The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-12-09
FACING A CRISIS.
The Invasion of the Boil WeeVl Is
Real Menace
TO TIE COTTON OF THE SOUTH
What Secretary Of Agriculture "ll-
SON Says About the Pest in
His Annual Report to
Congress-

In his seventh annual report to Con-
sress Secretary Of Agriculture wilson
deals at some length with subject OF
considerable interest to the cotton
planters Of the South. Here is what
be says:
TIE COTTON BOIL wEEvu.
The continued spread Of the cotton
boil 1eevil, and the danger threaten
ing the most important industry OF
the south by the direct prospect that
it will soon reach all portions of the
cotton belt, resulted in the appropria-
tion by congress of $4,000 for a con-
tinuation and enlargement of the
work Of the division with that pest.
This work was under the direct
charge in Texas Of Mr.. ". D. Hunter,
who was aided by number Of assist
ants.
The fun9s at the disposal Of the di-
vision enabled it for the first time to
conduct experiments with the cultu-
raj methods Of controlling the pest on
large scale. This was accomplished
by entering into contract with two
representative large planters IN typi-
cal situations in Texas. By the
terms Of these contracts the planters
agreed to cultivate. care for, and in
every way manage the crop exactly in
accordance with the directions Of the
agent in charge. In this manner the
division was given practically COM
plete charge Of 325 acres, but without
the trouble and expense OF renting
the land and working the crop. These
experiments were located at Calvert,
in the Brazos valley, the most seri-
ously infested portion Of the territory
at present, and at Victoria, in the ex-
t1eme southern portion Of the, State.
where the existence Of volunteer cot
ton furnishes the weevilS with focd
very early in the season, thus adding
an important feature to the problem
that does not occur elsewhere.
Al Victoria field laboratory was fit
ted up, where a thorough study was
made Of every feature Of the life his
tory Of the weevil. The matter of
parasites and the possibility Of cen
trolling the pest by their artificial
propagation, which has always ap-
pealed strongly o-niany planters, re-
ceived especial attention. In pur-
suauce Of tbs feature Of the inveSti-
gatioR~Ehe agent in charge made
Zip to Mexico, where the government
al commission that had been created
for the study Of the weevil problem
has especially concerned itself with
the propagation Of a mite Pedicu-
loides 7entricosus). which, at least
under certain conditions, has been
found to destroy the larvae Of the
pest. The agent made a study of the
methods pursued in the laboratory Of
the commission at Cuernavaca, and
through the courtesy Of Prof. A. L.
Herrera, the head Of the commission,
he was enabled to bring back to Texas
q large number Of cultures. These
parasites were distributed from the
laboratory at Victoria. The work is
being continued this season, but the
indications are that climatic condi-
tions will always render unobtainaole
in Texas whatever useful results may
have been obtained in Mexico.
The concluding portion Of Secretary
Wilson's report deals with the
CRISIS IN COTTON PRODUCTION.
The invasion Of the cotton boil
weevil has been a special menace to
our cotton crop, and has done more
than anything else to awaken wide
spread apprehension as to the future
Of this most important crop. The
boil weevil first appeared in the State
of Texas in 1894, and from that time
on has been under observation and in
vestigation by the department.
through it's division Of entomology.
It was not until 1902, however, that
this branch Of the department was
able to undertake anything like thor
ough and systematic work in the mat
ter. of studying this very destructive
enemy Of cotton. In 1903 the scope
Of the work was further enlarged an
appropriation Of $40, 900 being made in
the division of entomology for the in
7estigations. Aside from the work
the bureau Of plant industry has,
during the past year, been carving
on considerable work with view to
securing, if possible, early and resist
ant varieties by breeding and selec-
tion; and has been conducting some
more or less general experiments in
the matter Of crop diverSifcation at
special points in Texas. It has also
been engaged in distributing a consid-
erable quantity Of cotton seed of early
maturing and promising sorts.
The work Of the division Of ento-
mology has shown conclusively the
value Of good cultural methods, the
planting Of early-maturiog varieties,
and the destruction Of weevil-infested
material, this conclusion having been
reached only through the careful and
detailed studies Of the life history
sad habits of the insect. The demon
strstion work along these lines, which
the division carried on the past year,
has been exceedingly promising, as it
has been shown that cotton can be
grown in remunerative quantity, des-
pite the presence Of the weevil. Not
withStanding what has been accom-
plished by the department, however,
the fact remains that the boil weevil
is constantly spreading north and
east, and it is probably only ques-
tion Of time when it will reach ali the
cotton growing States. Thus the
coun.ry is confronted with very
grave problem, as the invasion Of this
insect uust necessarily mean a COM
plete revolution in present agricultu-