rkiiFAci; 



Aside from tlic liahit i)f determinate j^^'owth, ])orhaps the most 

 imj)()rtant ((Midoiu-y of the cotton j)laiit tliat has tlio oH'cct of avoidinj^ 

 dania»:;(' \)y tho boll woovil is that of |)roHf('ration in the s(|uar(*s and 

 bolls, which was first observed by Dr. W. E. Hinds in 1 ',»(»_' at \'i(- 

 toria, Tex. The (>:t'scnt paper places on record a lar^^c nund»cr of 

 oliservations and * xpcrinients relating to this phenomenon, which 

 have been carried « n for several years by the boll-weevil invest ij^ation 

 in Texas. The studies upon which the paper is based were ])hunu\l 

 ])rimarily to determine the ways by which ])roliferation actually 

 affects the weevil. Other features of j)roliferation have been dealt 

 with fidly by Mr. (). F. (\)ok, whose ]nd)lications are referred to more 

 sj)ecifically in the text. In addition to the >j:eneral interest of the 

 information given, much of it will undoubtedly be of special advan- 

 tage to tho.se who are engaged in cotton-breeding work. 



As will be seen in the following pages, it has been ascertained that 

 the rate of mortality among weevils in squares of American upland 

 varieties of cotton is higher by about 13.5 per cent as a result of pro- 

 liferation. This in itself is of no little significance, but it is to be 

 noted that the greatest importance of proliferation is in connection 

 with some of the foreign varieties of cotton, which seem to have 

 this property developed to a miu-h greater extent than the American 

 upland varieties. Consequently, the discoveries of Mr. O. F. Cook, 

 relating to the Kekchi cotton of Guatemala and the possibility of 

 utilizing this cotton in the United States, are of great interest. 



An important difliculty which will be encountered in the work 

 of breeding cottons which proliferate to a great extent, will be the 

 caj)ability for adaptation on the part of the boll weevil. That this 

 insect has considerable capability for adaptation is shown in the 

 great variation in the size of the adults, the result of conditions of food 

 supply in the immature stages to which it has adapted itself, as well 

 as in many other ways. As a matter of fact, the capacity of the weevil 

 for adaptation is probably fid ly as great as is the natural adaptive 

 capacity of the cotton plant. Nevertheless, the interference of man 

 may throw the advantage greatly in favor of the plant. 



The work upon which this j)ublication is based was j)erformcd 

 under the general direction of the writer by Dr. W. E. Hinds. He 

 was assisted in various ways by practically all the agents of the boll- 

 weevil investigations, but more |)articularly by Messrs. A. C. Morgan, 

 W. W. Yothers, W. Dwight Pierce, A. W. >iorrill, and F. (\ Pratt. 



W. D. Hunter, 

 In Cfuirgr of Cotton Boll Wovil Investigations. 



3 



