,libraries47 ,,the ,,boll ,,weevil ,how to prosper in ,boll ,weevil ,territory ,illustration3 ,prof4 ,p4 ,g4 ,,holden ,director ,i ,h ,c ,agricultural ,extension ,department ,a one crop system will impoverish any country1 and in turn it will impoverish the people that are on its farms4 ,it is only through diversification of crops and the using of our energies every day of the year1 as well as our hands1 that we can make a great rich country and a great1 strong1 vigorous people4--,prof4 ,p4 ,g4 ,holden4 ,illustration3 ,g4 ,h4 ,,alford ,of ,i ,h ,c ,agricultural ,extension ,department ,,how ,,to ,,prosper ,,in ,,boll ,,weevil ,,territory ,by ,g4 ,h4 ,,alford ,,published ,,and ,,copyrighted ,,by ,,the ,,agricultural ,,extension ,,department ,,international ,,harvester ,,company ,,of ,,new ,,jersey ,,prof4 ,p4 ,g4 ,,holden1 ,director ,,chicago1 ,,usa ,illustration3 ,a good stalk of cotton ,introductory ,this book was prepared to furnish information on farming in the boll weevil territory4 ,special attention has been given to the production of cotton in infested districts and to showing how to adopt a system of farming which has been found profitable by many farmers in boll weevil territories4 ,it was written by a man who has had practical experience all his life in growing cotton in ,mississippi1 ,louisiana and ,texas4 ,he later devoted a number of years to the special study of the boll weevil in the cotton fields of these states as special agent for the ,farmers' ,co-operative ,demonstration ,work4 ,in addition to this1 he is acquainted with the financial and economic conditions throughout the cotton belt4 ,dedicated to all ,cotton ,growers ,how to ,prosper in ,boll ,weevil ,territory ,the ,system of ,farming ,necessary to ,obtain ,best ,results ,under ,average ,conditions in ,boll ,weevil ,territory ,in order to obtain profitable returns from farming in boll weevil territory1 we must--,first1 grow an early crop of cotton2 second1 use every means possible to destroy the weevil and reduce their number to a minimum2 third1 follow a system of diversified farming4 ,grow an ,early ,variety of ,cotton3 ,to secure maximum cotton crops in spite of the boll weevil pest1 the cotton grower must use every effort to bring the crop to maturity just as early in the season as possible4 ,an early crop means profit--a late crop goes to the weevil1 not to the farmer4 ,if we are to succeed in growing cotton under boll weevil conditions we must-- #a4 ,reduce the cotton acreage so that the most effective cultural methods may be closely followed4 ,it is often advisable to reduce the acreage #ej per cent4 #b4 ,plant only warm1 fertile1 well-drained land4 #c4 ,thoroughly prepare the seed bed before planting4 ,young cotton plants do not grow well in cloddy ground4 ,illustration3 ,boll ,weevil2 enlarged above2 natural size below #d4 ,make heavy applications of commercial fertilizer where the soil responds to such treatment1 for it will hasten maturity and increase the yield4 #e4 ,plant early1 rapid-fruiting1 prolific cotton seed4 #f4 ,plant the seed as early as the season will permit1 in rows just about as wide apart as the cotton usually grows tall in the average season4 #g4 ,commence to cultivate the young cotton just as soon as possible1 and do not permit a crust to form or the field to become grassy4 ,reduce the ,cotton ,acreage3 ,in many sections of the country1 intensive farming--smaller farms and more thorough cultivation--is being profitably practiced4 ,in boll weevil territory1 we would likewise advocate intensive cotton growing--smaller acreage to cotton with more thorough cultivation--as a good step toward securing early and profitable cotton crops4 ,for instance1 many farmers in the boll weevil territory are now producing as much cotton on five acres by following proper methods as they formerly produced on ten acres1 thus leaving half of their land to produce some other crop4 ,plant on ,fertile ,soil3 ,this is one of the necessities in order to produce an early cotton crop4 ,the land must be well-drained so that it will warm up early in the spring and retain the heat4 ,it must contain plenty of humus or vegetable matter to prevent packing4 ,plenty of vegetable matter also increases the water-holding capacity of the soil1 thus reducing the loss due to the droughts that may occur in summer4 ,where the soil has not enough humus and therefore will not hold a sufficient amount of water1 the cotton crop will stop growing and putting on squares during a long drought1 and will shed the squares and many of the small bolls already on the stalks4 ,illustration3 ,at left of each pair is a boll weevil4 ,the weevils at the right are weevils often mistaken for boll weevils4 ,the soil may be kept in the proper condition of fertility for cotton by practicing a suitable rotation of crops1 including legumes1 and by turning under the corn stalks1 the oat and pea stubble1 and the grass4 ,thoroughly ,prepare the ,soil3 ,the soil should be plowed deep for the following reasons3 ,first1 to increase the water-holding capacity2 second1 to let the water escape from the surface without running over the ground and washing it off2 third1 to permit the air to circulate freely for a considerable depth in the soil2 fourth1 to secure crops against droughts by enabling the cotton roots to go down to moisture2 fifth1 to increase the area from which plant roots may obtain food4 ,it is advisable to flat break the land in the fall and winter and then bed it some time before the planting season4 ,the bed should be disked or harrowed just before planting the cotton seed1 but it is seldom advisable to re-bed the land just before planting4 ,cotton comes up quicker1 grows off faster and begins bearing sooner on a well settled1 firm seed bed4 ,it is not wise to plant the cotton on freshly prepared land4 ,illustration3 ,the late cotton is for weevil--not for the farmer4 ,the boll weevil prevented the above late cotton from making a single boll4 ,apply ,commercial ,fertilizers3 ,where the soil responds to commercial fertilizer1 it is advisable to make heavy applications to hasten maturity and increase the yield4 ,it is best to use fertilizers which will stimulate the fruit rather than stalk growth4 ,high grade1 #af per cent acid phosphate is the basis for increasing fruit and hastening maturity2 cotton seed meal is usually the basis for stimulating stalk growth4 ,a mixture of two parts of #af per cent acid phosphate and one part of #f per cent cotton seed meal is a good mixture for cotton on soil of average fertility4 ,it will usually also pay to mix about ten pounds of nitrate of soda with every bushel of seed just before it is put into the planter4 ,the nitrate of soda has a tendency to cause the young cotton to grow vigorously and resist the bad effects of cool nights4 ,it also usually pays to make a side application of nitrate of soda just after the cotton has been thinned the first time4 ,plant ,early ,varieties3 ,the production of an early cotton crop requires carefully selected seed of an early1 rapid-fruiting1 prolific variety4 ,this seed may be purchased each year1 or selected from cotton plants with low fruit limbs and short joints on the main stem and fruit limbs4 ,with the weevil pest to combat1 the value of using the earliest and most prolific seed cannot be over-estimated4 ,it is advisable for the average farmer to buy the best early varieties from some reputable breeder and then use every known method to increase the earliness and productiveness of the cotton4 ,reports of tests at the ,government ,experiment ,stations name the earliest and most prolific varieties of cotton4 ,it is not good business to buy varieties of seed that have not been shown to be the earliest and most prolific by actual tests in the fields through a sufficient number of years to eliminate weather conditions4 ,seed should not be purchased because of high-sounding names or exaggerated claims4 ,plant the ,seed ,early3 ,seed should be planted just as early as the season will permit4 ,this is important in the work of hastening the cotton crop to early maturity4 ,the weevils do not multiply until the squares begin to form4 ,they seldom become sufficiently numerous to destroy the squares as fast as they form1 before the last of ,july4 ,while it is important to plant as early as the season will permit1 do not forget that cotton is a tropical plant and is badly effected by cold weather4 ,cultivate the ,young ,cotton3 ,cultivation should begin before the cotton comes up4 ,this may be done by running a steel peg tooth harrow over the field either at right angles or diagonally across the rows4 ,this helps to let the young cotton plants through and at the same time kills millions of tiny weeds and much grass just as they are coming up4 ,the cultivation should be repeated when the little cotton is about five days old4 ,this early cultivation kills the grass and weeds in the sprout and forms a soil mulch all over the field1 which holds the moisture in the ground1 thus making the little plants grow more rapidly4 ,early cultivation with the harrow will reduce the necessary work with the hoe to the minimum4 ,if for any reason the peg tooth harrow cannot be used1 the ordinary one-horse harrows should be used to stir the soil on top of the beds just before the cotton comes up4 ,the harrow or cultivator used will kill the little grass and weeds and leave a shallow1 loose layer of soil on the surface4 ,all later cultivation should be made with such implements as the one or two-horse cultivators1 disk harrows and heel sweeps4 ,a turning plow is out of place in a cotton field unless the soil is devoid of vegetable matter and runs together after heavy rains or unless it rains for two or three weeks and it becomes necessary to plow under the grass4 ,if the soil packs after heavy rains1 it may be advisable to use the turning plow as a necessary evil1 especially1 when the cotton is young4 ,if it should be necessary to use it to loosen the soil or to clean out the crop1 by all means avoid deep cultivation late in the season4 ,be sure to use the harrow or cultivator a few days after using the turning plow to thoroughly pulverize the stirred soil and make a dust mulch4 ,illustration3 ,the upper illustration shows a cotton field planted late and yielding nothing4 ,the lower illustration shows a field on the opposite side of the turnrow on same plantation1 planted early1 properly treated1 and yielding three-quarters bale per acre4 7,houter1 ,yearbook1 ,u4 ,s4 ,dept4 of ,agriculture1 #aijf47 ,the essential thing in the cultivation of the cotton is to keep the ground free from grass and weeds and covered with a soil mulch4 ,frequent and shallow cultivation should be continued until the cotton begins to open4 ,most of the benefits of thorough preparation1 early1 rapid-fruiting seed1 early planting and intensive1 shallow cultivation may be lost unless the fields are given the utmost attention until the cotton begins to open4 ,frequent and shallow cultivation late in the season will not result in the death of many adult weevils1 but it will knock many punctured squares to the hot ground and cause the cotton to remain green and continue to grow and put on squares to furnish food for the boll weevil4 ,the boll weevil prefers squares to bolls and as long as the cotton puts on sufficient squares to furnish it with the necessary food it will not attack many bolls4 ,avoid deep cultivation late in the season1 especially close to the cotton4 ,if the plows cut the roots and cause the cotton to cease to put on squares the weevil will at once attack the bolls1 which would otherwise not be injured4 ,illustration3 ,more and better corn must be grown in weevil territory4 ,above corn grown on ,i ,h ,c farm1 ,brookhaven1 ,miss4 ,how to ,reduce ,boll ,weevil ,best ,methods of ,reducing the ,number of ,weevil to a ,minimum--,results of ,many ,experiments ,conducted ,remarkable results and profitable returns have been obtained by carefully applying the following methods of destroying the boll weevil3 #a4 ,completely strip the cotton stalks of foliage1 squares1 and bolls--the weevils' sole food supply--plow the cotton stalks under good and deep1 or burn them at the earliest possible moment4 #b4 ,during the winter1 destroy the rubbish in and about the fields1 which might serve as hibernating quarters for weevils4 #c4 ,when the weevils appear on the new cotton in the spring1 pick them off and destroy them4 #d4 ,pick up all punctured squares and destroy them for at least one month after the first squares form on the cotton4 ,importance of ,destroying the ,food ,supply3 ,the most important step in producing cotton in boll weevil territory is the early fall destruction of the foliage1 squares1 and immature punctured bolls on the cotton stalks1 which constitute the weevils' only food supply4 ,thousands of experimenters1 including the ,united ,states ,bureau of ,entomology1 ,government ,agents in ,farm ,demonstration ,work1 the ,louisiana ,state ,crop ,pest ,commission1 and thousands of successful farmers substantiate this statement that the early fall destruction of the cotton stalks is the most effective method that can be employed for the reduction of the number of weevil4 ,an experiment conducted by the ,bureau of ,entomology in ,calhoun ,county1 ,texas1 showed that where the stalks on #daj acres of land were destroyed early in ,october1 that the yield was increased #ad4ef per acre4 ,another experiment was conducted on opposite sides of the ,guadaulope ,river near ,victoria1 ,texas4 ,the stalks were burned on one farm the latter part of ,september and on the other they were allowed to stand until planting time4 ,forty acres1 on the farm on which the stalks were destroyed1 produced fifteen bales of cotton4 ,forty acres on the other farm made three and one-half bales4 ,experiments conducted by the ,louisiana ,state ,crop ,pest ,commission are summed up in the following extracts from ,circular ,no4 #bh3 ,where the cotton plants were destroyed before ,october #ae1 only #c per cent of the weevils survived the winter to infest the next year's crop4 ,where the stalks were destroyed from ,october #ae to ,october #bg1 an average of about #ae per cent of the weevils passed through the winter successfully4 ,where the stalks were destroyed between ,november #a and ,november #be1 an average of approximately #bb per cent of the weevil survived the winter4 ,postponing the fall destruction of cotton stalks until the middle of ,december1 or later1 permitted over #dc per cent of the weevils to survive the winter and attack the next crop4 ,where the stalks were destroyed before ,october #ae1 only #c per cent of the weevils passed the winter4 ,where the stalks remained in the field until ,december #ae1 over #dc per cent of the weevils survived the winter4 ,these figures certainly emphasize very strikingly the value of early fall destruction of the boll weevil's food supply4 ,methods of ,destroying the ,food ,supply3 ,with the importance of early fall destruction of the cotton stalks fully realized1 the cotton grower has before him the question of how best to accomplish this4 ,there are three methods of destroying the squares1 bolls1 and foliage of the cotton stalks3 #a4 ,pasturing2 #b4 ,plowing under2 #c4 ,burning4 ,illustration3 ,a mature cotton plant that was late in fruiting4 ,the joints are long and the balls far out from the center and base of the stalk4 ,the limbs have few joints and few bolls4 ,height of plant1 #c feet2 balls #bf--aj in lower half circle4 ,do not plant this type in weevil territory4 ,pasturing the cotton fields is a good method of destroying squares1 bolls and foliage where the cotton fields are fenced and where a sufficient number of cattle can be turned into a field to eat all the squares1 bolls1 and foliage in a few days4 ,however1 let it be distinctly understood that the practice of turning just a few head of cattle into a fifteen or twenty acre cotton field accomplishes no particular good4 ,every cotton grower knows from his own observation that two or three head of cattle to an acre1 even when confined entirely to the cotton field1 will eat very little of the green foliage in one week1 and it must be kept in mind that it is vital to destroy as quickly and as completely as possible the food supply of the mature weevils and the breeding places of the immature weevils4 ,plowing cotton stalks under is an effective method of destroying the food supply of mature weevils and ending the lives of immature weevils where there are few stumps and roots1 where the cotton stalks are small1 and where large plows and strong teams can be had4 ,farmers who have attempted to plow under green cotton stalks early in the fall1 laugh at the advice sometimes given to plow under the stalks at all times and under all conditions as a means of destroying the food supply of the weevil4 ,they know from experience that such advice is often better theory than practice as the plowing under of green cotton stalks is very often a decidedly obstinate proposition4 ,however1 where large plows and strong teams are available1 use them and completely bury the cotton stalks wherever it can be done4 ,illustration3 ,velvet beans yield abundant crops and add nitrogen to the soil4 ,a good crop for weevil territory ,burning the stalks is a practical method of destroying the weevils4 ,on many farms and plantations there are not cattle enough to strip the cotton stalks thoroughly and completely of every particle of foliage1 squares and bolls in a short time by pasturing4 ,it is also often impossible to completely bury the cotton stalks4 ,in such cases1 it is absolutely necessary to cut1 dry and burn them as soon as the cotton can be picked4 ,by burning the stalks1 the food supply of the adult weevil is destroyed1 and weevils in immature stages in the squares and bolls are destroyed4 ,a large majority of the adult weevils also perish in the flames1 especially when the stalks are burned after sundown1 as weevils retire to the stalk piles for the night at about that time4 ,they seldom move about at night1 and if care is taken not to disturb them when applying the torch1 practically all will be destroyed4 ,of course1 if the stalks are allowed to remain until a heavy frost has come1 practically all of the mature weevils will have gone into winter hibernating quarters and the immature weevils in the squares and small bolls will have been frozen4 ,nothing will be gained in that case by burning the stalks and the best thing that can be done will be to cut the stalks and turn them under as deeply as possible4 ,clean ,up ,hibernating ,quarters3 ,many weevils escape from the fields but all do not fly beyond the reach of the farmer4 ,surprising numbers have been found hibernating in cracks and holes in the ground and under grass1 weeds and other trash4 ,in ,january1 #aijg1 in one instance1 the ,united ,states ,bureau of ,entomology found #e1hgj weevils per acre of which #gj per cent were alive4 ,most of the many examinations that have been made have shown more than one thousand live weevils per acre in the cotton fields4 ,many are found along the fence rows1 hedges1 ditch banks and in decayed logs and dead trees4 ,thousands more are found hibernating in nearby cornfields and old sorghum1 cane and hay fields4 ,winter plowing of all cultivated fields is therefore another effective way of reducing the number of weevils1 as the thousand or more weevils per acre in the cracks and holes in the ground and under the grass1 weeds1 trash and cornstalks can practically all be killed by deep winter breaking4 ,picking ,off the ,weevils3 ,after the hibernating weevils emerge from their winter quarters in the spring and reach the young cotton1 there is little further movement until the general dispersing season in ,august1 ,september and ,october4 ,the fact that the weevil does not move about much except in the fall makes it possible for the individual farmer to accomplish results from his own efforts in fighting the pest4 ,there is little danger of weevils coming in from other fields until in ,august1 by which time the cotton crop is normally set4 ,for this reason1 there need be no fear that time will be wasted which is spent in thoroughly picking off the weevils from the young cotton plants before the squares begin to form4 ,where the food supply of the weevil has not been destroyed early in the fall and strength added to this blow by plowing under the corn stalks1 trash1 weeds and other vegetable matter that serve as hibernating quarters1 and by destroying practically all of the weevils hibernating along the fence rows1 hedges and ditch banks1 the over-wintered weevils are often sufficiently numerous to puncture all the squares as fast as they form4 ,where this is the case1 no bottom crop and seldom a middle crop of cotton will be made unless the weevils are picked off and the punctured squares destroyed4 ,illustration3 ,an early cotton plant4 ,the fruit limbs are low and close together on the stalk and the joints are short4 ,plants of this structure fruit early1 rapidly and are well adapted to boll weevil conditions4 ,the possible progeny of a single pair of weevils1 during a season1 has been estimated at #ab1gee1ajj4 ,nature has provided a number of agencies to prevent such excessive multiplication2 nevertheless1 the picking off of a single pair of weevils from the young cotton plants may mean millions less later on4 ,before squares form on the cotton1 the over-wintered weevils that have come out of winter quarters feed on the opening leaves or buds of the young cotton plants4 ,early in the morning it is an easy matter to find the weevils in the buds1 where they can be easily picked off and destroyed4 ,the only reason why the weevils cannot be eradicated by thoroughly picking them off1 is that large numbers of over-wintered weevils do not emerge until after the squares begin to form4 ,as soon as the squares form1 the weevil gets on the inside of the bracts and feeds only by inserting its beak deep into the squares4 ,after the squares begin to form1 it is hardly practicable to pick the weevils off4 ,destroy ,all ,punctured ,squares3 ,the weevils that survive the winter are all in the adult stage4 ,they breed only in the squares and bolls and therefore cannot multiply until squares form4 ,the most conspicuous indication of the presence of the boll weevil is the flaring of the square4 ,when the weevil punctures a square1 it turns yellow and the bracts flare open4 ,the punctured squares usually fall to the ground in a few days4 ,the over-wintered weevils live only a few weeks after coming out of winter quarters in the spring1 as they die shortly after breeding in the squares and bolls4 ,therefore1 if the young cotton plants are thoroughly picked two or three times just before the squares begin to form1 and every punctured square is destroyed for at least one month after the first squares form1 practically all of the over-wintered weevils will be dead and hence there will be few young weevils later on4 ,if it were possible to destroy every punctured square and boll1 and thereby prevent the appearance of new broods1 the weevil pest could be exterminated in one year4 ,at any rate1 the results that can be accomplished behoove every farmer to work carefully and painstakingly to destroy all the punctured squares possible before the new broods of weevils are hatched4 ,during the growing season1 many weevils can be destroyed by co-operating with the natural agencies that tend to reduce their number4 ,for instance1 the weevils in the punctured squares that fall on the hot ground in ,july and ,august and are not shaded1 are usually killed at once by the heat or will starve for lack of food1 because of the hardening of the square4 ,by using a brush on the cultivators to agitate the plants when cultivating the crop1 many punctured squares will be knocked off onto the hot ground sooner than they would naturally fall off4 ,at the same time1 some of the adult weevils will also be shaken off onto the hot ground4 ,when an adult weevil is thrown on a surface of finely pulverized1 hot soil1 it is killed almost instantly4 ,attempts to ,destroy ,weevils with ,poison3 ,in territory newly infested with the boll weevil1 attempts continue to be made to destroy the weevils by poisoning4 ,of course the farmers soon learn better1 but the experience is very expensive4 ,if advocates of poison would only remember that after the squares begin to form on the cotton1 the boll weevils feed only by inserting their beaks deeply into the squares or bolls1 they would realize that it is impossible to place poison where the weevils will feed upon it4 ,in all the experiments performed in the field by the ,united ,states ,bureau of ,entomology1 very heavy applications throughout the season have failed to show any advantage in the use of poison4 ,therefore1 do not waste any money on poisons4 ,not ,attracted by ,light3 ,the weevil seldom moves at night4 ,it is inactive after sundown4 ,the weevil is never attracted to lights and hence the use of a trap lantern has no effect on them4 ,illustration3 ,good corn must be grown in weevil territory ,the ,cotton ,boll ,weevil ,its ,history1 ,habits1 ,food ,supply and ,life ,rate of ,increase and ,damage ,done to ,crops ,history3 ,the cotton boll weevil is not a native of the ,united ,states4 ,it came from ,mexico in #ahib4 ,it may have flown across the ,rio ,grande ,river near ,brownsville1 ,texas1 or it is possible that it was carried across in seed cotton4 ,since #ahib1 it has extended its range annually from fifty to one hundred and twenty-five miles until it has spread over ,texas1 ,oklahoma1 ,louisiana1 ,arkansas1 ,mississippi and a part of ,alabama4 ,life and ,habits3 ,the eggs are laid within the squares and bolls of the cotton plant4 ,the weevil prefers the squares and seldom punctures a boll as long as there are numerous squares to puncture4 ,the mouth of the adult weevil is located at the end of the snout4 ,the weevil eats a small hole into the square or boll and then turns around and deposits one egg in the puncture and seals the hole with a small drop of a gluey substance to protect the egg from ants1 rain and other destructive agencies4 ,the weevil seldom deposits more than one egg in a square or boll until the squares and bolls become very scarce4 ,the egg hatches in from three to fifteen days1 depending on the temperature4 ,the larvae is a tiny white footless grub1 with a brown head and dark jaws4 ,this grub feeds on the inside of the square or boll and passes into the pupae stage in from six to twelve days4 ,the adult or mature weevil develops from the pupae stage in three to ten days and eats its way out of the square or boll4 ,how to ,know a ,boll ,weevil3 ,the safest plan for one who is not well acquainted with the boll weevil is to send any doubtful specimen to an entomologist or to a government expert4 ,there are a few characteristics1 however1 that will assist anyone in separating the boll weevil from the numerous other weevils that are often mistaken for it4 ,on each front leg of the boll weevil are two spines--one somewhat larger than the other4 ,the snout has a black shining appearance and the feelers are near the outer end4 ,the boll weevil is usually from one-fourth to three-eighths of an inch long and about half as broad4 ,when they first come from the square or boll1 they are almost pink but rapidly turn darker until they are of a dark brown or chocolate color4 ,weevils' ,food ,supply3 ,the foliage1 squares and bolls on cotton stalks constitute the weevils' sole food supply4 ,the ,mexican cotton boll weevil never feeds upon okra1 peas1 beans or other plants unless captured and placed in confinement and then only to a slight extent4 ,rate of ,increase3 ,the weevils that survive the winter begin to lay eggs when the first squares form on the cotton and successive broods continue to lay eggs until checked by heavy or killing frost in the late fall4 ,observations made by ,drs4 ,w4 ,d4 ,hunter and ,w4 ,e4 ,hinds1 show that the female weevil deposits eggs at the rate of from three to five per day and continues to lay eggs for an average of twenty-eight days4 ,the following is a quotation from ,dr4 ,w4 ,d4 ,hunter1 government entomologist in charge of the boll weevil work in the ,south3 ,a conservative estimate of the possible progeny of a single pair of weevils during the season beginning on ,june #bj and extending to ,november #d is #ab1gee1jjj4 ,illustration3 ,larvae of boll weevil in cotton square ,life ,period of ,weevil3 ,weevils born during the early summer live from fifty to seventy-five days4 ,weevils that are born late in the fall hibernate and large numbers live through the winter and for about twenty days after emerging in the spring4 ,hibernation3 ,the immature weevils in the squares and bolls are usually killed during the winter4 ,all adult weevils become dormant and the well protected weevils usually live through the winter and do great damage in the spring4 ,the adult weevil spends the winter in hedges1 broomsedge1 woods1 hay stacks1 farm buildings1 decayed logs1 moss and dead trees4 ,rotation of ,crops ,a ,safe and ,sane ,system of ,crop ,rotation in ,boll ,weevil ,territory ,absolutely ,necessary ,when the boll weevil first appears in a territory1 the first efforts at breaking away from all cotton usually consist in going largely into another single crop system of farming rather than the production of a variety of crops4 ,the evils of the new system are usually as great as those of the all cotton system4 ,many farmers rush into the truck business4 ,of course1 truck crops should be grown on every farm in the weevil territory1 and1 in some particular localities1 they may constitute the main reliance for cash1 but it seems that the truck business is a gamble for the average cotton farmer4 ,trucking has lured many a farmer to financial ruin4 ,the crop rotation for the average cotton farmer should include oats1 corn1 some cotton1 and at least one leguminous crop4 ,along with this should go the growing of hogs1 mules1 horses and cattle instead of having to buy them from other sections of the country4 ,it is not possible for the farmer in the boll weevil territory to entirely supplant cotton as a money crop1 but this crop should be supplemented with the growing of home supplies1 as well as other crops which will produce cash returns4 ,cotton is one of the greatest cash crops1 and while it should be the main money crop in the boll weevil territory north of latitude #cb1 it should not be the only cash crop grown4 ,the safest plan either within or without the boll weevil territory is to follow a system of diversified farming4 ,the cotton farmers1 especially those in the boll weevil territory1 cannot afford to depend entirely on cotton as a cash crop4 ,a system of rotation suitable for cotton belt farmers should include some of the following staple crops3 ,oats are probably the surest and best paying small grain crop that can be grown over practically the entire cotton belt4 ,the same soil that will produce one bale of cotton per acre will grow #fj bushels of oats4 ,at the average price that has prevailed for oats during the past five years1 the #fj bushels will sell for #cf to #dj1 and the straw1 when baled1 will often pay the larger part of the expense of growing the grain4 ,the bale of cotton per acre land will produce about #cj worth of oats1 at least one and a half tons of lespedeza hay1 and five bushels of lespedeza seed4 ,the lespedeza hay will sell for about #ab per ton and the lespedeza seed for about #c per bushel4 ,the total is #fc per acre4 ,we are personally acquainted with a farmer who has averaged #fe per acre for eight years4 ,thirty dollars worth of oats and twenty bushels of soy beans at #a4ej per bushel1 and one and a half tons of soy bean hay at #h per ton1 means #gb per acre4 ,these are very conservative figures4 ,at the ,mississippi ,delta ,experiment ,station in #aiab the land produced ninety bushels of oats to the acre1 twenty-two and a half bushels of soy beans1 after losing a good percentage of the beans by shattering1 and #e1bjj pounds of soy bean hay4 ,the average yield of cotton on the same land was about #ejj pounds of lint per acre4 ,illustration3 ,oats in a three-year rotation with cotton and corn ,oats and vetch sown together furnish more and better grazing and better hay than either when sown separately4 ,there is no better hay than oats and vetch cut in the dough stage4 ,few hays will sell for a better price on the market4 ,the oat and vetch hay provides a much more satisfactory ration for horses and mules than corn or leguminous hay4 ,oats may be followed by cowpeas4 ,when the cowpeas are planted in rows on good land1 well fertilized and cultivated1 the yield is usually from ten to twenty bushels of peas and one and a half tons of hay4 ,the peas usually sell for about #b per bushel and the hay for about #ab per ton4 ,ninety bushels of oats and sixty-seven bushels of peanuts were produced on the same land at the ,mississippi ,delta ,experiment ,station in one year4 ,at the present prices for peanuts and peanut hay1 it is a very profitable crop to grow after oats when properly handled4 ,when corn is planted on fertile soil thoroughly prepared1 properly fertilized and cultivated1 the yield is usually about fifty bushels per acre4 ,the average price per bushel is about #hj cents4 ,peas planted in corn at the last working will usually average about eight bushels of peas and a ton or more of valuable hay4 ,the peavine hay can be harvested by live stock4 ,the growing of live stock will help to create extensive home markets for roughage and leguminous crops1 keep the money at home that is usually sent to the north and west for pork products1 mules1 horses1 hay1 beef1 and so on1 and at the same time add greatly to the fertility of the soil4 ,pork can be produced in the cotton belt more easily than any other live stock4 ,it would not be wise for the average cotton farmer to devote his farm exclusively to hog raising1 yet it will certainly pay him to produce enough pork for home use and some to sell to supplement the money formerly obtained for cotton4 ,chickens1 turkeys1 ducks and other poultry sell for good prices and every cotton farmer in the weevil territory should raise some poultry for sale4 ,the ,labor ,problem ,plenty of good labor is an absolute necessity in growing cotton under boll weevil conditions4 ,the tendency of newly infested districts is to neglect the laborer at the time when he needs support and encouragement4 ,thousands of families have moved out of a single county in one season to other cotton sections1 while if they had been given a little encouragement to grow corn1 grain1 cowpeas1 hogs1 vegetables in his own garden1 etc41 he would have remained in the community where he is much needed4 ,the farmers1 planters1 merchants and bankers must unite and see to it that the laborers have the actual necessities of life4 ,he should be encouraged to grow his home supplies1 a little cotton1 a few chickens and his own pork4 ,this method would put farming on a basis which will eliminate and do away with the necessity of sending to the north and west for bacon1 lard1 mules1 corn1 hay and other supplies4 ,by working together and keeping our laborers satisfied we will keep them in the community where they are needed to till the soil and help build up our farms4 ,the ,debt ,problem ,when traveling in weevil territory1 we meet farmers almost daily who are anxious to sell their farms at from one-third to one-fifth of their real value4 ,the farmers tell us that they are in debt and will never be able to pay out4 ,they say that the boll weevil has come to destroy their cotton--their sole cash crop4 ,now these farmers are mistaken on two counts4 ,first1 cotton is not the only surplus money crop2 second1 the boll weevil does not prevent the growing of profitable crops of cotton in normal seasons4 ,the cotton money is now used to pay for corn1 bacon1 lard1 mules and hay4 ,when the tenants and farmers all live at home and practice the most rigid economy1 the cotton money will soon pay all debts4 ,life on the farm is robbed of practically all of its pleasures as long as we pay fifty per cent credit profits and the creditor constantly knocks at the door4 ,the only people who really suffer in periods of hard times are the men who are in debt2 men who owe money and are often compelled to sacrifice their property to meet the imperative demands of their creditors4 ,the farmer who is out of debt when the boll weevil comes and has an abundance of high class food supplies on his farm is not materially affected4 ,many of the cotton farmers who are in debt when the boll weevil comes lose their homes4 ,labor ,saving ,implements ,the following is an extract from an address delivered at ,greenville1 ,miss41 in the boll weevil territory1 by ,dr4 ,s4 ,a4 ,knapp1 a man who did more for real genuine progress in the ,south than any other one man has ever done4 ,the farmer who uses modern machinery in planting and cultivating his crop will succeed1 and the one who does not will make a failure4 ,the old way of making a crop by hand by the use of the hoe and plow must soon be a thing of the past4 ,we must come to use the modern implements and the sooner we let the negro understand that he must work his crop in this way1 the better off we shall be4 ,illustration3 ,boll weevils attacking growing cotton boll ,the ,personal ,element in the ,boll ,weevil ,fight ,by ,b4 ,l4 ,moss ,editor ,progressive ,farmer1 ,birmingham1 ,alabama4 ,a man's personal attitude and convictions play a large part in his successes and failures in all walks of life1 and nowhere is the truth more apparent than in a farmer's attitude toward the boll weevil problem4 ,before the coming of the weevil1 it is looked upon by nine farmers out of ten as a remote danger1 doubtful in time of arrival and greatly exaggerated in its possibilities for damage4 ,no preparations for it are made1 the farm mortgage is left hanging like a cloud over the family homestead1 and the old methods so long in vogue are left unchanged4 ,then the crash comes6 ,the obsolete methods of the past are worthless against the weevil2 the cotton crop is swept away1 interest on the mortgage is unpaid1 and its foreclosure is certain4 ,this picture is the rule and not the exception4 ,such a situation calls forth the real qualities of the man4 ,many a farmer1 for the first few years of the weevil invasion1 has proven a quitter4 ,he has failed because he did not think he could succeed4 ,usually he has been the identical man who failed to believe in and prepare for the coming of the weevil4 ,the exceptional man has believed in and prepared for the weevil's coming1 and he has succeeded4 ,incidentally1 his success has shown out as a beacon light to his doubting neighbors and has ultimately pointed the way for them4 ,five years' experience tells me that you can raise cotton profitably in the presence of the boll weevil4 ,the ,,how of the matter is given by others in this booklet1 but you1 ,,you1 must take it up with the spirit of ,,fight4 ,believe that you can1 swear that you will1 and success is yours4 ,illustration3 ,lespedeza a great hay crop for the lower ,south ,the ,boll ,weevil's ,influence in the ,regeneration of the ,south ,by ,h4 ,guy ,hathorn1 ,planter1 ,woodville1 ,miss4 ,for many years the one crop system has been the bane of the cotton belt4 ,when land was virgin1 cheap and plentiful1 the evil was not so apparent1 and the necessity for a saner system was not so pressing4 ,a depleted soil1 unreliable labor and various other factors caused certain individuals to see the error of their way1 and induced them to adopt a diversified system and the use of labor-saving implements4 ,it was necessary for the great majority to receive a paralyzing shock before they would make any material change2 that shock came in the shape of the boll weevil4 ,as certain alternative medicines create great debility and languor of the body before the curative power can become operative1 so has all business in any way connected with the growing of cotton suffered depression as a preliminary to the greater financial vigor and strength that comes after a few years' experience with stock raising and diversification as the rule1 and with cotton occupying a secondary place in the farm operation4 ,letter from the ,late ,dr4 ,s4 ,a4 ,knapp to ,g4 ,h4 ,alford ,of course the heavy rains have been favorable to the weevil1 and nothing else could have been expected in weevil territory than the weevil should appear and be rather plentiful on the young cotton4 ,but our experience in this boll weevil fight is that it is far better to have a wet period at this time than later1 when the plant is much larger and the squares more numerous4 ,the farmer is inclined to look at the dark side of things4 ,this early rain is rather a favorable symptom than otherwise because1 in all probability1 it will clear off and be warm and dry4 ,in #aijg we had just such a period of rain a trifle later than this4 ,it cleared off and in a few weeks nine-tenths of the weevil1 so far as reported1 had disappeared4 ,the man who energetically clears out his cotton as soon as the weather permits and strictly follows our plan of intensive cultivation1 will be quite sure to make a fair crop4 ,we are not afraid of these early rains2 it is the late rain1 because if the planter now follows our plan and picks up the squares for a month1 the weevils will be pretty nearly exterminated4 ,in fact1 if everybody would do it the weevil would do very little damage4 ,but when there is a period of continuous rain after the plant has nearly matured1 it is a much more difficult problem to handle4 ,the sun has less access to the plant and it is more difficult to secure all the fallen squares4 ,the greatest problem with which we have had to deal in boll weevil territory is the hopeless view of the farmer4 ,he wants to plow up his cotton and put in something else1 or he refuses to give his cotton the attention which it requires4 ,if he follows our plan thoroughly he will succeed1 and in future will make his crop hopefully as he did before the boll weevil appeared4 ,picking ,weevils and ,squares ,the following is the substance of a number of letters from ,mississippi farmers relative to picking weevils and squares3 ,mr4 ,t4 ,l4 ,rush says that the first time he caught an average of fifty weevils per acre and the second time twenty-eight4 ,the cost of picking the weevils was about fifty cents per acre4 ,he gathered the punctured squares seven times at a cost of about #b4ej per acre4 ,mr4 ,c4 ,s4 ,rowland picked the weevils and squares on thirty-five acres of cotton at a cost of #dc4fj4 ,mr4 ,j4 ,w4 ,shelton picked an average of sixty-five weevils per acre off his little cotton for four weeks at a cost of #be cents per hundred4 ,mr4 ,j4 ,m4 ,crawford found #bfh weevils the first time2 two hundred and fifty the second time1 one hundred and ninety-seven the third time and one hundred and fifty the fourth time4 ,he gathered one bushel of squares the first time and three bushels a second time4 ,the cost was about #bj4jj on the ten acres4 ,mr4 ,a4 ,w4 ,harrell picked over two acres of cotton three times and got one hundred and fifty weevils and seven hundred squares4 ,it cost him about #b4jj per acre4 ,profitable ,farming in ,south ,g4 ,h4 ,alford1 one of the agents of the government representing the agricultural department1 talked to business men and planters at the ,vicksburg ,cotton ,exchange last week and said some good things1 among them the following3 ,the planters who keep their laborers and force them to grow plenty of corn1 rice1 potatoes1 molasses1 hogs and poultry for home use and to cultivate say six or seven acres of cotton1 according to government instructions1 will grow more prosperous every year4 ,they will not grow as much cotton1 but it will not be necessary for them to send two-thirds of the money obtained for cotton to other sections of the country to pay for farm products4 ,boll weevil or no weevil1 prosperity will be the rule in ,warren county when all of her people live on the products of the farms and grow cotton as a surplus crop4 ,i meet planters every day who are anxious to sell their plantations4 ,they tell me they are in debt and will never be able to raise the mortgage4 ,they say that the boll weevil is here to destroy cotton--their money crop4 ,they are mistaken on two counts4 ,profitable crops of cotton can be grown in spite of the boll weevil and cotton is not now a surplus money crop4 ,they will grow profitable crops of cotton as a surplus crop in a year or so4 ,they will then all live at home and grow say two-thirds as much cotton4 ,the cotton money will then raise the mortgages instead of paying for corn1 bacon1 lard1 mules1 hay1 etc4 ,the boll weevil means diversified farming and stock raising4 ,this means fertile soil and good farming4 ,fertile soil and good farming means high priced land4 ,the boll weevil will probably keep the price of land down for two or three years1 but diversified agriculture and the raising of good hogs1 cattle1 mules1 horses and other stock will force the price up and up until it will sell for four or five times its present market value4 ,let every planter hold a tight grip on his land4 ,there is no excuse for the blues4 ,the northern farmers are getting rich4 ,they cannot grow cotton4 ,they cannot grow sugar cane1 rice and many other crops that can be grown in ,warren4 ,any crop will grow here that the northerners can grow4 ,diversified farming and stock raising and the growing of cotton as a surplus crop will put ,warren county on the high road to genuine prosperity4 ,illustration3 ,pigs idea of heaven ,a ,very ,instructive ,letter ,letter from ,c4 ,r4 ,byrnes1 ,natchez1 ,miss41 to ,g4 ,h4 ,alford3 ,we are just closing our second year of serious disaster from this little pest4 ,we show a decided improvement in #aiaj over the year of #aiji4 ,our acreage is about one-half of what it was last year and we will make about the same crop as last year4 ,in my individual case1 ,i made last year seventeen bales on #aej acres2 this year ,i will make the same crop on eighty acres4 ,you are aware that ,i do not live on my own farm and have only negro tenants4 ,i have directed the management by not exceeding two visits to the farm each week during the working season and have followed the government's directions as well as ,i could1 situated as ,i am4 ,if ,i had lived on my farm far better results could have been obtained4 ,i have now more corn than ,i will require for next year's crop and a good start of hogs and cattle4 ,my farm has been more than self-sustaining this year and ,i believe ,i will have a splendid return next year1 as ,i have so little to buy4 ,illustration3 ,a tractor turning four furrows ,my success is due to the aid of ,government instructions4 ,to illustrate3 ,one of my negro tenants1 when ,i told him in the month of ,may that he must send his entire family into his cotton patch and pick every punctured square from the cotton stalks and burn them and also kill the weevils to be found1 objected2 said he did not believe in it4 ,i replied that the instructions were not original with me1 that they were from the ,united ,states ,government1 after a fifteen years' study of the boll weevil1 and if he thought he knew more about it than the ,government ,i would try to place him in the employ of the ,government and get one of their men to come and work his crop under his1 the tenant's1 direction4 ,this remark had the desired effect4 ,he got the weevils and will make three bales of cotton on eight acres1 while he made only one and one-half bales on sixteen acres last year4 ,being a member of our ,board of ,supervisors1 ,i insisted that our ,president1 manager of the convict farm1 plant five acres in cotton and work it under ,government's instructions4 ,he was opposed to planting any cotton4 ,i insisted on it1 stating that ,i was not after the money it would bring1 but wanted it as an experiment and aid to our farmers1 knowing that the labor was there under absolute control1 and that there would be no reason why it could not be properly farmed4 ,the five acres were planted and properly worked--two heavy bales have been ginned and another light bale will be picked4 ,now this was on thin upland1 fertilized and worked as you would have directed4 ,splendid results1 is it not8 ,you are aware that this year and last year gave us too much rain in our section to successfully combat the weevil1 but we have doubled the yield under similar conditions for each year and this increase is certainly due to the good work done by the ,government in our behalf4 ,many more farmers will next year follow more closely your instructions and if we can get a normal season as to rainfall1 the cotton crop will1 in my opinion1 show much more decidedly the value of the ,government's work4 ,no doubt but this pest will spread until it covers the entire cotton belt of the south4 ,i can see work for you all the way to the ,atlantic ,seaboard--work in front of you and work behind you4 ,have you ever thought what a barren waste there might have been in the wake of this little giant were it not for the valuable assistance rendered by our ,government8 ,as it is we cover up his tracks almost as fast as they are made4 ,stand by us until we are able to stand alone4 ,then you and all connected with you in this good work will forever have the heart-felt thanks of all the farmers here4 ,illustration3 ,the modern method of preparing the soil ,boll ,weevil ,literature ,u4 ,s4 ,senate ,document #cje1 and ,farmers' ,bulletins #ea1 #gd1 #bji1 #baa1 #cad1 #cdd1 #eab4 ,published by ,u4 ,s4 ,department of ,agriculture1 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c4 ,knapp's ,method of ,growing ,cotton by ,h4 ,e4 ,savely1 and ,w4 ,b4 ,mercier4 ,published by ,doubleday1 ,page and ,company1 ,garden ,city1 ,n4 ,y4 ,southern ,field ,crops by ,j4 ,f4 ,duggar4 ,published by the ,macmillan ,co41 ,new ,york4 ,numerous publications may be obtained from the ,louisiana ,crop ,pest ,commission1 ,baton ,rouge1 ,la42 the ,texas ,a4 ,m4 ,college1 ,college ,station2 the ,mississippi ,a4 ,m4 ,college1 ,agricultural ,college1 ,miss41 and the ,alabama ,a4 ,m4 ,college1 ,auburn1 ,ala4 ,i ,h ,c ,booklets ,these booklets will be sent to any address upon receipt of the amounts named below4 ,quantity lots are sent transportation charges collect4 ,,name ,single ,copies ,quantities ,each ,each ,the ,story of ,bread #j #jc #j #jb ,the ,creeds of ,great ,business ,men #je #jc ,getting a ,start with ,alfalfa in the ,corn ,belt #jb #ja ,lecture ,notes for ,alfalfa ,charts #jd #jc ,studies in ,alfalfa #jd #jc ,alfalfa ,sermon #jb #ja ,sweet ,clover #jd #jc ,seed ,corn #jc #jb ,alfalfa in the ,cotton ,belt #jb #ja ,for ,better ,corn in the ,cotton ,belt #jb #ja ,diversified ,farming in the ,cotton ,belt #jd #jb ,the ,boll ,weevil #jd #jc ,the ,cattle ,tick #jb #ja ,for ,better ,crops in the ,south #jd #jc ,i ,h ,c ,demonstration ,farms in the ,south #jb #ja ,for ,more and ,better ,corn in the ,northwest #jb #ja ,poultry ,book #jb #ja ,the ,golden ,stream #je #jb ,the ,disk ,harrow #jd #jb ,for ,better ,crops #jf #jc ,engine ,operator's ,guide #jc #jb ,the ,story of ,twine #jc #jb ,binder ,twine ,industry #bj #ae ,harvest ,scenes of the ,world #ej #ce ,the ,rag ,doll for ,testing ,seed ,corn-- ,cloth1 each #aj;c2 per dozen1 #ge;c4 ,paper1 per dozen1 #e;c4 ,plans and ,specifications for ,farm ,buildings1 per plan1 #e;c4 ,besides the booklets named above1 from time to time there will be issued other interesting agricultural booklets pertinent to crops in all parts of the ,united ,states4 ,future issues will treat such subjects as cowpeas1 soy beans1 peanuts1 velvet beans1 rice1 sugar1 cane1 silos1 feeds and feeding1 weeds1 insects1 etc4 ,agricultural ,extension ,department ,harvester ,building ,chicago1 ,ill4 ,transcriber's ,notes3 ,passages in italics are indicated by italics4 ,passages in bold are indicated by bold4