Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1923-07-12
YIELDREDUCED
BY RAVACESO OF
THELEAF WORM
Experts Estimate That Valley
Cotton Production Will be
Reduced Is Per Cent by
Visitation Of Pest

ne zeal worm visitation. the worst
ever known in the Rio Grande Valley.
has reduced Valley cotton production
from Is to 80 per cent. according 10
the estimate of experts who have made
a careful survey Of the entire Valley
IN the past two days. From Mission to
III Jardin the cotton fields are practi-
cslly denuded. and much of the late
cotton will be almost a total loss. For
tunateiy the late cotton acreage Is
small, being confined mostly to snail
areas, which on account of the exces-
sive spring rains could not be planted
early.
A local cotton man. who spent Tusday
and Wednesday in Hidalgo county inves-
tigating crop conditions. reports that
conditions are even worse in Hidalgo
than In Cameron. The Santa Maria and
FL Jardin districts appear to be the
least affected. but in some sections of
other communities where poisoning was
effective there has been lstie damage
by the pests.
Showers Wash OF Poison
Poisoning has been general over the
Valley. but in most cases has proved
ineffective owing to the frequent show
ers which washed the poison off as fast
as It was applied. The first visitation
Of the pests, which occurred about four
weeks ago, was easily controlled by the
poisoning method: the weather being
dry. but when the second "crop" Of
worms. hstched during the rainy sea-
son. all methods Of control proved un-
svailing. Countless millions of worms
have in the past ten days practically
denudsd the cotton in most sections Of
the Valley. They are now reported 10
be disappearing or webbing up" and
little damage Is sgSected to the squares
and small bells ieh have survived
the attack.
As a result of the loss of the foliage
the boIls are opening rapidly and all
available labor will be needed to save
the crop. Gins in many sections of the
Valley are already on a "a hour sched-
ule. and in practically all fields the
piekers are at work NrQS5Fs assert
that sS<a asE<suit-UfF&ke ravages Of the
pest the cotton picking season will be
a short one owing to the hapid open
ing Of the bolls when exposed to the
suns rays.
May Affect TRADE.
While the early cotton will be of ex-
cellent grade, the late cotton will not
grade high. gfowers state. They express
the opinion that due to the premature
loss Of foliage many immature bolls
will soon be opening with a consequent
short staple, the boil not being per
niitted to properly develop.
IF the leaf worm could have been
controlled for tn days more, the VAL
ley would have broken oil records for
production" Harlingen farmer de.
clased last night. "The worms have
practically destroyed the late cotton.
bat there Is only q small acreage OF
that. The earliest cotton Is not damag
ed materially, but the loss will run
from 10 to1I0 per cent on the cotton
planted between the earliest and latest.
Though the loss will be havy. we are
going to have big crop. I do not be-
lieve the damage is as great as we have
sustained from the boil weevil in pre-
vious years.
Labor Situation Serious.
The effects of poisoning is plainly
apparent in many feds. At points along
the road fields can be seen in which the
foliage. though badly riddled by worms.
is still green and fresh in appearance.
while in the field adjoining the bare
stalks with cotton bolls attached form
strange contrast.
The labor situation il proving a
serious problem to the growers in many
parts of the Valley. and in some sections
especially In Hidalgo county. which has
the largest acreage, a serious labor
shortage exists. Growers in the vicinity
Of San Benito and Harlingen report suf
ficient labor available. but owing to
the rapidity with which the cotton is
opening IL is doubtful IL this supply
will be sufficient by the end Of the
week. In some parts Of Hidalgo coun-
ty all available pickles. are now in the
field. and serious loss Is anticipated II
the cotton continues to open rs rapid
ly as il has in the past three days.
According to reports received here
the leaf worm is now invading Kle-
berg and Nueces counties and is grad
ually working northward. Entomologists
who have made a study Of this pest,
state that IL almost invariably appears
in the southmost sections Of the coun-
try, advancing northward ms the crop
sive damage in done in the southerly
sections.
Old residents Of the Valley state that
such a visitation Of the pest has never
before been experienced. though con-
adorable damage was done by the
vormS ten wears ago.