COTTOy ly SECTS 



O Q O 



about 50 per cent. Such an enormous reduction as this 

 is not due solely to the smaller amount of cotton produced 

 per acre, but is partlj- due to reduction in acreage. For- 

 tunatelj' in most of the countrj- west of the ^^lississippi 

 River, where the boll-wee\'il has been present for a longer 

 time than anj-where else in this countrj-, farmers, -w-ithin 

 a few j-ears after the arrival of this pest, have learned 

 to change their methods so as to regain a part or all of this 

 loss. However, even before the 

 boll-weevil had extended beyond 

 Texas and Louisiana, the injury to 

 the cotton crop was estimated at 

 more than S22.000.000 in one year. 



362. Food of the weevil. — The 

 injur}' done by this in.sect is practi- 

 cally confined to the squares and 

 bolls. The squares are decidedly 

 preferred, and as long as these are 

 present in abundance but little 

 damage is done to the larger bolls. 

 This preference for the squares, 

 rather than for the older forms, 

 makes it possible for farmers to grow cotton in spite of 

 the boll-wee\'il. This is done hy hoMening the early growth 

 of the plants -so thai many holU u-ill form and pass the danger 

 point before the weevils become very numerous. After the 

 wee\ils become verj' abundant in Augiist. they sometimes 

 destroy everj' square in a field, so that no late blooms 

 appear. 



The injury is effected both by the mature weevil Tig. 

 171), feeding from the outside of the square or boll, and by 



1,1. — The Mature 

 Boll-weevil. 



Note the Uro projections 

 at the outer end of the 

 fir.?t joint of the front legs. 

 (Photo by \V. E. Hinds.j 



