Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-11
WAR ON BOIL WEEVIL
PLANS FOR MEETING RAVAGES
OF THE PEST.
W. D. Hunter Will Be Located at Vic
. rIS
toria, Texas-Plant Diseases
to Be Studied.

A state of war exists In this country be-
tween the scientists OF the department of
agriculture and the detested boil weeyil
that has been devastating the cotton. fields
Of the south. 1.-The plan of action determined
upon some fine ago by the department has
been put fntofexee4Ition 2 nd from this time
on every Observation-Disclosures to put an end
to the pest WIN be applied The direct work
against the weeviiais in charge of W. ID.
Hunter special agent. who will perform
his DUTIES under the direction of Dr. L. O.
Howard, Chief entomoiogfst of the Agri-
cultural Department. Mr.. Hunters head
quarters will be at Victoria, Texas. where
an experimental laboratory has been car
RED on for the past two years. There will
be thirteen experimental farms of 100 acres
each IN different parts OF the state, and all
possible remedial work will be carried on
at the laboratory and at these experimental
stations
Other Plans.
Other plans formulated in aid of southern
planters and farmers by the department are
as follows:
Demonstration work by DR.. S. A. Knapp.
Diversiication work. by w. J. Spillman.
Work on the cotton bollworm, by Prof. A.
L. Quaintance.
On other cotton insects, by Prof. e.
Dwight Sanderson.
On cotton Diseases by Mr.. c. L. Shear.
On plant-breeding work, by Mr.. II. J.
Weber.
Will Study All Plant Diseases.
In conversatio with Star reporter to-
day, Secretary Wilson said that the de-
partment was just organizing its work for
the year in connection with the extermi-
nation of the boil weevi and other de-
structive insects and diseases in the south.
rlar.
said. land within short time will have
an extremely well-traned and efficient
force of scientists on the ground in the
southern states to aid the people of that
section to rid themselves of this pest. We
will not confne our attention to the boil
weevil alone, but will study all other de-
structiye insects and plant diseases of that
region and will also endeavor to teach
the people how to raise other crops, so
that should our efforts fail to extermi-
nate the weevil the people may be en-
abled to raise other products UNAFFECTED
by it.
1--WE propose sending men to Central and
South America in search of a parasite to
kill the weevil. The boil weevil is Cen
trail American insect that mas sfauuaHy
worked itself north and accustomed lSell
to conditions there We are informed that
i'm Central America there is certain spe-
cies of cotton, not quite so good as our own
American product. but still cotton, which
is obnoxious to the boh' weevil. We pro-
nose bringing specimens of that cotton to
this country and hybridizing it.. 1t is rea
sonab BILE to suppose that this new element
will have "A matefialfe Hect upon the raVaSes
Of the insect The worm of the north.
known in thessotlth as the boil worm, has
been successfully thought and the depart
ment has BEEN enabled to do something
with that fefiow.i The cotton root rot and
rust has also .been5conquered, and the only
york for the department is the education
of the people of the southern states in the
line of preventive measures.
Raising Other Crops.
'Aaother feature of the departments
work in this direction is it's endeavor to
Introduce the raising of other crops in the
southern states. Tin Texas, for instance.
but II per cent of the state is under culti-
walton. The, people of Texas could still go
on raising just as much cotton as ever,
! while turning their attention to the plant
ing of other crops which would be just as
valuable il isti.
1.-The question of the cotton boil lweevil
In the south and the education of the peo-
pie there in diversified crop raising is prob
ably the most important one of the depart
ment has before 1t, and the situation is
probably as important as any ii has had to
| deal with The Department of Agriculture
| should have been of its present size one
hundred years ago, and the people of the
country are just beginning to realize it's
| worth and the value of its work. In no
other region of the country. although 1t
reaches the whole of the United States, can
| its efforts be better expended than In the
SOUTH"