Fitzgerald enterprise. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1895-1912, 1908-08-27

Biological Survey Expert Tells Of a
South's Need Of Them-ProteetioW ~ z
Cotton Industry the Keynote OF the
Warning From Washington.
Protection for the birds of the Unit
ed States is being urged by the bioloS-
zeal survey of the department OF agTt-
culture The economic importance or
such protection to the cotton industry
is pointed out in a recent circular pre-
pared by Arthur II. Howell. assistant
in the biological survey, who has In
recent months made a minute study OF
the extent to which the boil weevil Is
destroyed by birds.
Something. over year ago the BIO
logical survey took this matter up and
sent out literature urging bird protec-
ton. It was pointed out that the resi-
dents In the northerR states could do
great service to the south by seeing to
it that the birds that nest in the north
ern attitudes in spring and summer
and go to the south in winter weFo
AAOlA hC AhNOA-
est awakened in this matter was great,
| and there was eager response from
| farmers, school children and others.
Now, says the Washington correspond
| EN- the New York Globe, in the light
| of more recent Investigations showing
| that the boil weevil Is destroyed by
birds to a greater extent than was at
| a., n1n0 for tho
lection of the birds is being put forth.
The region noW infested by the cot
ton boil weevil includes the greater
part of the cotton growing area OF
Texas and Louisiana and parts of Ok
lahoma, Arkansas and Mississippi.
Texas and Louisiana produced in 1910
more than 100000 bales Of cotton.
valued at upward of $276,0OO,O00. The
loss caused by the boil weevil is VA
J riously estimated at from 10 to 80 per
cent Of the crop, or even more In bad
ly, infested areas. Even at the low
est reasonable estimate the loss to
the cotton planters Of Texas and Lou
\ tsiana. from the ravages Of the pest
yearly aggregates many millions 49,
the weevf extends its. range eastward
inNo the more humid regions Of the
lower Mississippi valley, the damage
it does will be proportionately grcaier
than In the drier regions to the west
, ward T.
Investigations conducted by the bio
logical survey on the food habits Of
, birds in Louisiana in January and
February, 1905, showed that more
birds were feeding upon the weevils
and that many more weevils were de
. stroyed by them titan in any, of the
western localities where birds have
been collected Mt a corresponding sea
son The destruction Of weevils In
winter is much more important than
!. in summer, since the death or every
Weevil at that season prevents the pro-
, duction of highly numerous progeny
in the early summer and postponeS Tue
date wien the increase Will become SO
great as to destroy the cotton squares
as fast as they appear.
1.-THE service rendered by the vast
army of birds which occupies the COT
ton plantations of the south DURING
: the winter months" says Mr.. Howell.
} ais only beginning to be appreciated,
3 During the first season In which DirdS
!. were studied In their relation to the
weevil only twenty species were dis'
covered to feed upon the insect. anu
it was supposed the influence OF birds
in keeping down the pest was slight:
: Later Investigations, however, carried
on during several years and Mt all sea
sons have shown that no less imam
ffty-three species of native birds feed
anon the pest, many Of them destroy
inc large numbers Of weevis during
the most critical period Of the insects
lsfe-Vinter and early spring.
Various kinds of blackbirds. mead
ow Iarks, sparrows. piphs or titlarks.
wrens and titmice are mentioned as
useful In the destruction of the bon
v,eevil, and many other well known
| birds, such as the orioie. the swallow
md the mockingbird, are IN the hSt
Of those that feed upon the pest OF
the cotton regions. '.-.~. :,...