Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-25
THE PLANS ADOPTED
PROPOSED INVESTIGATION o.
THE COTTON BOIL WEEvIL.
Secretary Wilson Will Utilize the Facts
That Have Been Accumulated
by His Department.

The Secretary of Agriculture has APPROX
Ell the plans for the cotton boil weevil In
vestigation in the southwest, for which a
special appropriation of $4,000 has been
made available. Secretary Wilson believes
that the best methods for meeting the raw
ages caused by the boil weevil will be to
put into actual practice the facts which
have been accumulated by the department
during the past two years in the matter OF
improving cultural conditions. the planting
of early maturing varieties of cotton, sub
stitution of other crops, &c. The plans ap-
proved which were submitted by DR.. B. L.
Galloway, the chief of the bureau of plant
Industry ard DR.. Howard, the chief of no
division OF entomology. embody the follow
ing lines of investigation:
Farmers cooperative demonstration
work will involve the organization of farm
ers in Texas and adjacent states in such
way as to secure the cultivation of tracts
OF cotton under specific instructions from
the Department of Agriculture. Thus. 4
definite working plan will be given to each
farmer the farmer himself to- furnish the
seed and fertilizers, If such are required
These acres of cotton wild serve as object
lessons and will be planned to show the
pre- cticability of growing cotton despite the
presence of the weevil. Similar work VIII
be carried on in Louisiana. where the wee
vii has not yet advanced. 1t is planned 10
hav We 5000 or 10000 farmers engaged in TINS
work.
Breeding and selection work Will have
for its object the Improvement or present
varieties of cotton, with view TO making
them more prolific and earlier, so as to pre-
vent the ravages of the weevil The work
will be conducted on experimental farms
which will be selected with due respect 10
china tic, soil and other conditions.
Investigations of Parasites.
The bill making the appropriation directs
tbe Secretary to investigate other insects
and diseases and one serious malady which
will receive attention is the so-called cotton
root rot This work will be in the direction
OF securing immune varieties by selection
and breeding and the testing Of types that
already have been selected.
DiVersiflcatiOn of crops is considered one
of the most important lines of work ana
will have for it's object demonstration work
in the direction of growing crops other
than cotton. and of forage crops with COT,
ton Diyersifcation farms will be secured
by cooperation with the farmers them
selves. Thirteen of these farms will be
located in Texas. five in Louisiana, three IN
Mississippi and several in other cott0n-
growing states.
The foregoing work will be looked after
by the bureau of plant industry.
The division of entomology will continue
its Investigations on experiment larmS.
Thirteen farms for the growing of cotton
will be located in Texas and the investi-
cations conducted will have for their OBJ
ject the determination of numerous ques-
tons relative to combating the boil weeyil
which have not yet been definitely settled
The. question of the effect of fertilizers on
the early maturing of cottons will be con
sdered. 1t planned that these farms
shall embrace about one hundred acres
each.
Investigation of Parasites.
Investigations of parasites in the original
home of the weevil will be made, the OBJ
ject being to introduce these parasites into
Texas, with the hope of securing the de-
struction. through them, of the boil veevil
Inspection of cotton products. their fumi-
cation and general expenses attending the
certification required sby state laws will be
another line of work conducted by the en-
tomoogist.
Investigations into the life history and
habits of the weeviI and for the general
testing of poisons and machines will also
be made. This work will be carried On
necessarily in the boil weevil infested dis
trict.
Investigations of other diseases than tho
cotton boil weevil. including the destruc-
tive cotton boil worm. which is one of the
most serious pests in number of the south
erH cotton-growinS states, will be carried
The organization of the work on The CO.
operative demonstration farms has begun
under the charge of DIR. S. A. Knapp who
Is now in Texas.