16 THE MEXICAN COTTON-BOLL WEEVIL. 



After the American occupation of Cuba the boll weevil began to 

 attract considerable attention in that island. In 1902 it was ob- 

 served that the weevil was quite injurious to cotton at Cayamas, 

 Cuba. This place was visitecl by Mr. E. A. Schwarz, of the Bureau 

 of Entomology, in the spring of 1903. He found that the native food 

 plants of the weevil in Cuba were the "wild" or " loose" cotton 

 (Gossypium brasiliense) and the native "kidney" cotton — both tree 

 cottons. 



The spread of the boll weevil in Mexico appears to have begun 

 prior to 1892. In that year it appeared at Sabinas, State of Coahuila, 

 and about this time or earlier it appeared at San Juan Allende, 

 Morelos, Zaragoza, and Matamoras, Mexico. It crossed the Rio 

 Grande at Brownsville probably before 1892. At any rate, during 

 that year it caused considerable loss at Brownsville. In 1894 it had 

 spread to half a dozen counties in the Brownsville region, and during 

 the last months of the year was brought to the attention of the 

 Division of Entomology as an important enemy of cotton. Mr. 

 C. H. T. Townsend was immediately sent to the territory affected. 

 His report, published in March, 1895, dealt with the life history and 

 habits of the insect, which were previously entirely unknown, the 

 probable method of its importation, and the damage that might 

 result from its work, and closed with recommendations for fighting 

 it and preventing its further advance in the cotton-producing regions 

 of Texas. It is much to be regretted that at that time the State 

 of Texas did not adopt the suggestion made by the Bureau of Ento- 

 mology that a belt be established along the Rio Grande in wliich 

 the cultivation of cotton should be prohibited, and thus the advance 

 of the insect be cut off. 1 The events of the last few years have 

 verified the predictions of the Division of Entomology in view of 

 the advance made and the damage caused by the insect. 



In 1895 the insect was found by the entomologists of the Division 

 of Entomology, who continued the investigation started the year 

 before, as far north as San Antonio and as far east as Wharton. 

 Such a serious advance toward the cotton-producing region of the 

 State caused the Bureau of Entomology to continue its investiga- 

 tions during practically the whole season. The results of this work 

 were incorporated in a circular by Dr. L. O. Howard, published early 

 in 1896, in both Spanish and English editions. 



An unusual drought in the summer of 1896 prevented the maturity 

 of the fall broods of the weevil, and consequently there was no 

 extension of the territory affected. During 1896 the investigations 

 were continued, and the results published in another circular issued 

 in February, 1897. This circular was published in Spanish and 

 German as well as English editions, for the benefit of the very large 

 foreign population in southern Texas. 



The season of 1897 was in many respects almost as unfavorable as 

 that of 1896, but the pest increased its range to the region about 

 Yoakum and Gonzales. Although this extension was small, it was 

 exceedingly important, because the richest cotton lands in the 

 United States were beginning to be invaded. The problem had 

 thus become so important that Mr. C. H. T. Townsend was stationed 



1 This suggestion was brought to the attention of the General Assembly of Texas by the then Assistant 

 Secretary of Agriculture, Dr. C. W. Dabney, who went to Austin for that purpose. 



