The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-07-18
REPORT ON BOIL wEEvIL.

REPORT ON BOIL wEEvIL
Mr. w. D. Hunter of the department Of
agriculture, made a very interesting ad-
dress on the subject OF Work of the
United States with the Boil Weevils" Mr..
Hunter reclted the history Of the work
with the boil wceyils, beginning back In
1874 when Mr.. Schwarz, one OF the rccog-
nlzed experts on chronological questions
In the United States was located at Co
lumbus, Texas. Then he rectcd when the
boil weevils were first brought into the
United States by the cotton planters on
the lower Rio Grande, where 1t mad crossed
over from Mexico, then 1t had gradually
spread until 1t had reached the neighbor
hood of Cuero San Diego, etc. The depart
ment carried on Investigations the results
of which were published In bulletin form
When the State legislature made an appro-
prlation for chronological investigation the
United States department Of agriculture
withdrew lIvAn Texas, turning the work
and correspondence over to the state au-
thorities. AS the pests kept increasing
and the damage growing 1t was again
brought to the attention Of congress, and
in 1900 $500 was appropriated by congress
for special Investigations with the boil
weeylls. Mr.. Hunter was sent down here
and spent several months taking up the
work where II had been left on by the
department. He made report, when was
published In bulletin form, and his iuvesti-
ppstinns ne embodied In the report was that
the entire cotton area OF the south was
menaced by this pest. The result was that
congress made an appropriation OF $1,000
for the work Of the current year. beginning
July l.
A small amount OF this appropriation was
made Immediately available and the WORK
was begun last spring. A farm OF 200 acres
was selected at victoria ana also one NJ ~
was established at Victoria, where cheml'
cal analysis might be made OF the dlnef'
emf soils, plans and remedies thnt were
suggested. Where also the Investigations OF
nnrasites with the boil weevils as made ny
The Mexican government, who have experts
in Central America, could be carried on IN
connection with Mr.. Hunters work.
MIR Hunter stated that some believe tha'
tho holl weevils can be controlled by Gil
matte conditions as the first ravages OF IN
hojl weevils was made In Mexico ana Ien'
tral America Ii was thought that When
the holl weevils had reached the limlt 81
its latitude Il would cease, hut MIS- inyesti'
cations hive shown that " ~ lncttaslnhiE;
olI the time, and unless cneckeu ~ VII
cover the entire cotton belt In SNORT NM me
d ~ a, bad been submitted to him, and
about 100 models OF machines Tor wnicn
patents were applied for 70 cohtro' Ine .Sa,
weeyils had been presented 70 hini, uua ond,
| he AID NOT think that machine Woulu
ne uiu NJ or nractical, because NJ
prove .aarIIs ere doing their worst work
,a ~" nsnaiIv damn. wet. soggy weather, ana
at sueh times it would be Impossible dnd FOR ans
machine to be pued over the os gr@ of opo p
the cost OF the machine d nnI NOR more than III,
! ing IL would be great uehi hoie '
pr In both Of the experimental farms a. q
victoria and Calvert dere nth v@ earIy anG
COTTON nsN IN Vide and narrow rows, ;,
t ifb,e Whatever %hs benefits are, e be derivef
from from these experiments viii develop hi,
Mr.. Hunter stated also os sps serious tha,
N MesN el,ar been presented IN the entomologl
cal cai division. and that !, would Money! TeapT +
| determine what reIef t snou stated that III,
are area e sffeeted is very much larger thnI
year and that wn,la ne extent arr tSs In
crease @ea,r 81 the weeviis. yet with the 70