PROCEEDINGS OF THE UOLL WEEVIL CONVENTION. 57 



Professor Stubbs. Gentlemen, I am not going to say much 1 fixed up 

 a programme, so as to give you, as I thought, a very interesting dis- 

 cussion of this dreaded pest which now threatens our State. For the last 

 four or five months, and ever since we were inoculated at Audubon Park, 

 last summer, we have been giving almost undivided attention to the 

 study of this insect. The entomologist of our stations has been very 

 busy studying its habits ever since that time. 



It was my good fortune and pleasure to attend a convention at Dallas, 

 and there listen to all the reports that were made at that convention. I 

 took occasion, while in Texas, also to travel over a good many of the 

 cotton fields of the State; and I came back thoroughly impressed with 

 the idea that Louisiana had to do something to keep this insect out of 

 our borders. This Convention was called for that purpose, for the pur- 

 pose of determining whether or not you gentlemen, after hearing the case, 

 would decide that an extra session of the Legislature was needed, and if 

 so, that you might call upon the Governor to call this extra session and 

 have the necessary legislation enacted as soon as possible. 



Now, as to the general character of the legislation .to be enacted, your 

 legislative committee will to-day make a report, and I am sure in your 

 resolutions you will resolve unanimously to call upon our Governor for 

 this extra session. Having made that call, the next thing will be to enact 

 suitable legislation. What legislation is required, I am sure the wisdom of 

 this Convention will determine before we adjourn. 



But, gentlemen, the danger is imminent. Those who may laugh at the 

 boll weevil and say it is an insignificant disturber of the peace of the 

 cotton planter are very much mistaken. 



The president of the cotton convention at Dallas, in his inaugural ad- 

 dress, said that it was the greatest bull on our cotton market; that he, 

 together with Brown, had last year put the price of cotton very high; 

 but Brown had retired with profits, while this boll weevil was still at it, 

 would remain with us. That was the language of the president in his 

 inaugural address. 



I want to say further that, as you heard from most of our speakers yes- 

 terday, this boll weevil thrives best in the alluvial lands of Louisiana. 

 The reason was given you yesterday. In sandy or poor land, where the 

 cotton does not attain a high growth, the squares containing the larvae 

 are dried up and the insect never matures. But when we strike alluvial 

 lands, the conditions are such as to multiply that insect so rapidly that 

 it is estimated that ninety per cent, of the eggs that are laid in a square 

 are hatched. Now, one of your friends told you yesterday of the enor- 

 mous possibilities of development. He also told you of the habits of 

 these insects. They remain in winter quarters until the cotton is strong 

 enough to give them life and work. During fifteen days, they grow and 

 develop, and then they are ab;e to reproduce themselves, so that at the 



