The Kemper herald. (Scooba, Miss.) 1875-1908, 1904-02-18
BOIL WEEVIL
FIGHT IS ON
SECRETARY WILSON TELLS OF
DEPARTMENT PLANS.
BIG FORCE OF SCIENTISTS
experts to be Sent Throughout Infest-
ed District to Hunt for Parasite
Bill to Erect Branch Home for Disa-
bled Veterans.

AAPcA ototCO tbab IC 10 IT'D
IDLY putting into execution the plar
Tor fighting the Mexican cotton Dol
weevil, which was determined upo
sometime ago. Besides the work on
the thirteen experimental farms of1O(
acres each in Texas, there will be lab.
oratory and demonstration work by
DIR. S. A. Knapp, Investigation work
by w. |. Stillman, work on cotton boil
worm by Prof. A. L. Quaintance, work
on other cotton insects by Prof. Z. ID.
wright Sanderson, on cotton diseases
by Z. l.. Shear and on plant breeding
work by III. j. Weber. Every day
we are taking on new men,, said the
secretary, and within a short time will
have an extremely well trained and
efficient force of scientists on the
ground in the southern states to aid
the people in that section to rid them
selves OF this pest. We will not con-
hne ourselves to the boil weevil alone,
but will study all other destructive
insects and plant diseases of that re-
g1on and will also endeavor to teach
the people how to raise other crops so
that should our efforts fail to exter-
inmate the weevil, the people may be
enabled to raise other products unaf-
fected by it. We propose sending men
to Central and South America in
search of a parasite to kill the weevil.
The boil weevil is a Central American
insect that has gradually worked it
self north and accustomed itself to
conditions there. We are informed
that In Central America there is a GER
tain species of cotton not quite SO
good as our own American product,
but still cotton, which is obnoxious to
the boil weevil. We propose bringing
specimens of hat cotton to this coun-
try and hybridizing it. 1t is reasona-
BILE to suppose that this new element
will have a material effect upon the
ravages of the insect. The corr worm
7 of the north, known in the south as
the boil worm, has been successfully
fought, and the department has been
enabled to do something with that fell
low. The cotton root rot and rust has
also been conquered, and the only
work for the department is the educa-
lion of the people of the southern
states in the line of preventive meas
lres. Another feature of the depart
ment's work in the direction is its en-
deavor to induce the raising of other
crops i'll the southern states. In Tex
IS, for instance, but IL per cent of
The state is under cultivation. The
people of Texas could still go ON rails
lng just as much cotton as ever, while
turning their attention to the plant
ing of other crops which would be
just as valuable. The question of the
cotton boil weevil in the south and the
education of the people there in diver
slfled crop-raislng is probably the
most important one the department
has before it, and the situation is pro-
badly as important as any it has had
to deal with. The department of ag-
riculture should have been of its pres
ent size 100 years ago, and the people
Of the country are just beginning to
realize its worth and the value Of its
work. In other regions of the coun-
Try, although it reaches the whole of
The United States, can its efforts be
better expended han in the south.
The ravages of Father Time are at
last beginning to show on Senator
Morgans of Alabama. The hero's
physical powers are failing fast, but
his mentality remains undimmed and
MS keen as ever. The Senator's voice
has been getting weaker and weaker
ever since the beginning of the pres
snt session, and last Saturday it
Tailed him altogether. He was COM
relied to call on a substitute to deliv-
fr part of his speech. Senator Nor
,an's is the first one in the front row,
only about ten feet from the oficialre-
porter of the senate, yet the latter had
difficulty in catching the words of the
ldSb oPCtIh liz uCllNC1Cu. oCIdbOl
Morgan's capacity for work is prodi-
gious. Those who are associated with
him say that he works until ? or 3
o'clock every morning in the prepare
lion of data for use in his arguments.
Governor Wright has sent in a re-
port Of the desertion of sixteen men,
bers of the Constabulary, and says
that there is no danger of a spread.
Troops and constables are after the
| deserters, who took some released
prisoners with them.
There was great sorrow among SEN
ntor Hanna colleagues when it was
realized that his condition was almost
hopeless. Politicians have already be-
run to speculate on the result of Ohio,
md it is predicted that Governor Her
rick will succeed him in the Senate.