The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-11-11
Gossip Of men
 and mdtteFS
Ravages of Boil Weevil.


 Speaking of the ravages of the boil weevil," said an observant farmer, "I have been reading the bulletins of the Az ricultural Department and have been much interested in what they say on this subject. The true remark Is made that there Is general tendency to exaggerate agricultural losses as well as to attribute to a single factor damage that Is the re- suit of combination of many influences. Before the advent of the boil weevn into Texas. unfavorable weather at planting time summer droughts, and heavy fall rains, as well as the attack of many other noxious insects, caused very light crops to be produced. Now, however, the tend ency Is to attribute all the shortage to the weevil. Nevertheless, not only on ac- count of the very serious work of the in sect, but also on account of the rather unfortunate previous condition of the cot ton-producing industry, the boil weevil is among the most formidable menaces to an agricultural country or elsewhere.
 Tt seems well within the bounds Of conservatism to say that during 1902 the insect caused Texas a loss of at least $lO,0OO, OOO In spite of the generally se- rious outlook, it must be stated that fears of the damage the weevil may do are oft en, especially in a newly invaded district, very much exaggerated. It IS by no means necessary to abandon cotton. The division of entomology has demonstrated the past season that the crop can be grown protitably in spite of the boil WeeVll. Moreover, the eApeIISiCS Ol HuaiiS counties in South Texas shows how a To- cality can in short time adapt itself to the new system of cotton raising made necessary by the weevil.
 'The most serious aspect of the situa- ton Is in the fact that the pest IS con stantly spreading and Will eVehtuaiIy DC distributed all over the cotton belt Tnere is no influences that can check 1t snort of the limit of It's food plant Tn thls coun- try. Altitude is the only tactor Tn nm iting its distribution in the Mexican couh- try and, basing the estimate on a caretul study of the annual increase in territory since the insect reached TeXas, as well as upon considerable attentlon mat mas been paid to the means wherepy IL reach es new territory, 1t seems sate to predlct that in from fifteen to elgnSeemt yoana t tue pest will be a serious drawoack 10 cotton culture everywhere throughout the South' as 1t is in Texas now.
 Tt is wholly beyond possibility that the weevil Is ever to be extermlnated. us history in Mexico and since reaching Texas, as well as the history of many related injurious insects, oners no nope that 1t will be much less destructive than now. Nevertheless, it has been demon- strated that cotton can pc grown pl"li, I ,- ably by means of few ".I,s ro ,t, planting and managing the crop Whefe the insect is present. the concIuslohs ol experiments being a profitable crVp III the most unfavorable situation can ue ny duced by early planting ana thoIIDusa ,s GU, V , tvation; early planting not IoaiUTIu C,atI tbs thorough cultivation Is Of no aNsn, Il tne bad effect of late planting cannot pc Iu!.,, e1ied bv wide spacing, by suDset u'n' thorough cultivation nor pg Sp, .,Siyi '''' But late planting with the roush c"', ,. ton Is better than early pidh'InS, VI careless cultivation; in case tne man an, Oi - can be planted early, the troupe anu ..l,'; SI pense of planting trap rows TOT the "ee''' is entirely unnecessary.