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unsatisfactory. The need of a means of testing the recommendations 

 of the Bureau of Entomology upon a large scale, and thereby furnish- 

 ing actual demonstrations to the planters, became apparent. Conse- 

 quently, at the suggestion of the Department of Agriculture, provision 

 for an enlargement of the work was made by Congress. Agreements 

 were entered into with two large planters in typical situations for test- 

 ing the principal features of the cultural system of controlling the 

 pest upon a large scale. In this way 125 acres at Victoria and 200 

 acres at Calvert were employed. At the same time the headquarters 

 and laboratory of the special investigation were established at Vic- 

 toria, and such matters as parasites, the possibility of poisoning the 

 pest or of destroying it by the use of machines, as well as investigat- 

 ing many of the features of its biology that were still absolutely 

 unknown, were given careful attention by a specially trained assistant 

 whose services were procured for that purpose. The results of the 

 field work for this year were published in the form of a Farmers' 

 Bulletin entitled ''Methods of Controlling the Boll Weevil; Advice 

 Based on the Work of 1902;" but on account of the late date of the 

 establishment of the laboratory (June), and the consequent incom- 

 pleteness of many of the records, it was not thought advisable to 

 publish anything concerning the laboratory investigations. During 

 this season cooperation was carried on with the Mexican commission 

 charged with the investigation of the boll weevil in that countr}^, which 

 was arranged on the occasion of a personal visit of Dr. L. O. Howard 

 to the City of Mexico in the fall of 1901. Specimens of parasites were 

 frequently exchanged, and through the courtesy of Prof. A. L. 

 Herrera, chief of the Mexican commission, an agent in charge of the 

 investigation in Texas visited the laboratories at the City of Mexico 

 and Cuernavaca, where a study was made of the methods of propa- 

 gating parasites, especially Pediculoides ventricosus Newp. A large 

 number of specimens of this mite were brought back to Texas, where 

 they were carried through the winter successfully and used in field 

 experiments the following season. 



The favorable reception by the planters of Texas of the experi- 

 mental field work conducted during this season, with the increased 

 territory invaded by the pest, brought about an enlarged appropria- 

 tion for the work of 1903. By enactment which became effective on 

 the 4th of March, $30,000 was placed at the disposal of the Bureau of 

 Entomology. It thus became possible to increase the number and size 

 of our experimental fields as well as to devote more attention to the 

 investigation of matters suggested by previous work in the laboratory. 

 Seven experimental farms, aggregating 558 acres, were accordingly 

 established in as many distinct cotton districts in Texas. Despite 

 generally very unfavorable conditions the results of this experimental 



