Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-09-27
THE COTTON PEST IN TEXAS.


THE COTTON PEST IN TEXAS.
Advance Of the Mexican Boil Weevil
No Remedy Yet Found.
The injury to the Texas cotton crop
this wear from the Mexican boil weevils
is now put at 100, 900 bales. according to
New Orleans dispatch. Up to the
present season the losses are roughly
estimated at 25O,OOO bales.
The advance of the weevil Is we'll IL
Illustrated in the case Of Washington
county, the first big cotton county to
be attacked by the pest in Its marcn
to the north and east. In the census
wear Washington produced 54,7A bales
of cotton, being the tenth county IN
Texas in production.
The weevil attacked last years crop
and the production fell to 10000 bales.
This year the ravages of the weeVli
have been greatly extended. and the
maximum estimate Of the crop Is l5'ooo
bales.
Nor Is that the worst. The weevlls
have spread over a large part OF the
county, and it is recognized that by
next year the evil will be even worse
and the crop stff1 further reduced.
Fayette, a neighboring county, suffers
almost as much.
The fight made in Washington
against the weevil was splendid one'
but it was a failure. The means USED
TO get rid of the insect accomplished
little or nothing.
Both the state and the Federal Ento-
mological bureau reported themselves
completely defeated. The farmers seem
to have completely lost heart. and have
hope only in a miracle to save the cot
ton.
The Lipscomb bug, Of which mention
has already been made as a possible
remedy for the weevil, is still on trial.
and it's merits have not yet been def1-
nitely decided. Farmer Lipscomb, Its
discoverer believes that 1t is natural
devourer of the Mexican weevil. II so,
It will be the miracle the farmers pray
for and another instance of nature
dispensations that send the enemy OF
the weevil along with it.
The great majority Of the farmers
expect very little from the Lipscomb
bug. More dependence is placed in a
proposal to try the same remedy that
France adopted after the failure of the
scientific fight against the phylloxera
that was destroying the French vine
yards.
Just as the French grape growers
used American vines which defied the
phylloxera so it is proposed in Texas
to develop a cotton plant that will be
weevil proof. Egyptian cotton SEED
may furnish the plant sought.
The United States department OF
agriculture has been experimenting
with Egyptian cotton to determine its
availability for cultivation here. The
experiment has not yet been completed,
but it has developed one important fact
that cotton grown from the Egyptian
seed is proof against both Mexican
weeyil and root rot. Wherever 1t has
been planted the Egyptian cotton has
escaped the weevil while American cot
ton in adjacent fields has been destroy
ed by it.
The agricultural department has been
asked to establish an experiment sta
tion near Brennan, Tex, in the very
heart of the weevil infested country 10
establish beyond question the fact that
the Egyptian cotton will defy not few
weevils but armies Of the insect.
If the report is favorable, it will then
be in order to replant the entire cotton
area affected with Egyptian seed.
The rapid advance of the Mexican
weevil, far exceeding all predictions
shows the necessity of early action In
this matter. Unless some assurance Is
given the farmers that the weevil Will
be exterminated they will plant very
little cotton in the infected country for
next season.