14 



PLAN OF THE INVESTIGATIONS OF THE DIVISION OF 



ENTOMOLOGY. 



The. work of the Division of Entomolog}' consists of field experi- 

 ments and laboratory investigations. Four entomologists were engaged 

 in the work in Texas, and one conducted studies in Cuba. The field 

 work of the season of 1903 comprised considerable tracts of cotton 

 grown in such a manner as to constitute demonstrations of the means 

 necessary to produce the staple profitably in spite of the weevil. 

 These experimental fields amounted to 558 acres located at seven differ- 

 ent points representing the five regions in Texas which b}^ reasons of 

 variations in climate and soil constitute as many distinct cotton dis- 

 tricts. One hundred and fifty-six acres at Victoria and Wharton 

 together represented typical situations in the river valle} s of the coast 

 belt, where the occurrence of volunteer cotton is rather normal, and by 

 furnishing early food for the pests in the spring involves a feature 

 that is lacking elsewhere. Twelve acres at San Antonio represented 

 the problem in the case of cotton grown under irrigation, where the 

 work of the season has shown that it is particularly easy to control the 

 pest. At Austin 100 acres were devoted to experiments in the typical 

 high black prairie region, which includes the most productive counties 

 in Texas. At Calvert, in the Brazos River Valley, 200 acres, the larg- 

 est body of experimental cotton at one place, represented the river 

 vallej^ region of central Texas, where the low and moist situation, pres- 

 ence of timber, defective labor system, and almost exclusive produc- 

 tion of cotton together make what will bo the most serious weevil 

 region in the United States until the Yazoo Valle}" in Mississippi shall 

 become invaded. At Hett}- and Willspoint 40 and 50 acres, respec- 

 tiveh", represented the river valley region of north Texas and the high 

 prairie country of that portion of the State. Under a contract repre- 

 sentative planters at the several places undertook to prepare the land, 

 plant and care for the crop in every detail exactl}" in accordance with 

 the directions of the Division of Entomology. The system gives the 

 Division practically complete charge of large tracts of cotton without 

 involving the expense of renting the land and working the crop, and 

 has been found to be a most satisfactory method of conducting such 

 field work on a large scale. In these fields ever}" expedient that has 

 been found to be useful in avoiding damage by the weevil was tried. 

 These include early varieties, different methods of planting, special 

 cultivation, rotation, fall destruction of the plants in various ways, and 

 many others. The most difficult feature in Avork of this kind is in the 

 interpretation of the results and in attributing to each factor in the 

 process the effect that belongs to it. To assist as much as possible in 

 this matter, wherever a field was treated in any manner out of the 

 ordinary, another one alongside of it, as a check, was given only the 



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