The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-07-27

The Injunction recites that it is pro-
posed to bring in this ant and turn it
loose at the United States government
experiment station at Victoria, lex.
They say the ant would spread to all
parts of the State, would become So
numerous in time 50 TO prove an in
tolerable pest, would sting the lator.
ers in the field and then would ren-
der it impossible to pick cotton, ulti-
mately destroying the cotton crop and
all other vegetation.
The Injunction has delayed the
opening OF the kalep- Weevil war
The ants will spend some time in New
Orleans, until the department. OF agri-
culture decides what to do.
The collection Of these ants cost
several months OF hard work in Alta
Vera Paz, Guatemala. The insect
has no scientific name, but is known
TO the natives or Indians as the kalep.
1t is red, and about twice the size OF
an ordinary ant.
Dr.. Cook has some 5000 ants, or
forty colonies, including number OF
queens. They are now in first class
condition, active and full OF fight, ana
eager to be allowed to attack Their
enemy.
DR.. Cook denies all the charges
made against the ants. The are in-
sectivorous, he says, and will not hurt
cotton-and the Mexican boil weeVll
is their dearest foe.
The weevil stands no show with the
Guatemalan kalep. The latter stings
the weevil, producing paralysis, and
then carries its victim to its dwelling
mousse, where the Weeyil is torn to
pieces or put in cold storage for the
winter. -Four ants to each stalk OF
cotton will keep it wholly free from
weevils. So effective has the warfare
of the kalep proved that it has already
completely destroyed the weevil in
Vera Paz and other departments
which in inhabits.
The boil weevil, after practically de-
Stroying the cotton crop of Mexico, in
vaded Texas on the north and Guate-
msla on the south. 1t seemed to
sweep everything before it until it
reached the country Of the kaleps.
The latter have turned the tables on
it and are pursuing it fercely and
remorssleSsly.
AS for the argument presented by
Mr.. Clark that it would render cotton
picking impossible by stinging the
negroes on their bare feet, Dr.. Cook
calls attention to the fact that the
Guatemalan natives never wear shoes,
yet have never suffered from ant
stings. It is admitted that there
may be limitations in the effective
work of the kslep. 1t lives IN a porous
sandy soil, like that of Texas, but it
is by 10 means certain that it would
find life so agreeable in the rich but
damp soil OF the alluvial lands OF the
Mississippi, where cotton reaches its
highest development.
ALI these facts and arguments have
not convinced the anti-ant men. Even
if we admit, say they, that the kalep
will do all that is expected Of it and
kill of the weevilS, on what is it
going to feed after the weevil are ex-
hauSted?
The South is already pretty well
overrun with ants, which have latter
ly increased in numbers, owing pos
sibly to the destruction Of insect-eat-
ing birds. The ordinary American
ants, red and black, are themselves ef-
fectual as destroyers Of other insects,
and indeed are known to kill boil
weevii; out in spite of their good ser
vice in this respect they are recognized
as q nuisance and injurious to the
farmer, and their rests are ploughed
up and destroyed whenever they are
come across. II their numbers are
swollen by importation OF larger and
6ercer ants, the planters will find it
almost impossible to keep the ants
under control.
In fine, is it not dangerous expert
ment, they ask, becaues we are suffer
ing. from one insect pest, to import
another? 1t depends upon the settle
nents Of these questions whether the
courts will allow the great Kalep.
Weeyil fight to come off in Texas this
OF, r,noor