IT) PROLIFERATION IN CONTR(1L OF BOLL WKEVIL. 



At Victoria in 1904, fTom Jul^- 1 to October 10, the mean tempera- 

 ture avera^jed SO. 6° F., which was 1.17° ])elow the normal. Durino; the 

 same})erio{l tlie total rainfall amounted to 8.50 inches, which was only 

 0.57 inch below the normal. In a general way this season mi«:;ht be 

 described as slio;htly cooler than usual, with the humidity and rainfall 

 ])ractically normal. 



No records are available for Calvert, Tex., but the reports from 

 Hearne, which is only 8 miles from Calvert, will serve to indicate the 

 temperature and rainfall of the latter })lace with sufficient accuracy. 

 During the months of July and August, 1905, the mean temperature 

 averaged 82.85° F., which was 2.8° above the normal. No rain fell 

 diu'ing September, and during August the rain amounted to only 0.63 

 of an inch. For these two months, therefore, the rainfall was 4.33 

 inches below the normal. The season may be characterized in general 

 as exceptionally hot and dry. At San Antonio the mean temperature 

 during these two months averaged 82.5° F., which was 1.6° above the 

 normal. During this period the rainfall amounted to 2.31 inches, 

 which was 3.35 inches below the normal. Here again the season was 

 exceptionally hot and dry. 



Considering these climatic c<inditions in relation to the figures given 

 in Table III, the following conclusions would seem to be indicated: 

 (1) The percentage of sqiuires which ])roliferate from attack by the 

 weevil is 2iot greatly affected by varying conditions of temperature and 

 moisture; (2) the increase in mortality due to proliferation is not 

 greatly affected l)y the var3nng climatic conditions as shown for these 

 localities; (3) the normal mortality of the weevil which may not be 

 attributed to proliferation is decidedly greater during especially hot 

 dry weather than it is under cooler and more moist conditions. 



As for bolls, the range in formation of proliferation in locks from 48.2 

 to 64.3 per cent is not unexpectedly great. The most remarkable fact 

 is that the maximum percentage for locks and the minimum percent- 

 age for squares occur at the same time, in the same locality, and with 

 the same variety. It is plain, therefore, that climatic conditions can 

 not be held responsible for these contradictory results. The records 

 concerning percentages of mortality are also too inconsistent to point 

 to any constant effect of the climatic conditions upon this particular 

 point. The records for "normal mortality" also fail to show any con- 

 sistent increase or decrease which may be attributed to exceptional 

 conditions of heat or drought. The reason why the records for bolls 

 fail to show as consistent conclusions as are indicated for squares may 

 ])robably be found in the comparative difference, in the length of the 

 growing season for each ami in the essential difference in the nature of 

 the two sets of organs. Obviously the square would be subject to cli- 

 matic changes occurring within only a short ]:>eriod of time as com- 



