The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-07-29

posed to bring In this ant and turn IL
loose at the United States government
experiment station at Victoria, Tex.
They say the ant would spread to all
parts Of the State, would become so
numerous in time 50 to prove an In
tolerable pest, would sting the labor
ers In the Geld and then would rem.
der 1t impossible to pick cotton, ulti-
mately destroying the cotton crop and
all other vegetation.
The Injunction has delayed the
opening Of the Kalep- Weevil war.
The ants will spend some time In New
Orleans, until the department of agri.
culture decides what to do.
The collection Of these ants cost
several months of hard work in Alta
Vera Paz, Guatemala. The insect
has no scientific name, but Is known
to the natives or Indians as the kalep.
1t is red, and about twice the sizs Of
an ordinary ant.
DR.. Cook has some 5000 ants, or
forty colonies, including number Of
queens. They are now in first class
condition, active aud full Of fight, and
eager to be allowed to attack their
enemy.
DR.. Cook denies all the charges
made against the ants. The are in
sectivorous, he says, and will not hurt
cotton-and the Mexican boil weevil
Is their dearest foe.
The weevil stands no show with the
Guatemalan kalep. The latter stings
the weevil, producing paralysis, and
then carries Its victim to It's dwelling
house, where the weevil Is torn to
pieces or put in cold storage for the
winter. Four ants to each stalk Of
cotton will keep it wholly free from
weevils. So effective has the warfare
Of the kalep proved that 1t has already
completely destroyed the wcevil in
Vera Paz and other departments
which In inhabits.
The boil weevil, after practically de-
stroying the cotton crop of Mexico, in
vaded Texas on the north and Guate-
mala on the south. 1t seemed to
sweep everything before it until 1t
reached the country Of the kaleps.
The latter have turned the tables on
1t and are pursuing 1t fercely and
remorselessly.
AS for the argument presented by
Mr.. Clark that it would render cotton
picking impossible by stlnging the
negroes on their bare feet, DR.. Cook
Calls attention to. the fact that the
i incnmhan, -yives never wear shoes,
nm tLo - never suffered from ant
So. e. It Is admitted that there
may be limitations in the effective
work OF the kalep. 1t lives IN porous
sandy soil, like that of Texas, but it
is by no means certain that it would
find life so agreeable in the rich but
damp soil Of the alluval lands OF the
Mississippi, where cotton reaches IFS
highest development.
All these facts and arguments have
not convinced the anti-ant men. L ven
If we admit, say they, that the kalep
will do all that is expected Of it and
kill off the weevils, on what Is it
going to feed after the weevil are ex-
hauSted?
The South is already pretty well
overrun with ants, which have latter
ly Increased In numbers, owing pos.
sibly to the destruction of insect-eat-
ing birds. The ordinary American
ants, red and black, are themselves ef-
fectual as destroyers Of other insects,
and indeed are known to kill boil
weevil; but in spite Of their good SER
Vice In this respect they are recognized
as nuisance and Injurious to the
farmer, and their nests are ploughed
up and destroyed whenever they are
come across. If their numbers are
swollen by importation of larger and
iercer ants, the planters will find it
almost impossible to keep the ants
under control.
In fine, is 1t not dangerous expert
ment, they ask, becaues we are suffer
ing from one insect pest, to import
another? 1t depends upon the settle
ments Of these questions whether the
courts will allow the great Kalep.
Weevil fight to come off in Texas this
summer.