St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1904-08-06
FARMER AND PLANTER.
THE BOIL wEEvIL's ENEMY.
Something About the, Little Brown
Apt That Fights and ConQueRs
the Boil weevil.

Something About the Little Bfow1
Aat That Fights and ConQusFs
the Boil weevil.
An ant, newly discovered and worth
. qAarter of billion dollars year to
the southern and southwestern states.
Is now about to leap into the arena OF
every cotton plantation. clashing It's
maudibles and rushing to battle with
the terrible boil weevil, tho ruthless
destroyer of cotton. It is microscopic
In size, brown in color, flexible OF
body, pugnacious OF temper, poisonous
with venom. Thanks to this sudden
ally, the south's shuddering fight
against the boil weevil changes from
that Of lost cause to campaign ap-
parently certain Of victory. The lit
tie brown ant will work the change.
Il Is the scrappiest living organism
for its size and weight in the world.
It was apparently created for the sole
purpose of exterminating the boil
weevil. It is the little brown Jap Of
the insect world, just as the boil weevil
is the bulky and greedy Russian over
runing the Manchuria Of King Cotton's
country. It would rather kill boil
weevils than eat, and its fighting tao
tics are irresistible The ant will be
shown at the Worlds fair. f!g8
This amazing ant, whose value TO the
world at large is almost beyond COM
putation, destroys the boil weevil faster
than the boil weevil destroys cotton
and the latter's destructiveness has un-
til now held the worlds record. AROUND
every cotton stalk the little brown ant
establishes Cossack outpost picket,
five strong, and watches for the Doll
weevil. It falls upon its enemy with
incredible fury, prizes open the Weevlfs
beetle-like armor, plunges its envenom-
ed sting in to the exposed part
and then it's the Dead March in Saul
for the weevil. The combats thus car
r.ed on are said to be intensely exclt-
Ing as spectacles.
SO thrilling are they, IN fact, that
the Worlds fair management Is TO De
urged to arrange for daily exhibit
showing q battle between this wonder
ful ant and the cotton-killing. Doll
veevil. It is represented that the com
hatants could be exhibited in case un-
der microscopic lenses giving vastly
n,agnifled view Of the fray. The whole
world at the fair might gaze spell
bound at such an encounter and ap-
pland its outcome-for the little brown
ant is always the victory, and his vic
tory means that the worlds cotton
crops are hereafter to be harvested fo'
mans use instead Of largely going tf
feed the boil weevil as in recent years
Yet the little brown ants name !:
unknown. It 1t zone Of the few, tn
immortal names, that were not borl
| to de-" but thus far its intrepid owne1
Is advancing incognito to his dealt
erapple with the boil weevil. All tina
| Il known Of him is that he halls from
Guatemala, where he has slain all tn
boil weevils, and that he has neve
vet declined fight with his hereditar!
feudsman or been bested In such
fight. 5fSk S$Aa
| Name or no name, however, the lit
lie brown ant will receive welcom
as warm as il his cognomen were en-
eraved with gratitude's fingers on ev
cry American heart-especially sine
cynics say gratitude is "a lively sens
Of fayors to come" For this ant - tn
most beneacent creature the cotto1
country has ever been called upon i
greet, and upon the prosperity OF tn
cotton country depends much OF tn
prosperity and comfort Of ar the worlt
II dwells in the cotton fields, but
does no harm to the cotton. It wi
be found on every stalk, but not on
mouthful Of the steple or fiber will
eat. nor will it to the extent OF
pounds weight lesen the annual crol
Rather will it insure a maximum
! harvest for every plantation, becaus
it will be there as q faithful sentine
challenging and fighting to the deaf
the tnveterate enemy Of cotton.
/ This good and faithful ant, like man
other good and faithful creatures,
not pretty to look at. Seen through
microscope, it suggests Welsh rart
bit nightmare or the fever imaginativ
product Of broiled lobster eaten jul
before bedtime. It is hairy and trucr
lent. It has fierce eyes. It has stee
| like mandibles which it fourisht
about its rugged head in the mo-
threatening manner 1t has formids
BILE jaws that snap together as do thos
OF q cruel animal trap. At the en-
which goes last over fence 1t has
4 lance-sharp sting that fairly reeks wit
poison. 1t, has q supple body 80 tn
Of the Joy Of conflict that it bends int
q circle when the fight WAKES hotties
thus enabling its owner to work mai
dibles, jaws and sting in q most aha
monious aggression. And 1t doesn
belle its looks. 1t Is killer. It maxi
= slaughter house Of ito immedia1
vicinity, the insect creation furnishin
i the material, with the boil weevil K
choice. II there are no boil weevi
, around-and boil weevils have now di
appeared from Guatemala-it attach
; and Stays centipedes hundreds Of tim
J its size. 80
II The ants challenge is only to, Il
- to - k11v~ 81