The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1904-08-18
FARMER AND PLANTER.
THE BOIL wEEvIL's ENEMY.
Something About the Little Brown
Ant That Fights and ConQuers
the Boil Weeyil.


An ant, newly discovered and worth
. quarter Of billion dollars year to
the southern and southwestern states,
is now about to leap into the arena Of
every cotton plantation, clashing its
mandibles and rushing to battle with
tho terrible boil weevil, the ruthless
destroyer OF cotton. 1t Is microscopic
In size, brown In color, flexible Of
body. pugnacious Of temper, poisonous
with venom. Thanks to this sudden
ally. the sopth'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.
It is the scrappiest living organism
for its size and weight in the world.
It was apparently created for the sole
purpose Of discriminating the boil
wsevil. It is the little brown Jap Of
the insect world. just as the boil weevil
10 the bulky and greedy Russian over
running the Manchuria Of King Cotton's
country, 1t would rather kill boil
weevils than eat. and its fighting tao
tics are irresistible The ant will DO
shown at the Worlds fair.
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
CT al fhn hrn nh
establishes q Cossack outpost picket,
five strong. and watches for the boil
weevil. It falls upon its enemy with
Incredible fury, prizes open the weeyil's
beetle-like armor, plunges its envenom-
ID sting in to the exposed part
and then it's the Dead March in Saul
for the weevil. The combats thus car
ried on are said to be intensely excit-
ing as spectacles.
So thrilling are they, in fact, that
the Worlds fair management Is to be
urged to arrange for daily exhibit
showing battle between this wonder
full ant and the cotton-killing boil
weevil. It is represented that the COM
batants could be exhibited In case un-
der microscopic lenses giving q vastly
magnided view of the fray. The whole
world at the fair might gaze SPELL
b01nd 1t such an encounter and ap-
plaud 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 for
mans use instead Of largely going to
feed the boil weevil as in recent years.
Yet the little brown ants name is
unknown. 1t 1t "o1e Of the few, the
immortal nameA that were not born
to de-" but thus far its intrepid owner
is advancing incognito to his death
grapple with the boil weevil. All that
is known of him Is that he halls from
where he has slain all the i
bob weevils, and that he has never
yet declined q fight with his hereditary |
feudsman or been bested in such . i
fight.
Name or no name. however, the lit
tie brown ant will receive q welcome |
Is warm as IL his cognomen were en-
graved with gratitude's fingers On ev-
cry American heart-especially since |
cyrics say gratitude is "a lively sense |
Of favors to come" For this ant Is the
most beneficent creature the cotton
has ever been called upon to |
greet, and upon the prosperity Of the |
cotton country depends much. OF the
and comfort Of all the world.
It dwells in the cotton fields. but 1t !
does no harm to tho cotton. It will
be found ON every stalk. but not one
mouthful OF the staple or fiber win 1t
ut, NOR win 1t to the extent Of
pounds weight Lessen the annual crop.
Rather will It insure, maximum Of
harvest for every plantation, because
{ viii be there Is . faithful sentinel.
and fighting to the death
he inveterate enemy Of cotton.
This good and faithful ant. like many
,.her good and faithful creatures, is
lot pretty to look at. Seen through q
nicroscop It suggests Welsh rare
1T nightmare or the fever imaginative
,rodnct Of broiled lobster eaten just
,efors bedtime. It II hairy and trucu-
emit. It has fierce eyes. 1t has steel
IKE mandibles which 1t hourishes
Ibout its rugged head In tho most
manner. It has formida-
lie jaws that snap together as do those
Il cruel animal trap. At the end
vhich goes last over . fence 1t has
ance-sharp sting that fairly reeks with
Doison. It has supple body SO full
( the Joy OF conflict that 1t bends into
circle when the fight wakes hottest,
hus enabling fits owner to work man
Iibles, jaws and sting In most har-
nonious aggression And It doesn't |
ellie its looks. It II Z killer. 1t makes
slaughter house Of tt immediate |
icinity, the insect creation furnishing |
he material. with the boil weevil for
hoice. II there are no boil weevils
boll weevils have now dis
ppeared from 0uatemala-it attacks
nd salays centipedes hundreds OF times
- size.
TAo ants challenge Is only to the
insect world. II II mans true friend.
- people Of the southern states viii
row TO love IT. very uglinesg On bet-
= acquaintance. Even In it, method
( warfare this ant Il what dAftemus