Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-07
rs NOT GIVEN CREDIT
SCIENTISTS SKEPTICAL ABOUT
POWERS OF TEXAS ANT.
Does Not Think He Can Retard the
Ravages Of the Cotton Boil Weevil-
Studying the Guatemalan Ant.

There is not much enthusiasm at the
Agricultural, Department in connection
with the stories emanating from Texas
regarding the ant found there which Is
said to destroy the cotton boil weevil.
The study of the Guatemalan ant which
is said to be the bitter enemy of the Wee
vii is still progressing, and 1t is said at
the department that in all probability
foreign insect will have to be introduced
into the ravaged fields of Texas If the
" eeviI Is to be exterminated by that pro-
cess.
The Guatemalan ant is being taken care
of by the division of botany, while the
weevil has been particularly studied by
the chronological division, directly under
the personal supervision of DR.. L. o.
Howard, chief entomologist.
The Texas Ant.
A report from Bexar county, Texas, was
largely circulated that an ant had been
discovered there which destroyed the
boil weevil. The information set the De-
partment of Agriculture busy and the
officials Immediately began to probe the
matter to the bottom. II. they argued, an
Nant has been found within the United
States which will Kill the weevtl why
Ishould foreigners be imported to do it?
kOver at the department they believe in
u
is especially desirable that an ant native
ITO the country be introduced into the ter
ErftOry where the weevil has been doing
this deadly work on the young cotton, 1t
being not known If the Guatemala va
Eriety would take readily to the changed
conditions and accept acclimatization
simply.
y w. ID. Hunter. field agent of the depart
Fesent In the Investigations of the boil wee
vii in Texas, was ordered to make per-
sonal investigation of the ant said to have
been found in BeXar county. and his report
has just been received at the department.
According to Mr.. Hunter Jose Casino,
farmer living near Elmendorf, in Bexar
county, Tex, told some one that he had
counted his supply of boil weeyils, engaged
In eating the volunteer cotton plants on
his plantation and that he had found from
three to fifteen on each plant. He has about
fifty acres of cotton planted, and the exam
ira ton was made five or six weeks ago. An
additional investigation and census was
taken by him a few days since. with the
remarkable result that he found very few
.weevils. but the ground was overrun with
ANTS. which were carrying dead weevils
away. He naturally attributed the death
of the weevils to the ants and accordingly
circulated the story
Agent Hunters Investigation.
The Investigations of Mr. Hunter do not
bear out this theory. He says that in his
opinion. the ants did not kill the weevis,
but that they simply carried off the dead
ones which had fallen from the cotton. The
scientific name of the particular ants which
carried away the weevils is Solenopsis de-
bills teXana, and II may be that they are
a very much moderated insect and that
they really do kill the weevils, which are
I annually destroying millions of dollars
worth of cotton and making such progress
from Texas toward other cotton-growing
localities that alarm is felt for the entire
cotton crop of the country.
The explanation offered by Mr.. Hunter is
Of 10 lie ind a
depOsting their eggs and that when they
fell to the ground they were carried OFF
by the ants because the latter had been de-
lprived of their natural food. This came
iabout because of the extreme dry weather
(which has been experienced in Texas this
tseason, and the greed of the parasites
(which have destroyed large numbers OF the
tplant lice on the cotton. 1t is upon these
llice that the SolenOpsis debilis texana de-
jpends for much of his food supply, and
when they were killed he was forced to
diet of boil weeviL But he did not. accord
Ping to the opinion of Agent Hunter, pro-
ceed to the lair of the weevil and kill him,
lbut took advantage of his death from nat
Iural causes and then carted the remains
Away to his underground warehouses.
The Guatemalan Ant.
1t is said to be hardly likely that an ant
which will kill this pest has yet been found
Save in Guatemala, and the department
feels justified in prosecuting the invest-
tgation of the ant found in the Alta Vera
Paz district of Guatemala, and where the
Indians seem to be able to grow cotton
right in the heart OF the weevil district
Further Information is expected at an early
date, but the Texas ant is not given the
lcredit for doing what the press reports nave
iclaimed for it, 1t may be that the scien-
lists are mistaken and that this insect of
home growth does what he has been said
by Mr.. Cassiano to do, but there Is an
atmosphere of skepticism pervadng the de-
! rtmput the best that Is said or MIN at
this time being that If he does Kill the
weevil he probably does 1t so slowly that
sdts advance will not be materially retarded.
There will be a deeper investigation OF
the Bexar county ant than has yet been
made and a full report submitted to the de-
apartment for publication as soon pos