The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1907-10-09
THE BOIL WEEvlL.
Now Firmly Established This Side
of the Mississippi.
Our Farmers May as Well Make Up
Their Minds to Have the Pest
Coon

Crossing the Rio Grande in 1892,
advancing northward through Texas
and into Arkansas, Oklahoma and
Louisiana, sometimes retrograding
for a brief period, but afterwards, in
seasonable dispersions, more than re-
gaining lost ground, the boil weevil,
through whose activity millions of
dollars worth of cotton has been and
is being destroyed, has crossed the
Mississippi river, has entered one Of
the richest cotton districts in the
South and bids fair according to the
report of government entomologists,
to sweep through all the cotton states
east of the Mississippi.
By many it has been thought, says
the Dallas News, that the Weevil,
when it come to the Mississippi,
would be halted, temporarily at least.
BY some it was even urged that the
small boats which. ply across the riv-
er continuously should be quarantin-
ed that the weevil might not be
brought across the river. The gov
ernment entomologists declared at
the time that the plan would be un-
availing, and it seems that the latest
developments have shown this to be
the case.
The weevil, instead of being barred
bv the river did not even hesitate in
it's advance. 1t came within about
20 miles of the river last year. 1t
advanced this year and came to the
rivers edge.
Prof. W. H. Hunter, in charge OF
the boil weevil Investigation in the
South. has just returned from his
investigation of conditions on the
east bank of the Mississippi. He and
his assistant found enough weevils
at far separated intervals Of space on
the east bank Of the river to indicate
that the crossing had surely been
made and that the weeril is now Sc
curely established east of the Missis-
sippi.
The weevils were found in the ex-
treme southwestern part Of Missls-
sippi. The insects have been in the
district only few days and no dam
age to cotton will result in this dis
trict from the weevil this season.
The cotton wherein the weevils
have established themselves in Louis
lana is declared by Prof. Hunter to
be some of the finest to be found. Its
growth is very rank, the plant being
about eight feet in height, condition
that will be of special advantage to
the weevil, it is contended.
"In Texas said Prof. Hunter,
where the cotton is sturdy but does
not grow to any considerable heigth,
the weevil has inflicted considerable
damage, but the damage by the wee
vii in those rich cotton sections
where there is abundant timber and
where the cotton attains very rank
growth will be much greater than in
Texas. The high cotton will pre-
vent the sunlight from drying up all
moisture from the ground, and with
the ground cool and moist the weevil
thrives. With the ground dry and
hard, as it is in Texas, there would
be more hope.
s'The onward movement Of the
weevil in Mississippi will be easy
There will be continuance of dis.
persions beyond the present scene Of
boil weevil activity in Mississippi
and inasmucb as the cotton fields ly'
ing beyond offer an easy line OF I'D
vance the migratory movement acros:
the Southern States will be rapid.
"Just beyond the district in which
the weevils have established them
selves in Mississippi there is a hllly
timbered district, but rather barre1
of cotton. But the weevil will have
no difficulty in passing through thi
area and onward into rich cottol
| fields.
"I except the acreage of cotton t.
be increased in west Texas. and thi
increase in acreage. together with tn
adoption of better methods of cult
: vation, will probably result in Teras
cotton production becoming large
than it has been.
nH~4, aN51TLIS H1SFCETi X