The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1904-07-27
WILSON TALKS OF ANT
GUATEMALAN INSECT FOE OF THE
BOIL WEEyIL.
Secretary of Agriculture Has Received
Preliminary Report on Ex-
periments at VictOria-TO
Issue Bulletin.

Washington, July 26.-(Special. }
The Agricultural Department has
received a preliminary report from
Professor Q. f. Cook. now at Victoria
Texas, regarding the Guatemalan AM
with which he is conducting series
of experiments at the government Ia
boratory at that point with the view oil
determining the adaptability of tha'
insect in destroying the cotton DOL
weevil. 49,
Secretary Wilson, the head of the
| Department of Agriculture, VINO Was
seen by The Advertiser correspondent
| shortly after the receipt of the reply
speaking of this matter and kindred
subjects of interest to the cotton plan
| ter, said:
"The results so far achieved with the
Central American ant are eminentls
satisfactory, and the little insect gives
promise of being of great assistance to
the cotton planters in the boil weeVi
| infected districts of the South. 1t has
shown no bad traits, and up to the
present time has fully realized the ex-
pectations of its discoverer, Professor
| Cook You cannot too deeply impress
upon your cotton planters, however
| that the work of the department thus
| far has only been on experimental
lines. and the result which at this stage
or enquiry CHftI 10 an pNiiVA ei"N w
have discovered a means of checking
the progress of the boil weevil, and ul-
timately of discriminating this pest
NAV fail short of realization when en-
ploycd over very extended area OF
varying climatic conditions.
"'rhe farmers of the South should
therefore, not rely entirely upon the
experiments now being conducted by
the national government looking to
the radiance of this evil but exert
every effort to find a remedy for the
trouble through their various state As-
ricultural Associations.
"One of the matters which is now of
great concern to the department, and
which has yet to be solved, is: will the
Guatemalan ant be able to hibernate
through a winter in the temperate
zone? This is something that has yet to
be determined If the insect can do
so and retain it's vigor and health, all
wen and good but if not 1t will neces-
state the importation of ants annual
ly from Guatemala. which will be a
source of no little expense to the gov0
eminent and will probably make i'm
practicable their colonization in this
country.
The Guatemalan Indian. when he
starts out to cultivate cotton in the
section of his country. always provides
himself with a colony Of these ants,
which in the Indian language of the
country is called Kaylap, meaning as
sistant or helper and 1t is an assist
ant to the cotton planter of that coun-
try for without it's aid he would be
unable to bring his crop to maturity"
Secretary Wilson said several spec
imeas of ant had been received to-day
from Victoria. and that DIR. Howard.
the entOmologist of the department,
was now engaged in classifying them.
He laughed at the idea that the de-
partment would have to send the spec
linens to Europe to discover what they
were. and declared that the scientists
of the department were perhaps with
out equals anywhere in the world, and
were abundantly able to handle the
subject
OF the crop conditions in the South.
particularly the cotton crop, Secre-
tary Wilson stated that they were very
gratifying, though 1t was yet a little
early TO make predictions The cotton
crop had yet two months to reach ma
turity. and no one was able to say
what devastation. if any, the boil Wee
vii might be able to make during that
interval.
Professor Cooks report has been sent
to the public printer and will be ready