The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1903-02-01
The Boil Weevil Peril
Other Southern Countries Are Preparing to Take Ad-
vantage Of the American Calamity.


waxhington. January E,-tStan oorre-
spondence-)-one OF the mort yahahis con
tributions that has yet beer made 20 CO..
iections Of information regarding The raw
ages OF the Mexican boil wee~il Ia thu
speech which was delivered IN the house
By Representative SlAyoen Of reThs on SAT-.
urdsy Last In this spseah Mr.. Ssyden
gave the figures be has hesn -ursinE on tos
sons months past In an effort IN ahew just
bow much damage has been done IN Texas
by the pest These figures hare already
been referred TO II this correspondence. -
have many Of the other facts broaEht cut
BY Mr. slayden, but the speech contains
% much that Is new and important on the
boil wesvti question, especially with refer
erce to what may happen II the progreSA
Of the pest Is unchecked, that much Of Il
~ given hers.
The matter under discussion at the tine
the speech was made was the agricultural
appropriation BIZ, which contains an Item
the experiments II Texas look!ng 10 the
discovery OF a method Of eIternsinating ths
veeviL Nj SlAyden said;
I regret that the appropriation proposed
In this bill for the purpose OF oubating
that pesuferous Insect known In Texas Is
the cotton boil weevil Is not larger, The
amount Of damage done by Il during the
cotton growing season OF 1907 Is vsriously
estimated BY those who have studied the
situation to have been from $4,000. 900 10
S250Oo,Ooo. II was certainly as much as
the smaller sum named. ana Il s possible
that IL may have exceeded the greater.
But great as wEs the disaster TO tho crop
OF 1901, it was nothing compared 70 that
which threstens the crop OF 1908.
We have been crying out 10 Texas about
this enemy TO our prosperity and commerce
for nearly ten years but Il was not until
the ravages Of the pest threatened to unbal-
ance the trade Of the world that NO could
command the attention from the authorities
which the vaHrness OF the Interests imper-
lied entitled Il 10 receive.
The secretary af agriculture, so able,
earnest and honest officer now comprs-
hsnds 70 c degree the seriousness OF the
situation and went With me before the com.
uittee on agriculture TO ask FOR money
to enable him 10 cultivate 4 number OF
farms under the supervision az hik sccn.
lists. he beleves that be viii be able -
accomplish much good In that way, aud
trust be may.
But believe that he ought 20 have gone
much further. think tina; no, only should
this appropriation have been made but that
enough moro should have been given BY tbs
committee and the ccugress-to be avail
able in another way to tempt the services
Of the best talent outside the department
There are able men 10 the country not en-
ployed In the department Of agriculture
who would, u q suitable reward was Of
tered them for the uso Of their time ant
the exercise q cheir talents, engage Or
the study Of the boil wecvil and from tn,
employment Of so many men OF ability an,
learning we might indulge ln even creates
hope o. finding really effective remedy.
HISTORY.
Prior to ten years 50 little Vas know,
In this country Of the cotton boil weevn
AL that We arS certain OF Is that u cam
from MEXICO IL that country wberevs
It has appeared IL hss p1t the cotton plant
crs out Of business, " nearly So
Over relatively large areas IN which col
ton was formerly q prolific aud prodtabl
crop iu Mexico It's cultivation has been al
tirely discontinued. This Is notably true }
can
II crossed the Rio Grands into TeIs
about 1929. At nrst IL made slow progge,
and did little damage, the reason being thl
Al the point Of attack there we're few plal
tarens OF cotton and that tho climatic col
ollonA were unDropitlous
The boil weeyil does not prosper 70 vel
not aud dry weather. and thHt Is what
found In Cameron, Hidaleo aud Duyal cou
yes ~ 1eIas- Three years later, hRy1l
crossed large Intervening space whe
there Is little farming OF any sort, Il reach
the counties n Bee. knyucs Wilson Gu
dAiune auo BeIar Fyom that point on
rs march Of destruction the pace has be-
rapid.
an ls9s IL reached Bastrop. Lee ana 9th
counties bordering uu the great ceutr
oiacA land cotton region.
A. Frat, as nave aIrcadg said 81
progress Of the wcevN was not rapid IVA
Ea1 dus 10 the comparative lutgequency
cotton plantations in south h-4as ana
'he eject OF tbe hot, ary Bumniers
when u got into the more humid rariu
Of South central Texas. where ID had ur
70 cross fence 10 get from one grtt
ned 10 another Il travelled luorc rapid
HOW much more rapidly IL moved uad
favorable conditions OF greater huuIdi
Ano more general cultivation can hc 90
NJ glance hy comparing the map OF rs
with that OF 1902 IL viii be spen n
noS only Red river separates it from
kansas and the Indian Territory
My friends who represent the states
Arkansas, Louisiana aud Mississippi n,
wen tremble at the prospect. When q
insect gets into the Mississippi vRllJ
where the growth Of the cotton stalk
ground is always shaded whlo the crop
growing and maturing, n WIN f,ur
impossible 10 combat Il. The fear rs shal
ny the secretary OF agriculture and he
determined 10 make a heroic effort TO p
Vent SO great disaster To the country.
The weeyil Is uoW in the very heart
the cotton-growing region of Texna, q
in the production Of cotton Texas Is
most important region OF the world
IN lol the h0ll wee}il counties I'm Fel
produced 48LSlo bales less than 10 ig
and the crop OF 1900 was mitch less n
that OF $50 ia the same territory. But
course this decrease was not due TO
ravsEes OF the Insect alone There W
foods and dfouths tp contend With ais,
However, II is safe 20 say that {,
thrlds OF that decrease was due TO
work OF the weeyil More than $1,000,
worth Of cotton was certainly destroy
was very much greater during the year
1902
Tho Texas cotton crop and It's by.pG
ueta Of seed, meal, and oil is worth 81
perued right now. To help save II