OF WASHINGTON. 15 



fiber. A number of varieties of this species occur, some of 

 which, if properly cultivated, would no doubt be of considerable 

 commercial value. 



The second species, the "kidney" cotton, or " algodon de 

 vinon," of the Cubans, is extremely distinct from the fact that 

 the seeds are consolidated into kidney-shaped masses. The 

 species is not variable, and manifestly represents an ancient type 

 unchanged by the hand of man. It is, at present time, without 

 commercial value since the fiber cannot be ginned by any ma 

 chinery now in use. 



Neither species is exactly what we would call a wild plant, for, 

 since prehistoric times, the natives have taken care of the plants, 

 and have used the fiber for all sorts of domestic purposes. At 

 present the Cubans living either in the suburbs of the cities or 

 in the open country usually have one or two, rarely more, cotton 

 trees planted in their yards or gardens ; but many plants, usually in 

 groups of several specimens each, may be found in the less in 

 habited parts of the island remote from any human habitation. 

 The present natives know the exact location of every cotton plant 

 in their vicinity, although apparently growing perfectly wild. Mr. 

 Ferrer informs me, however, that in such instances there was 

 probably a hut or a settlement on the place in former times. 



In the province of Sta. Clara both species of wild cotton occur 

 in about equal numbers, while in the vicinity of Havana the loose 

 cotton prevails, and the kidney cotton is met with in exceptional 

 instances only. 



The following is a short summary of the examination made 

 by Mr. Ferrer and myself of every wild cotton plant growing 

 within easy reach around Cayamas. We had also the kind assist 

 ance of several planters who took an interest in this subject. 

 Finally, a man was hired and trained, who visited, within a fort 

 night, about 90 more remote localities, bringing samples of in 

 fested squares or bolls of every wild cotton plant he met with. 



Anthonomus grandis is never common, usually rare, on the 

 wild cotton plants, and is never appreciably injurious to them. 

 To find ten, or even less, infested squares or bolls on a large- 

 sized tree requires considerable time, even for an experienced 

 field entomologist. Solitary plants are usually free from weevils 

 while small groups of plants are occasionally free. In a single 

 instance, a patch of about 50 plants of kidney cotton was found 

 remote from any house, and here the weevils were more numer 

 ous than elsewhere. I calculated that about one square* out of 

 fifteen was infested, which percentage, however, did not prevent 

 the plants from being covered with healthy flowers and bolls. 



*On the wild cotton of Cuba, the Anthonomus prefers the squares to the 

 bolls for the purpose of oviposition. 



