The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-09-11
Boil wesviI Study.

A new bulletin on the Mexican cot- ton boil weevil has just been issued by the bureau of entomology of the depart .ts under the direction of W. D. Hunter and W. E. Hinds, and Is revision and application of bulletin No. 45. which was issued last year; It con made in 1904, including the life his tory of the insect, its dissemination, the futility of destroying it by poisons and it's control by cultural methods: All of these matters are brought out in greater detail as well as other facts not considered before fin the previous bulletin.
 retary Wilson suggests that in view of the popular interest felt in this subject in Texas, Louisiana and other cotton growing States that at least ten thou printed for use by the department in addition to the number Congress may order for the use of it's members. In discussing the boil weevil the bulletin states that while the acreage in Texas and Louisiana has been increasing in about the same proportion, the crop in Texas has decreased annually for the past six years, with two exceptions, 1900 and the present year, while the crop in Louisiana has increased annu- ally. with one inconsiderable exception, 1908. It is declared that the boil weevil is the cause that prevented ISNdS rom kGepHlB pdCO WItn A1OWte- lana. the exceptional years 1900 and 1904 in which the production did not increase being undoubtedly those in which the conditions for the cotton plant were unusually favorable
 The Investigations made by the de- partment on the subject of the life his- tory of the insect disclose that the insect Is changing It's habits and adap- ting itself to climatic conditions in new regions 1t Is now invading. It has &C., quIred an ability to withstand more severe frosts. Except in few regions, however, it does not seem, the bulletin states, that the continued spread will be as rapid as 1t has been. The pre- vaiIing winds between Gonzales County and the Red River which is continu- ous cotton field are alleged to have un- of the insect. Similar conditions 1t Is averred will now favor a rapid exten- sion of the Red River valley in Louis- iana, and likewise there seems no the Yazoo valley in Mississippi. but in most other situations throughout the belt the cotton fields are smaller and more isolated that Is the case in Texas, consequently 1t is to be supposed that the spread of the pest will be retarded somewhat.
 Easing estimates on a careful study of the distance the boil weevil has some attention that has been paid to the means whereby it reaches new ter ritory, 1t is predicted by the govern ment experts that in from fifteen to eighteen years the pest will be found throughout the cotton belt. During the time 1t has been in Texas there has been no tendency towards dying out, and in south Texas the pest is so far as 1t Is affected by changes in managing the crop. as 1t was in 1895. In Mexico where 1t has existed for a much longer period it Is apparently as rla a CarcflIl finya that has been paid to the study of par asites and diseases as well as tempera- lures unfavorable to the insect has failed to reveal any prospect that it will ever be much less troublesome than now. There will nevertheless be seasons from time to time in which the damage will be much less than normal Climatic conditions 1t Is said will un- doubtedly cause diminutlon of the num- bers of the pest in certain localities. In Texas these conditions have given rise almost every year to the supposition on the part of the planters that the insects have died out. This was especially the case in the region between San Antonio and Beeville In 1900 and in the vicinity of Corpus Christi in 1903.
 Both of these years followed a sea son in which not only had greater number Of the weevils been kilpled but the number had very limited extent to which 1t was pos slble to raise cotton. Both 1900 and 1903 were exceedingly favorable for cotton. Early planting was possible and there was an abundance of rain throughout the season. Wherever a series of years of scanty rainfall Is followed by one of normal precipitation the weevil will temporarily be compa- trous years will be those in which the rainfall will be excessive and planting unavoidably thrown late. One of the most interesting features of the situa- Al. ,Fat, 1..- son of 1904 was the fact that the in- fested region extended eastward much more rapidly than northward. Careful examination of the portions of Indian Territory and Arkansas which the weevil Is apt to reach first has failed to reveal any infestation In fact on the north the limitation of the infested territory remains practically the same as at the end of the season of 1903.
 This applies, however. only to the total infested areas in which even iso- lated colonies have been found to exist There has been nevertheless a gradual gross infestation. It's advance has ex tended from the latitude of the north ern portion of Ellis County to about the latitude of the southern portion of Collin County. It has been found that there Is at least one full generation less during the season at Terrell than at Victoria. 215 miles south. This naturally means greatly lessened de- gree of damage. The time when inc maximum number of weevils ner acre is produced is made considerably later with a consequent manifest adyantsSe to the crop. The lessened numher 0f generations is due to three principal quarters; second ereatar time required for the deveiopment of the several stages, and third. the earlier date of the killing frost
 It was pointed out in the nrevious bulletin that the consideratIons inst mentioned would cause the weeviI problem to be much less serious in ew- treme northern Iexas and similar local tiles than has been the case in regiona that have hitherto been infested 1t Is to be exnectsd ths bulletin declares, that there win be weeviI to the. climatic conditions in