SEASONAL HISTORY. 



79 



24,347 adult weevils at Port Gibson, Miss., in August, 19 ll. 1 With 

 j this number of weevils there was a record of only 37.03 per cent infes- 

 tation of the remaining squares and bolls. Higher percentages of 

 infestation have been recorded with much smaller numbers of adult 

 weevils per acre. 



EFFECT OF MAXIMUM INFESTATION UPOM WEEVIL MULTIPLICATION. 



At the time of maximum infestation the majority of the third- 

 generation weevils are becoming adult and many of the hibernated 

 weevils have died. About this time also a decrease in square pro- 



Fig. 15.— Status of the boll weevil in Texas in August, 1906; percentage of infestation of all forms. 



(Original.) 



duction accompanies the maturity of the bulk of the crop, owing to 

 the fact that the assimilative power of the plant is largely consumed 

 in maturing seed. If dry weather occurs at this period, which is 

 frequently the case in Texas, there is a further decrease in the number 

 of weevils present. Not only are there fewer squares to become 

 infested, but each square is also subjected to greater injury, and many 

 which would otherwise produce weevils are unfitted as food for the 

 larvae by the decay which follows the numerous punctures. Several 

 eggs may be deposited in each square, but as a rule only one weevil 



During the late fall the number may be much larger. See p. 76. 



