17 
The squares attacked usually drop, but most of the damaged bolls 
remain upon the plant and become stunted or dwarfed, except late 
in the season, when they either dry or rot. 
DISTRIBUTION. 
The insect through its ravages caused the abandonment of cotton 
culture around Monclova, Mexico, about 1862. Two or three years 
ago cotton was again planted in that vicinity, but the weevil immedi- 
ately reappeared and destroyed the crop. At Matamoras the weevil 
was noticed eight or ten years ago. About 1893 it crossed the Rio 
Grande at Brownsville, Tex., and in 1894 was noticed in the country 
around San Diego, Alice,and Beeville. At the close of the season of 1894 
the insect occupied a territory extending to the north a little beyond Bee- 
ville, a few miles to the east of that point, and southwest to the neigh- 
borhood of Realitos, on the National Mexican Railway. The greatest 
damage seems to have been done along the lower Nueces River. Dur. 
ing 1895, and particu- 
larly in the latter 
part of the season, it 
extended its range 
to a considerable 
extent. Toward the 
east it was found in 
moderate abundance 
along the valley of 
the Guadaloupe 
River at Victoria, 
Thomaston, and 
Cuero. North of its 
old ran ge itextended FG. 7.—The cotton-boll weevil (Anthonomus grandis) a, adult beetle; 
he Kenedy, Flores b, pupa; ¢, larva—enlarged (from Insect Life). 
ville, and many points in the country lying between the latter place and 
Cuero. <A single field was found near San Antonio which contained 
weevils in large numbers, and in the same way a single field was found 
far to the east, at Wharton, in which the weevils had appeared late in 
the season. The exact localties where the insect was found during 
1895 are indicated on the accompanying map (fig. 8). 
It was feared that during 1896 there would be a further spread of the 
weevil; but for some reason, probably on account of the severe mid- 
summer drought, there was not only no spread beyond the limits of 
1895, but on the contrary a shrinkage of the territory infested. The 
main spread in 1895 took place in the autumn, and at the outer bound- 
aries, aS at San Antonio and Wharton, the weevil was killed by the 
winter frosts. In 1896 the drought prevented the “make” of the top 
crop at many points and there was little food for the autumnal genera- 
tions of the weevil, and therefore a lesser spread from the localities of 
successful hibernation. 
10227—No. 47 

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