THE STATUS OF THE COTTON BOLL WEEVIL IN 1909. 5 



cotton production causes the dispersion movement to be spread over 

 more territory, while a region of heavy cotton production absorbs 

 the weevils that are compelled to fly away from the locality in which 

 they were produced. This undoubtedly explains in part the failure 

 of the weevils to make a heavy advance into the Yazoo Delta dur- 

 ing the season of 1909. Moreover, there is at least one further rea- 

 son for the situation described. The number of weevils that enter 

 into the dispersion movement must naturally be dependent upon the 

 numbers that are bred in the cotton fields of the region from which 

 the dispersion takes place. A heavy infestation in a certain region, 

 therefore, means a large number of weevils to fly into previously 

 uninfested territory. In a contrary way a light infestation means a 

 comparatively small volume of weevils to fly beyond the original 

 territory. In northeastern Louisiana, the locality from which the 

 Yazoo Delta must naturally become infested, various conditions 

 caused an unusually small number of weevils to be found in the 

 fall of 1909. In fact, the number was not sufficient to cause a 

 heavy dispersion movement. It is impossible to state which of these 

 factors is more important, but in all probability the small number 

 of weevils in northeastern Louisiana and the extensive cotton fields 

 of the delta which absorbed the light movement were about equally 

 important in preventing a further advance in the Yazoo Delta than 

 was made in 1909. 



HISTORY IN TEXAS. 



Naturally the status of the boll weevil is shown by its history in the 

 region in the United States where it has existed for the longest time. 

 It is therefore important to examine the history of the insect in Texas. 

 On account of great climatic variations, for the purpose of determin- 

 ing the manner in which the boll weevil has affected cotton produc- 

 tion in Texas it is necessary to divide the State into three areas. 

 These are eastern, central, and western Texas. The divisions are 

 made in accordance with variations in normal annual precipitation 

 and other factors. Eastern Texas as used in this circular is bounded 

 on the west by a line running practically north and south from the 

 western line of Lamar County to the western line of Brazoria County. 

 In this region the rainfall is 45 inches per year or more. It comprises 

 the counties listed below." Practically the whole area is covered 

 with forests. It covers 40,180 square miles. Central Texas com- 

 prises a brotid belt from the Gulf to the Red River, beginning on the 

 west with the limit of the belt of 32 inches normal annual rainfall, 

 and extends eastward to the line just described as defining the 



o Red Pdver, Bowie, Franklin, Titus, Morris, Cass, Wood, Camp, Upshur, Marion, 

 Harrison, Smith, Gregg, Cherokee, Rusk, Panola, Nacogdoches, Shelby, San Augus- 

 tine, Sabine, Angelina, Trinity, San Jacinto, Polk, Tyler, Jasper, Newton, Liberty, 

 Hardin, Orange, Jefferson, Chambers, Galveston, Lamar, Delta, Hopkins, Rains, Van 

 Zandt, Henderson, Freestone, Anderson, Leon, Houston, Madison, Waller, Grimes, 

 Walker, Montgomery, Harris, Fort Bend, and Brazoria. 



