20 BOLL WEEVIL. 



the winter, whereas destruction of stalks on Octoher %1/ allowed IB 

 per cent to survive; November 26, 2% per cent; between December 

 15 and January 15, %3 per cent. It is clear, therefore, that the earlier 

 the stalks are destroyed, the more effective the results will be, but 

 where early destruction is impossible, it is better late than never. 



COVER CROPS. 



// for any reason the stalks can not be plowed under early in 

 the fall, then the land should be seeded to a cover crop by planting 

 in the middles with a three-tube drill. After frost, when the stalks 

 are dry, they may be chopped up with a stalk cutter and thus thrown 

 down into the green cover crop. The boll weevil can not_ survice in 

 this cover crop, because he can not eva,porate sufficient moisture from 

 his body. The cover crop is, therefore, both a means of controlling 

 the boll weevil and other serious farm pests, and of building up the 

 fertility of the land. 



Having followed all of the above directions, there will still remain 

 those factors over which the farmer has no control. A rainy June and 

 July may make it impossible for Mm to do his full part and he will 

 have to suffer in consequence. Under boll weevil conditions cotton 

 iti no longer the certain crop that it once was, and no farmer is any 

 longer safe in making it his sole reliance. Only by raising his food 

 supplies for man and beast and making other crops for sale can he be 

 secure against disaster. 



COLLKCTIi^G WEEVILS. 



It may be helpful to pick weevils from the young cotton plants 

 before the squares appear whenever cheap labor that costs practi- 

 cally nothing in ca.sh is available. If weevil collecting is done with 

 the utmost care, giving special attention to places where the greatest 

 number of weevils hibernated, the majority of weevils may be caught 

 before they lay their eggs. It is estimated that weevil collecting, 

 when upon thorough search less than 60 weevils per acre are fourid, 

 is not profitable. 



COLLECTING SQUARES. 



When low-priced labor is available, square collecting will be help- 

 ful if properly done. Collecting should be begun about 10 days after 

 the first bloom is seen in the field. Unless it is done thoroughly it is 

 unprofitable. About every five days every square must be picked, not 

 only those on the ground, but also those that have dried on the 

 plants, as well as those which show yellow color or are flared. This 

 should be continued during the first few weeks of the square-forming 

 period. During tuet seasons, lohen cultivation is i7npossible, plow 

 labor may be used until cultivation can be resumed. Special at- 

 tention should be given to places where a large number of weevils 

 passed the lointer, such as bottom lands near woods, and in fields 

 adjoining waste land or other places where rubbish occurs. 



DESTRUCTION OP STALKS. 



Eemembering that the weevils which survive the winter are the 

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

 be made to reduce the number of those which go into hibernntinn 



