306 



as the first weevils appear iu the fields. The icpellant power of ashes 

 on the weevils seems to have been partly demonstrated in the case of 

 a few plants so treated at San Juan AUende, Coahuila. 



Turning cattle, hogfi, etc., into cotton fields. — I have been informed by 

 some planters that cattle will eat all the bolls, whether green or dry, 

 that are left on the plants. after picking. Others say that they will not 

 touch the dry bolls. It would be well. to turn cattle, sheep, hogs, etc., 

 into the fields this winter in localities where it is wholly impossible to 

 burn the fields, and wheie the plants or bolls are still green. But this 

 means should, never be resorted to in place of gathering and burning 

 the bolls duriug picking time. 



FALLACIOUS REMEDIES. 



Soaking the seed before planting in copperas water or Pans green 

 water will be of no use whatever, as the insects are not to be fouiul iu 

 the ginned seeds (this has already been pointed out); and none of the 

 proi)erties of these substances will enter into the plints from soaking 

 the seeds. Neither will the application of sulphur or other substances 

 at the roots of. the plants have any eflect on the insect. 



Experiments should be carried on along the lines already suggested, 

 as these i>rincipally are the ones that ofter any promise of success. 

 Practical deviations from these may suggest themselves to the good 

 judgment of planters, but it will be useless to experiment on the lines 

 just mentioned, the fallacy of which has been well proven. 



QUARANTINE AND PROHIBITIVE MEASURES AGAINST NEW IMPOR- 

 TATIONS. 



Prohibitive measures should be adopted to guard against any new 

 importation of the pest from Mexico, if such should threaten. Cotton 

 in the seed, and especially cotton bolls, should not be allowed to enter 

 our territory from Mexico. There is no probability of this happening, 

 as there are sufticient ginning facilities in Mexico, and a much better 

 market there. It must be remembered that Mexico consumes all the 

 cotton she produces and more. None has ever been shipped from 

 Mexico into the United States. The only part of the plant that has 

 been shii:>ped from Mexico into our territory is the ginned seed. 



That no cotton is raised on the American side anywhere iu the neigh- 

 borhood of Eagle Pass and Laredo is to be considered a most fortunate 

 circumstance. This condition of things should be maintained as long- 

 as possible. The weevil exists in great numbers only 30 miles south of 

 Eagle Pass, and may at any time reach the cotton fields of Ciudad 

 Porfirio Diaz, which is on the Pio Grande, opposite Eagle Pass. 



I was informed that for about 50 miles to the south of Alice aiul San 

 Diego, and then for about 50 miles to the north of Brownsville, there is 

 more or less cotton raised. This leaves about 50 or 60 miles of country 

 where none is grown, with the exception of the isolated district at La 

 Parra. 



