40) 
ton seed, seed cotton, cotton-seed hulls, and baled cotton. These 
commodities are likely to carry the weevil with them. In fact, it has 
been amply demonstrated that the insects are frequently carried in 
this way. Other articles, and even empty cars, may occasionally 
transport weevils, but the degree of danger is so much less than in 
the cases of the articles specified above that they do not need to be 
taken into consideration. 
It is entirely feasible to eradicate small isolated colonies of the boll 
weevil. An important office of the State authorities, concerned in 
State quarantines should therefore be to investigate reported out- 
breaks of the weevil and be prepared to take the necessary steps 
toward eradication at the earliest moment. The Bureau of Ento- 
mology will assist the state authorities in any cases of this kind. 
ATTEMPTS TO POISON THE BOLL WEEVIL. 
From the very beginning of the fight against the boll weevil at- 
tempts have been made to poison it. In 1894 and 1895, in the region 
originally infested in Texas, agents of the Bureau of Entomology 
conducted careful experiments with poison. Since that time various 
advocates of poisons have appeared. The idea appeals so strongly 
to farmers that these advocates have sometimes enlisted considerable 
followings. This has made it necessary for the Bureau of Ento- 
mology to carry on a large number of special investigations relating 
to poisons. In order to understand the difficulty of poisoning it must 
be remembered that during the growing season the boll weevil feeds 
only by inserting its beak deeply into the squares or bolls. It is 
therefore entir ely out of the question to place the person in a position 
where the insect will feed upon it. 
Early in the season, however, before any squares are formed, the 
hibernated weevils that may have emerged feed upon the opening 
leaves on the so-called bud of the young cotton plant. At this time 
it is possible to destroy a considerable percentage by the application 
of poison. In all experiments performed in the field by the Bureau 
of Entomology very heavy applications throughout the season from 
chopping to picking have failed to show any advantage in the use of 
poison. Even light applications have been found to have in- 
sidious injurious effects upon the plants. The reason for the inef- 
fectiveness of poisons is that the great majority of the weevils do 
not emerge from hibernating quarters until after the squares have 
begun to be formed. The destruction of some of the early emerging 
individuals does not prevent the remainder from causing complete 
infestation of the fields at the usual time. 
Arsenate of lead—Recently Mr. Wilmon Newell, of the State crop 
pest commission of Louisiana, has published a preliminary report 
344 
