Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1922-09-18
STATEWIDE WAR
ON BOIL WEEVIL
IS INAUCURATED
Texas Chamber Of Commerce
Will Assist in Making An
ti-Boll Weevil Campaign
Statewide
Especial to The Herald.1

DALLAS Texas. Sept. lS.-Siate-
wide war upon the boil weevil will begin
at a conference Of business and farm
organization which has been called by
the Texas Chamber Of Commerce 10
meet In this city. Sept. Both. The pnr-
pose Of the conference is To unity all ef-
forts towards the destruction Of the boil
weeyil and To secure great concerted
effort towards stamping out the pest, IN
the place of the sporadic attempts that
have been made by various individuals
and organizations in the past.
Men who have spent years studying
the boil weevil declare that autumn ~
the hest season for the attack upon the
cotton pest. II j. found that before the
Information period sets in. the weeviI
will starve Ia death. within four or six
days, if deprived Of green cotton foliage
This has been proved by entomologists.
throughout the south. many Of whom
believe that the weevil could be prac'
ti-aiiy DESTROYED, If the concerted 81.
forts ~ the farmers Of the south could
he placed behind such a campaign.
This plan of attack does not involve
burning the stalks. hut merely turning
them under with the plow. so that the
small. late squares. upon which the wee
vii feeds. will be killed. This destruction
of the cotton root also kills the germs
IL the root-rot fungus and other pests
which are annually cutting down the
s"mth's cotton production.
One reason for the weevil's rapid
spread throughout the south has been
the failure of the farmer to attack the
pest M the srason when his vitality -
lowest. according to specialists The
fight OF the weevil is pressed hardest
during the cotton-growing season when
The weevil's vitality j. high and when
there is no opportunity 10 deprive the
insect of its food. hut with the arrival
Of autumn. the fight lulls and the pest
IL allowed To pass safely through irs
Stage of weakest vitality. just preceding
Information.
The wecvi infesiafion IN spring. starts
from the few weevils that pass the win
ter. The weevils which pass through
the winter are usually those which de-
v.l"p during the preceding fall feeding
upon the small la.e squares of the cot
ton stalks. just preceding frost. With
the coming of The first frost. the wreyil
hihernates. going into the ground. Span
ish moss. dead grass. along fences.
bitches and other places. " The green
cotton stalks. specialists point ont. are
entirely killed M n time preceding rhe
first frost. by week or more, the wee-
vii will sfarve
This method has been tried expert
mentally and il il found 10 be very cf-
feciive agans, the boil weevil bur
great drawback lies in the fact that Il is
difficult 10 secure cooperation of the
farmers over anv great area. in blowing
their cotton stalks under. since there IL
l'ttle interest in the bol weevil during
the late season.
"A tremendous economic saving 10
Texas will he effected il all agricultural
and business forces of the state can he
united in CARRYING ont systematic war
fare against the boil weevil throughout
the year" says james George. vice.
president and general manager Of the
Texas Chamber of Commerce: the peo-
years for some wizard 10 invent n ma
chine for DISCRIMINATING the wcevil 'by
twist Of the wrist. as il were. Such
n thing will never come Ia pass: whole
hearted cooperation of every business
and agricultural force in the state i'm
fighting the weevil every step II the
wav. is the only solution of a problem
that is costing the state millions Of dol.
lars annually"