The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-09-14
Spread Of the Boil Weevil.


The New Orleans Picayune thinks
the4boil> weevis is :tbe most serious
menace ithe Southern farmer has
ever faced. The Picayune is pub
lished right in the country where
the boil weevil hourishes most, and
is in position to give an authorita-
tive opinion on the subject. Until
its arrival, says the Picayune, there
was apparently nothing to prevent
a steady Increase in cotton produc-
tion answering to the enlarging de-
mands of the world, but this bright
outlook faded before the weevil, al
though the earlier abandonment of
cotton raising as a result of it's raw
ages have subsidized.
In 1900 the weevil was not known
in this country outside of a few
counties on the Southern Texas
coast, By 1903 it had extended
northward over much of Eastern
Texas, and IN October of that year
it established isolated colonies in
Louisiana. BY 1906 the enemy had
entered nearly all of the cotton
counties of Texas, had overspread
Louisiana and was present in parts
of Oklahoma and Arkansas, and it
has since invaded Mississippi.
Some idea of the damages wrought
may be obtained from comparison
of yields in ten counties that were
free from the weevil in 1899, but
badly infested in 1902. The yield in
the latter year was only Al per cent
as great, as in the former. The
pest is hard to exterminate on ac-
count of the habits and rapidity
Of growth and multiplication. AS
it's name indicates. the boil weevil
passes nearly all of it's life in the
fruit Of the plant and can not be
reached with poisons. From egg to
adult stage requires but fourteen
days, and single pair will lay
enough eggs in season to repro
duce $4,000 individuals.
Much good was expected from the
introduction Of the Buatemalan ant.
in it's own country the natural enemy
of the weevil, but this importation
succumbed to changed climate con-
ditions. A native ant, however,
known as Solenopsis germinata, and
which travels up and down the cot
ton stalks, has taken issue with the
weevil, first fighting him out as an
article of diet. According to the bu-
reau Of entomology, Solenopsis ger
minata is. responsible for the de-
struction of more than half the
weevils that fall before their various
natural enemies. Good results have
followed the introduction Of new
cultural methods, such as burning
the cotton stalks In the fall as soon
as possible after the last of the
crop has been gathered, and by in
ducing speedy maturity of the fol-
lowing seasons crop through early
planting and the use of fertilizers.
;. The boil. .weevil is on a steady
magsh in this direction, and in the
course, Of the next few years the
farmers soet Orangeburg county will
have TO contend against the destruc-
tive pest. and they had better begin
TO- get ready for the enemy. The
PiceyuRs, says; one beneficial effect
Of the sweeyil has been the increas-
eda attention given TO diversified
farming In many sections where this
had been too much neglected. From
this ogr farmers. should take the
hint. land begin to" diversity their
farming before the boil weevil ar
riYes and. forces them to it. One
thing Is sure, the boil weevil is COM
Ing, and, as unpleasant as this fact
may be. we may as we'll recognize
it now and take steps to minimize
its bad effect on the agricultural
interests Of this section. This ques-
ton does not alone concern the farm
er. We are all in the same boat.
What effects the farmer effects us
all, and we all should do what we
can to help the farmer fortify
against the ravages of the boil wee
vii.