THE MEXICAN COTTON-BOLL WEEVIL: A SUM- 

 MARY OF THE INVESTIGATION OF THIS INSECT 

 UP TO DECEMBER 31, 1911. 



ORIGIN AND HISTORY. 



There is very little certainty regarding the history of the Mexican 

 cotton-boll weevil before its presence in Texas came to the attention 

 of the Division of Entomology in 1894. The species was described 

 by Boheman in 1843 from specimens received from Vera Cruz, and 

 was recorded by Suffrian in 1871 as occurring at Cardenas and San 

 Cristobal, in Cuba. Written documents in the archives at Mon- 

 clova, in the State of Coahuila, Mexico, indicate that the cultivation 

 of cotton was practically abandoned in the vicinity of that town 

 about the year 1848, or at least that some insect caused very great 

 fears that it would be necessary to abandon the cultivation of cotton. 

 A rather careful investigation of the records makes it by no means 

 clear that the insect was the boll weevil, although there is a rather 

 firmly embedded popular opinion in Mexico, as well as in the southern 

 United States, that the damage must have been perpetrated by that 

 species. So far as the accounts indicate, it might have been the 

 bollworm (Helioihis obsoleta Fab.) or the cotton caterpillar (Alabama 

 argillacea Hiibn. ). 



From the time of the note by Suffrian regarding the occurrence of 

 the weevil in Cuba in 1871, up to 1885, there has been found no pub- 

 lished record concerning it. In 1885, however, Dr. C. V. Riley, then 

 Entomologist of the Department of Agriculture, published in the 

 report of the Commissioner of Agriculture a very brief note to the 

 effect that Anthonomus grandis had been reared in the department 

 from dwarfed cotton bolls sent by the late Dr. Edward Palmer from 

 northern Mexico. 1 This is the first account in which the species is 

 associated with damage to cotton. The material referred to was 

 collected in the State of Coahuila, presumably not far from the town 

 of Monclova. 



i The following is a copy of the original letter by Dr. Palmer: 



Eagle Pass, Tex., Sept. 28. 1880. 

 The Commissioner of Agriculture. 



Sir: Previous to leaving Monclova, Mexico, for this place I visited some fields planted with cotton. 

 Seeing but few bolls of cotton, examination revealed the cause. An insect deposits its egg and the boll 

 falls; thus some plants had only two or three, others five or six bolls, while underneath the loaves, in the 

 shade thereof, were many that had fallen there in the moist shade to lay for the larva to hatch. Please 

 find inclosed insects and many of the injured bolls, some newly punctured, others taken from under the 

 plant. 



Monclova, Mexico, and the surrounding country a few years ago was famous for its large supply of cotton; 

 at this time none can be grown, owing to the destructive insect, samples of which are sent. The inhabit- 

 ants would be glad to hear of a remedy, upon which matter in the future I will communicate with your 

 department. 



Your obedient servant, Edward Palmer. 



The specimens were sent by Dr. L. O. Howard to Mr. Henry Dike, who transmitted them to Dr. George 

 Horn, of Philadelphia. In turn Dr. Horn forwarded the material to Dr. Sall6, in Paris, who made the 

 determination. 



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