The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-02-10
The Texas Boil Weevil.

Editor inc Advertiser:
 After two wars study I find the life of the Texas boil weevil to be about twelve months, or that of the honey bee.
 IL lives on sugar infused with carbonic acid and nitrogen.
 It reproduces by depos!ting its eggs into the plant and limbs of the cotton plant and into hard stem weeds. A few eggs have been discovered in the stem end of the cotton boil and upon the hull of the seed.
 It mates about the last of July and lays during the month of August.
 The eggs in Lat. 8, Long. 10, begin to hatch about the 18th of April.
 1t is a full grown weevil in about two months. or sixty days.
 It begins to feed upon the cotton boil about the l5th of July. and continues until frost, or the skin or burr gets tough.
 It is very extensive in Texas and Lol- isiana and somewhat extensive In Mis- sissippi, Alabama and Southwest Geor- gla.
 The damage done by the weevil In Texas and Louisiana IS very great. That done in Alabama. Mississippi anu South west Georgia during the years 1902 and l303, has not been less than per cent. of the cotton crop
 IL can be eXterminated or destroyed by blowing up the stalks Of the cotton plant by the first day of March of each year, until it is evidenced that the plan is a success
 The Texas boil weevi. feeds upon the cotton boil because at certain age or growth Of the boil there IS consld- erable amount of sugar ir 1t. It loves to feed at night, because at that time the cotton plant is taking up carboGic acid gas. It innabits low rich soil bc- cause the plant gets more nitrogen than 1t does Tn poorer soil.
 Its presence in Mississippi Alabama and Southwest Georgia has not been no- ticed by :he planters because the dam age done by 1t has beer attributed to other causes and also its habits of feGI- ing at night and disappearing or leaving the plant at daylight. has been anothlr cause why the planter has not been able 10 locate It.
 The above estimation of the damage done was taken under good conditions of the weather If rain Is abundant durIng the months of July and August. the dam age will be very much greater The Wal ter seeping through the openings made by the weevil causes the boil to decay
 I have seen boils which have been sucked by the weevil produce good Int but this was when no rain had fallcl maturity of the boil. The plan of burn Ing the stalks of the cotton plant and weeds will work no hardship upon any planter, as such work must be done anv ton is gathered and during a time of year that most labor Is otherwise id;e and at easy command
 The uniformity Of action and the tInon designated for the completion Of the work are the essential points of the plan nf eXtermination. The work must be thor oughly dore before the eggs begin 70 hatch. l have not found any chcmicI; that can be used upon the cotton plaHt that will kill the grown weevil. I fine, however. that compound made m Gt petroleum and the extract of the cast r bean plant is very offensive to the grown weevil and will cause it to flee or not inhabit the place where the scent is hi,t 1t will not Kill tho grown weevtl or iHe jure the fertility of it's eggs. The black ant has beer great help in keeping thc weevil down in the high lands of Ala eama' as they they. find nd the eggs and destroy be of little use in destroying the wecI.ii on account cunt of Its habit of stirring at wecvil refuses to suck unless forcnd .e by hunger This Is because the skin of some varieties Is thicker than others,
 J. R Howard.
 Conference.
 CEeWacla Ala