The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1909-03-24

e
and One-half times greater than In
the earlier years after its invasion,
which is quite reasonable when we
come to consider the causes.
In the first place the point of con-
tact where the entry into Texas was
made was very narrow, only the
width of a plantation or two, and
for some $50 miles north the cotton
area was still comparatively narrow,
the plantations scattered, and the
yearly production light. At the an
Inual rate the insect has advanced
northward, it was five or six years,
or about 1897 or 1898, before it
reached the more thickly settled
plantations and counties yielding
10000 or more bales. With each
year, some years more than others,
they have multiplied with wonder
full rapidity, CDR. Hunter has shown
that under favorable conditions the
actual multiplication of weevils dur
ing the summer season is at the rate
of 100000 per acre. and are, hence,
under favorable conditions, enabled
to spread over an eYer-incTeasing
territory. Again the annual rainfall
during the growing season is much
| less in Texas than any of the other
cotton states, and the infested area
| is practically wOOdless as compared
with the other states. Rains multi
ply the weevils, and woodlands af-
! ford them protection during the hi
| bernating period.
The increase and spread of the
Weevil may be said to depend mainly
| wet h. e
| fall during the growing season; sec
Ond, the extent of the shelter af-
forded for Information; third, the
severity of the winter frosts and
freezes; fourth, the degree of intel
ligence and energy employed by the
planter to combat and destroy them.
The official figures of the weather
bureau show that for six years, from
1902 to 1907, inclusive, the rainfall
during the months of April to Sep
TENDER, inclusive, amounted in Texas
to only 1874 inches, as compared
with 1888 in Louisiana, 2730 in
Arkansas, 25.41 in Mississippi, 24.42
in Alabama, 25.67 in Georgia, 27.28
in South Carolina and 27.76 in North
Carolina. There is no doubt what
ever that the weevil would have null
tiplied and spread over Texas with
much greater rapidity but for the
comparatively light rainfall during
the spring and summer months.
This is evidenced in the fact that
since the first appearance in that
state they have travelled northward
at an average rate of SO miles per
annum and eastward % miles, where
as in Louisiana their progress north
ward has been at the rate of A miles
per annum and eastward SO miles.
Weevils have been known to travel
20 miles in one season; to fly above
house and tree tops and cross bodies
OF water ten miles in breadth, and
non-cotton producing country 40
miles wide.
Another thing that has prevented
a more rapid multiplication of the
weevil in Texas is the scarcity of
timber, it being a well-known fact
that timber lands afford better pro-
lection for successful Information
With the exception of the northeast
.ern section, where the weevil has
been especially destructive, Texas is
almost treeless. Only "a per cent.
Of its total area is wooded, as COM
pared with 62 per cent in Louisiana,
"a in Arkansas, 70 in Mississippi, IA
in Alabama, II in Georgia, IS in
South Carolina and 70 in North Car
DINA.
1t is still an unsettled question as
to how low temperature the weevil
can withstand. 1t is known, of
course, that the milder the winter
the more numerous the weevils the
following season, and yet they have
successfully withstood the severest
winters in Texas, travelled as far
north as the Canadian river, or to
the 35th degree of latitude in Okla
hOma, and almost as far north in Ar
kansas. AS the whole of the states
of Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia,
very nearly all of South Carolina
and considerable portion of North
Carolina lie south of this latitude
it can readily be seen from past ex-
perience how much of the cotton ter
ritory may ultimately become in
tested
There is one encouraging feature
in connection with the history of the
boil weevil in Texas, namely, that
in spite of its prevalence. it's depre-
datiOns may be minimized, and a
fairly good and profitable crop may
be grown.
This has become possible through
the experiments and teachings of the
department of agriculture In the
earlier years of it's invasion county
after county some seasons lost more
than so per cent of their crops. The
Texas farmer, from long and eX-
asperating experience, has at last
learned how to prevent this. The
burning and destruction of the old
cotton stalks, all trash, weeds and
underground adjoining the fields,
early blowing, the selection of early
maturing seed, the fastening Of ma
turity by fertilization, clean cultiva-
ton, etc, have accomplished won
ders and saved millions of dollars to
the state. Hence it is, that with the
presence of the weevil, Texas has
produced good crops and one record