of the cold iceather. It is the number of adult weevils 

 alive when the time for hibernation comes that counts. It is, there- 

 fore, best to destroy the green cotton stalks just as soon as the' 

 cotton is harvested. This can be accom.plished by turning under. 

 This process, if done in time, will destroy a large number of adults 

 and weevils in process of development, and will also, through lach 

 of food, cause many remaining adults to migrate or perish. The 

 effectiveness of stalk destruction depends on the length of time 

 iefm'e frost that it is accomplished. 



Experiments in Louisiana show that \ohen cotton stalks were de- 

 stroyed before October 16 only S per cent of the weevils survive 



