The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-06-15

Of the father. New York Ameri-
can.
THE BOIL WEEVIL ANT.
What He Is Expected to Do FOR the
Texas Cotton Crop.
Prof. Cook of the chronological de-
partnent Is on his way from Guate-
mala to Texas with a large colony OF
the red ant that is expected to de-
stroy the boil weevil. Great hope is
placed in the ant by those who have
seen him at work in Guatemala,
where it is said be keeps the cotton
free from the pests; but there are
many skeptics. It is hardly probable
that the ants, however etflcacious
they may be, can be spread over the
infested belt enough to affect mate
rally the growing crop. The weather
bureau at Washington, in its report
on Tuesday, says: Boil weevils are
increasing rapidly and doing consider
able damage in a number OF south
western and south central counties OF
Texas" The Newberry Observer says
a friend has handed US Texas paper
OF recent date which contains some
account Of red ant in the infested
district that promises to do great
things for the cotton crop. The ac-
count is given by writer in. San An
tonic. 1t says:
"Bexar county possesses an ant
that has the Guatemala weeVil.eating
variety beaten to a standstill, with
the advantages Of being right on the
spot now and in need Of no transplant
ing. They are in the field by the
millions and waging relentless war
upon the weeVil. This little red ant
is routing the boil weevil in Bexar
county. According to reports from
the county it will not be necessary to
send to Guatemala to rid Bexar coun-
ty fields OF the cotton pest, and it
may be that this county can furnish
all the ants necessary to eradicate the
weevil all over Texas.
Jose CaSSiano, ex county collector,
who has several hundred acres OF cot
ton in this county, is the bearer OF the
good tidings concerning the work Of
the ant. MI. Cassiano's fields less
than a mouth ago were live with wee
vii and be looked forward to discourag-
ing prospects Of losing the greater
part of his cotton through ravages of
the insects. Today be said that there
was rot live weevil in his field. The
rows are strewn with dead weeVil,
which the busy little red ants are car
rying away by the thousands. Mr..
Cassiano says close inspection failed
to show single live weeVil on cot
ton plant or anywhere else in his
fields.
''The ants are On the plants and In
the rowS between in countless thouS-
ands. They seem to have completed
the slaughter of the Ieevil and are
now engaged in carrying the corpses
away, probably to be stored away for
food. Mr.. Cassiano says that even the
roads in the vicinity Of his ranches are
lined with ants marching in colums
bearing the dead weevils from the
fields. The Importance Of this discov-
cry to the cotton growers OF Be1ar
county and probably Of the whole state
Of Texas is ineStimable. II the ants
that have cleaned Mr.. Cassiano's fields
can be introduced into all the cotton
fields Of the state, it means a gain OF
millions OF dollars to the farmers Of
the state
DR.. L. O. Howard, the chief ento-
mologist Of the department, has re-
ceivsd a report from his experts In
Texas regarding the reported discoV-
cry in Bexar county Of an ant that
destroys the weevil. The report says
that the ant mentioned is the common
Texas ant and that nothing unusual
has been developed bV the inVestlga-
tion into the matter. 1t suggests that
the weeVils had been feeding and de-
posting eggs on the plants left over
from last season and that many OF the
females which had died and fallen
were eaten by the ants, and adds that
that as the extreme dry weather had
reduced the number Of plant lice on
the cotton, the ants, thus deprived OF
their natural food, merely took advan-
tage of the opportunity to feed on the
weevil.
Sad Affair Near Monroe.