The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1911-05-31
BIRDS OUR ONLY SALVATION
MEEVH DUE To DEVASTATE
GEORGIA IN THREE YEARS.


James H. Rice, Insect Expert, Visits
the State. Tells of Origin and
Habits of the Pest.
From the Savannah Morning News.
That the boil weevil will have de-
zastated plant life in Georgia and in
vaded South Carolina in three years
unless the MISUNDERSTANDING birds
are protected is the warning sound
ed by James Henry Rice, Jr., OF
South Carolina, who is southern field
agent of the National Audubon SOci-
ETY..
Mr.. Rice, who is state game war
den of South Carolina and one of the
best posted authorities on this sub
ject, does not make this prediction
idly. He has given the most careful
consideration to the question, has
studied the history and idiosyncra-
sizes of the boil weevil, and he stands
suuarely by the statement that GeoT-
gia. South Carolina and North Caro-
lima are in grave danger OF this men
acing bug.
we SIMPLY GALLUP HSaC14CA IoS
onslaught of the boil weeVil, he said
af the Pulaski House last night, 'un-
less the insect destroying birds are
protected so they can multiply and
become sufficiently numerous to eat
the weeVils faster than they spread.
We now have only about 80 per cent
OF the insect-eating birds in South
Carolina that we aid twenty-five
wears ago, and | am informed that
Georgias percentage is even small
er."
Birds Should Be Protected.
Mr.. Rice asserts that if the birds
were properly protected for the next
three years the statu quo ante-bel-
aum would be restored, but it is i'm
portant that we should begin i'm
mediately to conserve the birds in
ferests." he declares. THAT would
be about the normal bird population
and this section of the country would
be comparatively safe from the raw
ages of the weevil.
The boil weeyil, according to Mr..
Rice, is a native of Guatemala. 1T
comes from that narrow strip that
separates North and South America,
he says Not the geographical di-
Riding line as taught in school, but
she line which divides the animal
species of weeyil which is now in
Testing Tattnall county.
LAS long as Mexico didn't cultivate
cotton to any great extent the boil
weevil couldn't cross that wide cOun-
try, as the food supply was INSULT
-Cient. 1t followed the cotton crop
through Mexico, across the Rio
Grande and into Texas in 1892. Fiji
teen years afterward, in 1907, the
boil weevil entered the western side
of Louisiana. In 1910 it apparel in
the middle of Southern Alabama.
March of the Weevil.
During the last three years the
holl weevil travelled as far as it did
during the preceding twelve years.
If it covers anything like that rate
during the next three years it will
be in North Carolina, and will have
crossed Georgia and South Carolina
TO get there
Texas weathered the onslaught of
abe boil weevil. Mr.. Rice says the
experience of that state is liable to
mlSIead the people in this part of the
country. Texas continues to pro-
duce about as much cotton as before
the visitation of the boil weevil, he
says, but in order to prevent cur
1ailDent of production the acreage
was greatly increased.
There is no use taking it for
granted that we can survive the pas
sage of the boil weevil army; we can
not do it, without assistance from
the birds, and we will not have as
sistance from this source unless we
go Immediately to the lescue of the
birds, Mr. Rice said. Guatemala
rs very wet; and the temperature is
anclined to be even. Texas is dry
and subject to sudden temperature
drops of from 80 to 40 degrees.
These elements tend to destroy the
boil weevil in the larva stage or to
Tetard development This section is
not so fortunate in thoSo reOnno+~ .,