Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-05-06
II. s. Weevil Control?

s,rce~t,on made to the House Committee on Agri-
culture bv Robert Amory Of Boston that control OF tne
boil weevil be undertaken by the United states oe-
rartrens. Of agriculture as a farm relief measure
meets with approval Of the Wall Street Journal.
Under the head "A Farm Relief Suggestion the
Journal says:
a sensible suggestion for farm relief was made TO
the House Committee on Agriculture by Robert
Amory. of Boston. Pointing out to the committee
that the quality Is deterioratine, Mr. Amory. VINO Is
q Gotten manufacturer. said the deterioration was
caused nv the boil weevil ravages and also by the
nlantine of seed Of inferior variety AS a remedy he
suggested that the Government undertake the control
81 seed planting and the determination Of the boil
weevil.
So far as the boil weevil Is concerned II Is one OF
the greatest causes Of the high cost OF producing cot
ton and consequent reduction Of the farmers profits.
Our cotton crop Of 1923 had a farm value OF over
81 500 oOoO The destruction wrought BY the boil
weevil varies from year 10 year according to the
natural control OF the weather. but 1t is always cap
able of enormous damage. In 1921 when the wealth
er conditions were favorable the percentage reduction
from a full yield caused caused by the weevil ravage
was officially estimated at 30:9S per cent.
NO individual farmer or community Of farmers, or
even a single state can control this insect alone. Be-
inc a migratory insect. travelling on wings. and with
Mexico always a surplus breeding place. It Is useless
to talk Of creating zones. even statewide. where cot
ton Is not TO be raised for q season or two. If the
weevil is to be handled effectively 1t must be done
over the entire cotton belt and under a centralized
control. There is no other governmental agency capable
OF doing this aside from the Department OF Agri-
culture.
But the Government lacks constitutional authority
to undertake such work which must be enforced by
compulsory laws. The method Of handling the cat
tie tick. however. furnishes a good working example
In that matter the Government and the states CO.
operated together the states enacing laws to compel
the necessary methods of eradication. When the work
began In 1906 there were s4S counties in is states un-
der quarantine. al the end OF the fiscal year 1927
all but 24s counties had been released. The millions
that the work has cost Is being returned to those
states in prosperous dairy and beef industries.
No false hopes should be entertained Of ever exter-
minating the boil weevil. but the Department Of Agri-
culture with the resources Of this government behind
it cooperating with all the cotton belt states in the
same manner as in the tick eradication. could bring
fhe weevl under far greater control than is possible
hv anv other method. This would mean many millions
" dollars to the producers, II would mean increasing
fhe purchasing power Of those states to be consequent
advantage of all business and it would reduce the
market uncertainties and fluctuations that the boil
uzpevil now causes during the growing season. II this
were done II would be real relief TO the cotton farmers.