The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-12-14
MANY PAPERS
 WERE READ
 -I Specialists :Discuss Boil
 Iieevil. VARDAMAN AT MEETING Several Plans for Extermina- tion Advanced. pr. Howard as Representative of Sec retary Wilson Assured Shreve- port Convention of Asricultu- xal Depsrtment's Hearty
 Support.

Support.
 Shreveport, La, Dec. 13.-Today's session of the national cotton conven- tion were largely taken up with speeches. by prominent delegates and discussion of the boil weevii problem. Probably the most important addresses were those of Dr. W. D. Hunter. of the Bureau of Entomology. Department of Agriculture. and Prof. J. H. Cornell. editor of The Farm and Ranch. of Dal- las, Texas. Dr. Hunter was listened to with marked attenion and after he had finished many delegates asked him questions regarding the work of the government in its efforts to extermi- nate or control the boil weevil in Tex as. Dr. Hunter with a large force of assistants has been stationed at Vic- toria. Texas. for several years and he Is probably more familiar with the history and workings of the boil wee- vii than any other jublic authority
 At the afternoon session Governor Vardaman of Mississippi appeared on the stage. He was greeted with ap- plause and addressed the delegates eibrfiy. He said he did not come here to make a speech, but realizing that the boil weevil was a serious menace to the Southern farmers he lent his presence to join in any concerted movement to exterminate the insect. He had no doubt but that the federal government would lend It's financial as- sistance to any proper method to check the ravages of the wevil--not as a gift but as 8 matter of right; for he said the Southern States contributed their just share of taxation for the adminis- tration of the national government.
 The first sesion was called to order by permanent Chairman Peters prompt ly at 10 o'clock. He introduced Dr. I. O. Howard. Chief of the Bureau of En- tomology. Dr. Howard said he was here as the personal represent tative of Secretary Wilson and he spoke of the interest the Secretary is taking in thA fight on the boil weevii.
 Dr. Howard briefly reviewed the his- tory of the insect in the Texas and Louisiana fields and said that Dr. w. D. Hunter, who has had so much vale uable practical experience in combat ing the spread of the pest would ex. plain the work of the government more fully. pr. Hunter was introduced and spoke as follows:
 Dr. Hunter Speaks.
 'The ravages of the boil weevil have not only affected the cotton producers of Texas, as well as of the United States, but have also distuSsed thel general economic conditions through out the South. and have caused distur-. bances in every quarter of the globe where American cotton Is used in the factories. It has caused every person where American cotton Is used in the form to pay more for 1t than formerly. The pest was first known to occur in Texas in the vicinity of Brownsville about 1892. Since that date 1t has ad- vanc0l annually about forty or fifty miles. and there seems no probability that 1t will not eventually reach all parts of the South where cotton is produced. If 1t does not indeed reach other cotton producing countries At present the infested territory covers practically all of the cotton producing counties in Texas and the larger por- tion of six parishes in Louisiana. Nu- merous reports regarding the occur renee of the pest out side of the States that have been mentioned have been invese,gated and found t0 be erro- neous.
 Careful investigations of the life history of the pest reveal few factors that seem to indicate that 1t will die out as has been the case with some of the injurious insects. although 1t is not beyond the range of possibilities that some such an occurrence may eventually take place. The only sug- Restion that has been offered towards checking the invasion of the past Is in the establishment of a wide zone of land in which the cultivation of cotton should be prohibited. On &C., count of the many difficulties in the way of such a procedure and on &C., count of the reasonable degree of sue cess that has attended efforts toward controlling the pest in Texas, 1t seemed doubtful If such means would be justified.
 The efforts of the ravages of the boil weevil in Texas may De summar- ized as follows:
 First-It has during the past five years caused a loss of at least eigthy millions of dollars.
 second-It has increased decidedly the area required to produce a bale of cotton.
 Third-It has practically destroyed the credit of the small farmer. who mas been in the habit of depending upon cotton, although farmers who have diversified their crops are still able to obtain necessary credit.
 rourth-It has had the effect of driving large numbers of negroes from the cotton lands of the State. Ne groes lend themselves poorly to the modified tions in the system of pro- ducing staple. which are necessary on account of the ravages of the pest. Intensive cultivation, to which negroes can be brought only with great difi- culty is one of the great essentials in producing a crop
 Fifth-It has forced a divarsification of crops. and in this way is considered by many parties as a beneficent influ- ence,. While this may be the ultimate resul, of the work of the boil weevil, tne depression that comes from the chsn1es necessary before a complete svstern of diversification may be fol- lowed Is apparent to all parties who bave investigated the matter in Texas
 IT will be noted that cotton produc- .,on in Texas has decreased annually tvvitb the exception of one year. 190o) since the invasion of the pest. al- tboush the reduction has not. on the whole. been very decided. This ab- sence of a great falling off in pro- duetion is due to two principal fac tors CD that there mas been con siderable increase in acreage, and (2) following the suggestion of the Bu-