The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-07-13
COTTON BOIL wEEVIL.
What the EntOmOIogists of the De-
partment Says About 1t.

what the EntOmOIOgists of the De-
pnrtment Says About 1t.
Washington, July 1.-THE entomol-
ogists of the Agricultural Department
throw cold water on the reports that
nave been circulated on the New York
Cotton Exchange to the effect that the
Mexican cotton boil weevil has made
its appearance in large numbers in the
cotton fields of states other than Tex
as. The department has received many
reports of the appearance of the Vice.
will outside of Texas, especially in
Louisiana. In almost every instance
letters from planters reporting the
presence of the insect pest have been
accompanied with samples of the in
sect. In no case has the department
found one of the samples to be the
genuine Mexican cotton boil weeVil and
Dr.. Howard, the chief entomologist,
does not believe that the insect has
yet crossed the borders of Texas. There
seems to be a disposition on the part
of planters throughout the cotton belt
to jump at the conclusion that any
strange insect they find on their cot
ton plants is the boil weevil and for
this reason the Agricultural Depart
ment advises that little weight should
be given to reports from unscientific
sources as to the presence of the in
sect in any locality. 1t is admitted,
however, that the boil weevil may pos
sibly get into Louisiana before the END
of the present season. On the other
hand it may be some years before it
crosses the Mississippi river. The ex-
perts of the department will make no
predictions as to the rate at which il
will spread over the cotton lands east
of the Mississippi when it has once
crossed that river. Thus far their OBJ
servations of the insect have been con-
fined to the relatively dry area OF
Texas which has been infected with
it. Not much if any difference has
been detected in its relative destruc-
tiveness on uplands and bottom lands
in Texas, but 1t is said by the ento-
mologists that no certain conclusions
can be drawn from the experience of
Texas as to the rate at which it will
develop and spread in the more humid
regions east of the Mississippi. 1t
may turn out that IL is an insect that
requires a relatively dry country for
its development and it may thus be
much less destructive in the Eastern
cotton fields. On the other hand, 1t
may be found that it will strive better
in more humid regions and it may be
more destructive east of the Missis-
sippi than it has been in Texas.
1t is too early yet for any reliable
estimates to be made as to the effect
of the weeVil on this years crop in
Texas. 1t is the later broods of the
weevil that do the most damage each
year. Owing to the lateness of the sea-
son this year the insect is not believed
to have multiplied as rapidly as in
former years. This is not regarded
as having given the cotton any decid-
ed advantage, however, for the reason
that the late season retarded the plant
ing and growth of the cotton as well
and the cotton plant and the weevil
are developing on even terms. The loss
to the Texas planters will probably
be as proportionally great as last
year for, while many Of the planters
are adopting the recommendations OF
the Agricultural Department as to the
best methods of combating the weevil
and will consequently gather larger
crops than last year, it must still be
taken into considera ton that the area
covered by the pest in Texas is larger
this year than last and in many To-
cahties where it made its appearance
for the first time last year and was
not numerous it is present in much
larger numbers this season.