ORIGIN AXD HISTORY. 17 



in Mexico, in a region supposed to be the original home of the insect, 

 for several months to discover, if possible, any parasites or diseases 

 that might be affecting it, with the object of introducing them to prey 

 upon the pest in Texas. Unfortunately, nothing was found that gave 

 any hope of material assistance in the warfare against the weevil. 



The season of 1898 was very favorable for the insect. Investiga- 

 tions by the Bureau of Entomology were continued, and a summary 

 of the work, dealing especially with experiments conducted by Mr. 

 C. L. Marlatt in the spring of 1896, was published in still another 

 circular. During this year the first of a long series of conventions 

 to discuss the boll weevil was held. This meeting took place at 

 Victoria, Tex., on October 12, and was attended by many planters, 

 bankers, and merchants. 



At this time the Legislature of the State of Texas made provision 

 for the appointment of a State entomologist and provided a limited 

 appropriation for an investigation of means of combating the boll 

 weevil. In view of this fact the Bureau of Entomology discontinued 

 temporarily the work that had been carried on through agents kept 

 in the field almost constantly for four years, and all correspondence 

 was referred to the State entomologist of Texas. Unfortunately, 

 however, the insect continued to spread, and it soon became 

 apparent that other States were threatened. This caused the work 

 to be taken up anew by the Bureau of Entomology in 1901, in accord- 

 ance with a special appropriation by Congress for an investigation 

 independent of that which was being carried on by the State of 

 Texas, and with special reference to the discovery, if possible, of 

 means of preventing the insect from spreading into adjoining States. 



In accordance with the provision mentioned the senior writer was 

 sent to Texas in March, 1901, and remained in that State until 

 December. He carried on cooperative work upon eight large plan- 

 tations in the region infested by the weevil. The result of his obser- 

 vations was to suggest the advisability of a considerable enlargement 

 of the scope of the work. It had been found that simple cooperative 

 work with the planters was exceedingly unsatisfactory. The need 

 of a means of testing the recommendations of the Bureau of Ento- 

 mology upon a large scale, and thereby furnishing actual demonstra- 

 tions to the planters, became apparent. Consequently, in 1902, at 

 the suggestion of the Department of Agriculture, provision for the 

 enlargement of the work was made by Congress. Agreements were 

 made with two large planters in typical situations for testing the 

 principal features of the cultural system of controlling the pest 

 upon a large scale. At the same time the headquarters and labora- 

 tory of the special investigation were established at Victoria. The 

 results of the field work for this year were published in the form of 

 a Farmers' Bulletin. During this season cooperation was carried 

 on with the Mexican commission charged with the investigation of 

 the boll weevil in that country, which was arranged on the occasion 

 of a personal visit of Dr. L. O. Howard to the City of Mexico in the 

 fall of the preceding year. In November an enthusiastic convention 

 of planters and merchants to discuss the problems was held at 

 Dallas, Tex. 



The favorable reception by the planters of Texas of the experi- 

 mental field work conducted during 1902 and the increase in the 



28873°— S. Doc. 305, 62-2 2 



