The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-10-15
COLOMBO THE BOIL WEEVIL.
An Address to Farmers by State EntomoIogist F.
w. MalIy.

College station, Texas, October 14.-The
following address has been issued TO tho
cotton farmers Of the state by State Ento.
mologist +. w. Mally:
Whatever may be said about the mast
season for cotton, or the present condition
Of the crop, II has developed situation
which enables the cotton planter to deal
the boil weevll a terrible blow. Ii has
oeen years since the crop was made and
matured so early, In addition plenty OF
labor and good weather has enabled the
planters TO keep up with the crop with
picking, There Is yet practically a month
before killing froSts and no top crop In
sight, This makes ideal conditions for fol.
lowing out the recommendations urged in
my official report last year, namely. TO
gather up all available cattle, sheep goats
ana horses and turn them into the cotton
helds for the purpose of gHzlng on the
cotton, and Of course the wecvils with 1t.
The crop being matured and practically
gathered, with yet some time ahead Of
frost the people have an opportunity OF a
life time TO give the weevll fatal blow.
1t can not be too strongly urged that there
should be decisive and concerted action
now; an earnest appeal is hereby made TO
the various merchants clubs aud citizens
committees which organized and led such
a gallant and effective campaign against
the weevil early this season, TO again take
up the work for this Immediate period
and organize and work as systcmat ,cally
tor this tall campaign as they did in the
spring. One dollar spent In the nght at
this time is worth ten In May or June.
Experiments have proven that cattle fat
ten readily when grazed upon cotton at
this season OF the year, especially If there
are yet some Immature bolls and squares.
ANY top crop or unplcked cotton Will mere
fore be fully repaid In the fattened steer
and Is therefore not loss. As matter
of fact grazing the cotton intclligently
In ordinary years Will save to the planter
in the feed and value of his cattle the
Top crop, which is now so often lost This
method OF grazing the cotton SHOULD there
fore be looked upon In tie light Of a bust
There IS one difficulty about the general
application of this grazing method and
that is that the planters, many Of them,
have not a sufficient number OF cattle 10
Craze off their cotton acr 1gc, neither can
they secure enough in their neighhorhood
round about. To overcome this obstacle
BRACES bottom in BRACES and Burleson
counties have gone to North. West ana
Northwest Texas, where cattlemen are
short of feed for wlntcring their herds,
and who are therefore offering to sell their
stock cheap, and have bought carloads Of
steers and cows and shipped them down
TO their plantations. The price being paid
Is little below their actual present mar
kct value and hcuce by grazing for a few
M ~ hs in their cotton and corn fields, 1t
Is evident that great profits are probable.
In fact, one Of these shippers stated 10
the writer that he would give no one
cent to guarantee him 10 per cent on the
Investment within four months, and that
this kind Of management would rid his
plantation of boil weevils and leave him
money in the bank for having done SO.
But there are those who are not able