52 



increasing boll weevil populations terminated production, and (2) cultural prac- 

 tices in the fall designed to reduce the overwintering population. Cultural 

 practices included destruction of stalks and food. supply as soon after harvest 

 as possible. This was usually accomplished by cutting and burning or by grazing 

 by livestock. In many parts of the country it was a common practice to burn 

 hedgerows and woodland near cotton fields to destroy hibernating weevils. This 

 burning practice was severely curtailed in the 1940' s. These practices gave 

 some relief from this pest but never worked very well. Then the discovery of 

 the effectiveness of the new insecticides opened a new era in cotton production 

 in the infested areas. These chemicals gave good control during the growing 

 season and resulted in an extended growing season with yield increases of 100 

 percent or more. 



90. . 1976. A plan for boll weevil elimination in the Cotton Belt. In 



Boll Weevil, Suppression, Management, and Elimination Tachnology. Proceed- 

 ings of a Conference, February 13-15, 1974. Memphis, Tennessee. U.S. 

 Agric. Res. Serv. [Rep.] ARS-S-71, pp. 154-158. 

 A general plan is presented. It is emphasized that if a national program 

 is undertaken it will be necessary to develop a much more detailed plan of 

 action, along with an environmental impact statement. It is estimated that 

 completion of such a program would require 6 to 10 years and would cost $655 

 million, based upon 1972 cotton acreage. This cost estimate includes a 20% 

 contingency fund. Finally, there are certain conditions which are essential 

 to the success of such a huge and difficult undertaking: (1) There must be 

 overwhelming support of the program by growers, the cotton industry, and the 

 agencies responsible for program execution. (2) There must be 100% grower 

 participation. (3) We must have the legislative authority to carry out the 

 regulatory requirements and the willingness to exercise that authority. (4) 



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