The leader., 1903-12-12
The Mexican Cotton Boil Weevil and
San jose Scale.

Un november % amt DecemDer l,
the farmers and planters of Louis
lana met in convention in New Or
leans to discuss ways and means to
protect their State from the rayages
of the Mexican cotton boil weevil.
The Mississippi Agricultural and
Mechanical College sent Prof. Glenn
W. Herrick; entomologist for the
Mississippi experiment station, as a
delegate to that convention to take
part in the earnest and serious dis
cussions of the problems confronting
the people of that State, arising
from the close proximity, in Texas,
of this much dreaded cotton pest.
The people of Louisiana are up in
arms and are certainly going to do
something. Is it not high time that
the people of Mississippi were turn
ing their attention to the problems
confronting them in connection with
this insect and with others already
in the State?
1t is a fact that the boil weevil
may be carried in its adult state
from one locality to another, in
shipments of cotton seed, cotton seed
hulls, baled hay, etc. Georgia has
already passed laws prohibiting the
importation of cotton seed into the
State unless such cotton seed is ac-
companied by a certificate stating
that it has been fumigated with hy-
drocyanic acid gas, Louisiana is 60
ing to pass such law, and her leg
islature has been called together, in
special session, for that purpose.
Mississippi is in imminent danger of
importing this terrible pest within
her borders. Now is the time to act.
A law passed by our Legislature, in
session this winter, preventing the
importation of cotton seed, and feed
stuffs from the infected districts of
Texas may save the State untold
thousands of dollars in the future.
Another pest seriously threaten
ing the agricultural interests of this
State is the San Jose insect. This
is probably the worst fruit pest in
the whole United States. Perhaps
the experiment stations of the
United States~have, in the aggregate,
spent more money in experiments
and in bulletins on this insect than
on any other one insect in the coun-
try. 1t obtained a hold in this
country by entering the city of San
Jose, CAL, probably on fruit trees
imported from China. Since then,
it has gradually spread over the
whole United States. 1t spread over
the Northern States first, but is now
abundant in the peach growing dis
tricts of Georgia and Mississippi.
In some localities in this State, it
threatens the destruction Of certain
orchards, and something must be
done, and done quickly.
The fruit growers of this State
have been supinely resting, perhaps
believing that the scale would not
reach them. In the meantime, un-
known to themselves in most cases,
they have been actually importing
this pest into their orchards. There
has never been law on our statute
books to govern nurserymen from
shipping into the State trees infest-
ed with noxious insects and danger
GUS diseases. We have been the
dumping ground, as it were, for any
thing in the line Of nursery stock in
tested or otherwise. Long ago, Geor-
gia, Louisiana, North and South
Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia
passed laws demanding that every
piece of nursery stock of any kind
brought into their respective COM
monwealths should be accompanied
by a certificate from competent en-
tomologist to the effect that such
stock was free from all injurious in
sects and infectious diseases. Ala
bama has now done the same thing,
and Mississippi must follow suit at
once for self-protection.
During the past two years Prof.
Herrick, the entomologist at the Ag-
ricultural and Mechanical College,
has received notice that the San Jose
scale was present in various parts
of the State, and in every instance
he has found by investigation that it
was obtained on nursery stock
shipped in from some other State.
If, ten years, or even five years
ago, the State Of Mississippi had
passed an inspection law similar to
the one that Alabama now has, our
State might be free today from this
pest. The people of Mississippi are
just awakening to the possibilities of
this State as a fruit growing area.
The district around Hattiesburg,
Laurel, Ellisyille and perhaps the
whole southern portion of the State,
promise well as a peach-growing re-
gion. The Gulf & Ship Island rail
road is bound to open up a great
peach-growing area. Most people
will, no doubt, think that Prof. Her
rick is indulging in the widest spec
ulation when he says that it is his
opinion in twenty years from now
Mississippi will be shipping as many
peaches as Georgia is at present, but
this is a conservative statement.
Therefore, it is very important that
we began to fight the San Jose scale
right now. Illinois has appropriated
| 100000 to drive the scale from
that State. She cannot do it. It is
too thoroughly and widely establish
ed. In other words, her legislature
has acted too late. It is hoped that
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