27 



cotton. At one locality, where a large number of kidney cotton trees 

 were growing (about 50 plants, some of them probably 20 years old), 

 it was found that at least one out of every twenty squares had been 

 punctured by the first week in March. From Mr. Schwarz's report 

 it does not seem that there is a very promising outlook for cotton 

 raising in Cuba. The presence of wild perennial cotton, upon which 

 the weevil probably exists everywhere, will always be a source of 

 danger. The long moist seasons and mild winters will form more 

 favorable conditions for the pest than will occur an3^where in the 

 United States. 



During the season of 1904 Mr. Edward Ferrer conducted, an inter- 

 esting experiment in the cultivation of cotton in the Santa Clara 

 Province, Cuba, at the suggestion of the Bureau of Entomology. The 

 plan of the experiment was to eradicate all of the wild cotton plants 

 growing in the vicinity of the place where a field of cotton was to be 

 planted. By such eradication some time prior to planting it was sup- 

 posed that the weevils would be greatl}^ reduced in numbers. Very 

 recently Mr. Ferrer has reported that the results have been exceedingly 

 gratifying. He succeeded in obtaining a very profitable crop of cot- 

 ton by the means suggested at a place where several previous attempts 

 had resulted in failure. 



DISTHIBTJTION OF THE BOLL WEEVIL. 



The following list of localities represents the range in distribution 

 of this insect so far as it is positively known at the present time: 



United States. — Louisiana: six western parishes of Louisiana wholly 

 or partiall}^ infested; Texas: all of the principal cotton-growing coun- 

 ties in the southern, central, and eastern portions of the State, a few 

 border counties along the Eed River in the northeastern part of the 

 State not yet infested. (See fig. 1, p. 25.) 



Mexico. — Tamaulipas: Matamoras, Jiminez; Vera Cruz: Vera Cruz,^ 

 San Andres Tuxtla; San Luis Potosi: San Bartolo; Coahuila: San Isi-' 

 dro, AUende, Monclova; Michoacan: Zamora; Morelos: Cuernavaca.^ 



Cuba. — Havana: Havana; Pinar del Rio: San Cristobal, Kangel; 

 Santa Clara: Cayamas; Matanzas: Eastern portion, Cardenas. 



Guatemala. — Alta Vera Paz (Cook); Peten: San Jose (Champion). 



It has been impossible to verify the rumors which state that the 

 boll weevil has been found in Brazil and also in some localities in 

 Africa where cotton is grown. It is said that the injury in these 

 localities is identical with that of the boll weevil in the United States. 

 In the Philippines there has been found a species of weevil which is 

 distinct from the Mexican cotton boll weevil, but attacks the cotton 

 in a very similar manner. 



<^ Recently Dr. A. L. Herrera has sent specimens collected at Mazatlan in the State 

 of Sinaloa by M. T. Madrigal. 



