The Washington times., 1904-06-05
Staple on Central Amer
lean Plains Not Hurt
by the WeeviL.
In Death Struggle the
Ant Destroys It's Big
Antagonist.


~ Growers OF cotton in the
great Texas cotton belt, who have
Eroaned and suffered under the depreda-
tons Of the boil weevil, would be very
anxious to follow this advice, which has
come TO them. from the Department CT
Agriculture, like a ray Of hope. Not
that they are sluggards. by any means;
for the past ten years the industrious
boil weevil has caused them to lead a
very strenuous life
When. a few days since. the announce
rnent was made that o. +. Cook. one of
20 the field botanists of the bureau of plant
industry of the department. had dis
covered on the plains of Guatemala,
here cotton has been grown for many
-nturies, and whence the boil weevil is
7 43id to have made its way into this
country. a large. reddish-brown ant that
was the weeviTs avowed and determined
enemy. encouragement and good cheer
flashed across the cotton belt from east
to west. Farmers pricked up their ears
TO hear and to believe, and should 1t
eventuate that the ant will not really
and actually destroy the weevil the de-
preston will be equal in fits extent to
the season of hope by which it was pre-
ceded.
Great Damage Wrought.
In the past ten years the damage done
by the cotton boil weevil has amounted
certainly to S50.OO0OO0. and probably to
much more. Its extinction or some
method Of holding it in check is prime
necessity to the cotton growers Of the
affected belt: that they should welcome
anything that promises relief from their
troubles is not hard to understand.
During a visit TO Guatemala in 1902
Of hn
cotton plant which seemed to be quite
free from the ravages Of the boil weevil.
though the beetles were present in large
numbers on the tree cotton that grew
spontaneously through the surrounding
country. He was struck by the exemp-
ton the cotton plants seemed to enjoy,
but the small size and apparent worth
lessness Of the variety induced him to
abandon its further consideration.
Later on. with the increasing acute
ness Of the boil weevf question and the
voting of special appropriation by
Congress for the study OF means of pro-
lection against the insect, the existence
of this Guatemalan variety and its ap
parent immunity from the ravages of
the weevil were recalled. 1t seemed TO
the Department of Agriculture that
every clue should be followed up and
of conditions in the province of Alta
Vera Paz. Guatemala, with this end in
view Mr.. Cook was sent to pursue the
subject further.
Discovery of the Ant.
Then came the discovery of the ant, an
insect. certainly. of large activity and
very acute intelligence. The ants are at
tracted 20 the cotton plants by the food
they secure from the extra floral nee
taries. The honey thus collected serves
probably as dessert for the more solid
meal Of boil weevils the ant is accus-
toned TO make. The pests become an
easy prey Mr.. Cook describing as fol-
lows the method Of their destruction:
The ants mandibles are large enough
TO grasp the weevil around the middle
and pry apart the joint between the
thorax and the abdomen. The long
flexible body is bent at the same time
In a circle to insert the sting at the
unprotected point where the beetles
strong armor is open. The poison takes
effect instantly; the beetle ceases TO
struggle, and with it's legs twitching
feebly is carried away in the jaws OF
its caDtor. AS with many other insects
when stung by wasps, the paralysis Is
permanent; even when taken away from
the ants the beetles do not recover. The
adroit and business-like manner in
which the beetle IS disposed Of in very
much less time than even the briefest
account Of the operation could be read,
seems to prove beyond question that the
ant is by structure and by instinct
especially equipped for the work Of de-
struction and is, in short, the true
explanation Of the fact that cotton is
successfully cultivated by the Indians
Of Alta Vera Pax in spite Of the pres
ence Of the boil weevil.
Instead Of congregating in large
numbers on the cotton IN the immediate
vicinity Of their nests the ants have.
IS II were. the good sense to spread
themselves through the field from two
10 four or five usually being found do
ing inspection duty on each plant IN
some places there seemed 20 be not
enough ants 10 20 around. and here the
beetles were more numerous. Rarely.
too. certain flowers or branches seemed
20 have been overlooked, beetles being
found on the same plants with the ants
In such instances, indeed, the young
flower or boil was generally riddled with
punctures as though many beetles had
availed themselves Of a rare oppor-
tunity Of feeding undisturbed."
Continuing the Search.
When the Bureau Of Plant Industry
last Dcdro OF Mf. NoOks ne Was AT Sd-
lama on tie plateau Of Guatemala. He
was endeavorinR there 20 learn Of the
existence OF the destroyer ants in tho
higher attitudes. % being a matter
strongly predetermined that a tropical
insect. accustomed 10 intense heat and
humidity. could withstand. the rgors Of
Texan winter. II the ant. however, is
found on the plateau. where the climatic
conditions more. nearly approximate
those Of the .nern States Of this
country. the difficulty will disappear IN
large measure
This then. Is the purpose of the
search Cotton is grown on the plateau