The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1903-04-22
Can Cub. rr"ducr Comm. .,eini Cotton 2

Washington, April 20.-Because of
the prevalence of the wecvil in Cuba
the outlook for raising cottou ou q
large scale in the island is exceeding.
ly gloomy, according to E. a. Sch.
wartz, custodian of the Coleop,era in
the national museum, who has jast
returned to Washington from an ex-
tensive tour of the islnnd, where he
went to inspect the rsvsges of the boil
weevil in the cotton there. Mr..
Schwartz's conclusions deal q death
blow to the attractive offers of land
agents claiming to have valuable cot
ton lands for sale in Cuba at more
high prices.
There are two kinds Of cotton raised
in Cuba, "kidney" cotton. the seeds
OF which are 80 closely attached to
the cotton that it cannot be ginned
and is, therefore, Of no use FIR COM
meroial purposes. The other kind
while its seeds are freer is not Of great
value. The natives transplant these
cotton plants, which grow as high as
small trees to the front of their
huts and use the cotton as they need
it.
1t is on kidney cotton that the
wcevil thrives, the other kind being
less capable of injury from the insect.
MIR. Schwartz claims that he found
the weevil all through the country in
great abundance on all kinds of cot
ton, though especially the kidney va
riety.
Eduardo Ferrer, of Cayamas, pro-
gressive and wealthy Cuban planter,
has undertaken experiments looking
to the eradication of the weevil, but
with little success 80 far. One sug-
gestion to this end is the stamping
out of all the kidney cotton in the is
land in the hope that the weevil can
not exist on the other kind Of cotton,
but this drastic policy will not be
adopted until every other means has
been tried.
Speaking Of the matter to-day Mr..
Schwartz said: "Cotton from vari-
GUS sections Of the United States and
other countries will be planted, in
Guiding sea island cotton, and careful
note will be taken of the zbility of
each Of the different varieties to with
stand the ravages Of the weevil, and
OF the comparative amount of damage
done when the kidney cotton 10 nres.
ent and when it is rooted out. 1t is
hoped that by this means cotton will
be found which will not be seriously
affected by the insect when the vicini-
ty is not contaminated by the weevil
breeding kidney oot9on.
'There is much difference of opin-
ion over the proper season to plant
cotton, whether at the beginning or
the end of the rainy season, and this
question must be answered by careful
experimenting before cotton can be-
cor,e an important crop in Cuba. The
time Of planting will bear a relation
not only to the productiveness bus
may be factor in enabling the cotton
to resist the weevil.
Scuba has an abundance of land
which is admirably suited to the grow.
ing Of cotton and in ell parts of the
island they are discussing the possi-
bility Of tho introduction, but the ma
tives have neither the money nor the
inclination to experiment.. American
land speculators are finding many
dupes in che United States who be-
lieve that it will be an easy thing to
start cotton plantation in the favor
able climate and soil Of Cuba. Those
who have been approached with this
scheme should investigate most care
fully before spending their money.
sThe insect fauna Of Cuba is very
rich and plants there are as subject TO
insect enemies as they are in the Uni
ted States. Oranges grow luxuriantly
in Cuba, but the insects which have
brought such destruction among the
orange groves Of California and Flori-
de- are equally abundant in Cuba and
ruin thousands OF trees. One OF tho
most serious insect pests Of the island
is the cutting ant. These ants live
in large colonies and raise hills sever.
al feet above the ground. When they
select tree for attack il is practically
doomed"
Mr.. Schwartz was sent down by the
department of agriculture in the hope
that he might find some effective
means for stopping the onaet Of che
boil weevil. It is estimated that this