THE P.OLL-WHEVIL PUOBLEM. 9 



WORK UPON WHICH THIS BULLETIN IS BASED. 



As has been stated, tlie danger from the boll weevil was appreciated 

 from the beginning by Dr. L. O. Howard, Chief of the Bureau of 

 Entomology. More or less contimious work on the vulnerable points 

 in its life history and the possibility of control in various ways has 

 been done. At first this was not extensive, although it showed the 

 essential steps necessary m the control of the pest. Later Congress 

 made available large appropriations for the exhaustive investigation 

 of the insect and of means of reducing its damage. Work was begun 

 under the first large appropriation by the establishment of a labora- 

 tory at Victoria, Tex., and the l)egmning of extensive field experi- 

 ments. It has been the practice from the beginnmg to carry on fie'd 

 experimental work in direct connection wdth the laboratory investi- 

 gations. Later the headquarters of the investigation were moved 

 from Victoria, Tex., to Dallas, Tex., on account of the contmued 

 spread of the insect, and then to Tallulah, La. The Bureau of 

 Entomology has conducted experiments during several seasons on a 

 total of more than 20,000 acres of cotton. This experimentcil work 

 has been located on well-known plantations throughout the infested 

 territory.' The special requirements in different regions have been 

 given particular attention. 



Aside from the work directly relating to the boll weevil, which has 

 been conducted by the Bureau of Entomology, the Bureau of Plant 

 Industry of this Department has carried on investigations in its 

 provmce. These have dealt mth the breedmg of cottons to obtain 

 earliness and productiveness. The farm demonstration service has 

 carried the results of this work directly to the farmers throughout the 

 South. 



In addition to the work done by the Department of Agriculture, 

 the States concerned have done their part. Their entomologists have 

 dealt with the boll weevil m comiection with the numerous other 

 entomological problems of the States and have contributed valuable 

 results which have been incorporated in this bulletin. 



DESCRIPTION AND LIFE HISTORY OF THE BOLL WEEVIL. 



The adult boll weevil is about one-fourth of an inch in length, 

 varying from one-eighth to one-third of an inch, vnth a breadth about 

 one-tliird of the length. This measurement includes the snout, which 

 is about one-half the length of the body. Variation m size is due to 

 the amount of food the insect has obtained in the larva stage. In- 

 dividuals from bolls are therefore nearly always larger than those 

 from squares. The color (grayish or brownish) depends upon the 

 time that may have elapsed after transformation to the adult stage. 

 The recently emerged mdividuals are light yellowish m color, but 

 102523°— Bu'.l. 848—17 2 



