22 



THE MEXICAN COTTON-BOLL WEEVIL. 



throughout the State were unfavorable to the cotton crop, resulting 

 in a reduction of 0.05 bale per acre for the uninfested portion of the 

 State. The weevil loss was estimated at 100,920 bales. In 1902 

 the 32 counties infested produced 0.28 bale per acre. The loss 

 chargeable to the boll weevil was 200,000 bales. In 1903 the 49 

 counties infested yielded 0.23 bale per acre, as against an average of 

 0.43 bale during years previous to infestation, which was interpreted 

 to show a loss of 500,000 bales due to the weevil. In 1904, 69 counties 

 were infested. These showed a loss of 0.22 bale per acre. This 

 meant, after deducting the losses due to the bollworm and other 

 causes, a loss of 550,000 bales due to the bol] weevil. In these esti- 

 mates the losses for the period from 1899 to 1904 amounted to 

 1,725,000 bales. 



The weevil was in Texas from 1899 to 1904, but had not caused 

 any appreciable damage in Louisiana during that period. The 

 statistics of production and acreage of the two States for these years 

 show clearly the effect of the weevil on the crop. 



Table I. — Comparison of cotton -production and acreage in Texas and Louisiana in 

 equivalents of 500-pound bales. 



It will be seen that while the acreage in Texas and Louisiana 

 increased at about the same proportion the crop in Texas decreased 

 annually for the six years ending with 1904 (with two exceptions — 

 1900 and 1904), while the crop in Louisiana increased annually (with 

 one inconsiderable exception, in 1903). That the boll weevil pre- 

 vented Texas from keeping pace with Louisiana during this period 

 will be admitted by all. The exceptional years, 1900 and 1904, in 

 which the production in Texas did not decrease, were those in which 

 the conditions for the cotton plant were unusually favorable. More- 

 over, it is to be noted that in the first of these two years the pest had 

 not reached far into the most productive counties. 



Further indications of the amount of weevil damage are available 

 from the statistics of production per acre, as shown by Table II: 



i During these periods the weevil has caused more or less damage to the crop. 



