Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1904-02-05
BOIL WEEVIL CAMPAIGN
Agricultural Departments Plan
to Fight the Cotton Pest.
APPROPRIATION OF S25o,oOO MADE

Experimental Farms wnI He Con-
ducted In the southwest-Psrasites
Are TO BE Imported From the Home
of the weevil In Endeavor to De-
.troy the Insect.
The secretary Of agriculture. James
Wilson. has approved the plans for the
cotton boil weevil investigation in the
southwest, for which u special appro
priation of $25O.O0O has been made
available. says Washington specia
10 the ST. Louis Republic.
Secretary Wilson believes that the
best method for meeting the ravages
caused by the boil weevil will be &c
put into actual practice the facts which
have been accumulated by the depart
ment during the last two years in the
matter Of improving cultural cOndi-
tions, the planting of early maturing
varieties OF cotton. substitution of 9th
er crops, etc. The plans approved
which were submitted by DIR. B. I
Galloway. cleef OF the bureau of plant
industry, and DR.. Howard, chief of the
division of entomology, embody the fol
lowing lines of investigation:
Farmers cooperative demonstration
work will involve the organization of
farmers in Texas and adjacent states
in such way as TO secure the cultiva-
tion Of tracts of cotton under specific
instructions from the department of
agriculture. Thus definite working
plan will be given to each farmer, the
farmer himself TO furnish the seed and
fertilizers IL such are required. These
acres OF cotton will serve as object les
sons and will be planned TO show the
practicability Of growing cotton despite
the presence Of the weevil. Similar
work will be carried on In Louisia ma
where the weevil has not yet advanced
1t is planned to have 5000 or 10000
farmers engaged in this work.
Breeding and selection work will
have for Its object the improvement of
present varieties Of cotton, with a view
TO making them more prolific and
earlier, SO as to prevent the ravages of
the weevil. The work will be conduct
ed on experimental farms. which will
be selected with due respect to eli
matte soil and other conditions.
The bill making the appropriation di-
rects the secretary to investigate other
insects and diseases, and one serious
malady which will receive attention is
the 80 called cotton root rot This
work will be in the direction of secur.
ing immune varieties by selection and
breeding and the testing of types that
already have been selected.
Diversification Of crops is considered
one of the most important lines of
work and will have for its object dem
onstration work In the direction of
growing crops other than cotton and
Of forage crops with cotton. Diversi-
fication farms will be secured by CO.
operation with the farmers themselves.
Thirteen Of these farms will be locat-
ed in Texas, five in Louisiana. three in
Mississippi and several In other cotton
growing states.
The foregoing work will be looked
after by the bureau of plant industry.
The division of entomology will con-
tinue its investigations on experiment
farms. Thirteen farms for the growing
of cotton will be located in Texas, and
the Investigations conducted will have
for their object the determination of
batting the boil weevil, which have not
yet been definitely settled The ques-
ton Of the effect of fertilizers on the
early maturing Of cottons will be con.
sidered. 1t Is planned that these farms
shall embrace about 100 acres each.
Investigations of parasites in the
original home of the weevil will be
made, the object being to introduce
these parasites into Texas. with the
hope Of securing the destruction
through them of the boil weevil. In.
spection Of cotton products, their fumi
CATION and general expenses attending
the certification required by state laws
will be another line of work conduct.
ed by the entomologist.
Investigations into the life history
and habits Of the weevil and for the
general testing Of poisons and machines
will also be made. This work will be
carried on necessarily in the boil weevil
infested district. Investigations of 9th
er disease than the cotton boil weevil
including the destructive cotton boil
worm, which is one of the most serious
pests in several southern cotton grow
ing states, will be carried on
The organization of the work on the
cooperative demonstration farms has
begun under the charge Of DR.. s. A
Knapp, who is now in Texas.