30 



stated that, in all probability, the greatest damage by the pest will 

 always be in the regions south of the latitude of Dallas, Tex. A 

 careful consideration of the matter, based upon what is known regard- 

 ing the life history and habits of the boll weevil, leads to the supposi- 

 tion that in the alluvial lands of the southern part of the belt, into 

 which the pest is now encroaching, the damage will be greater than in 

 an}^ areas which have suffered up to the present time. In Texas, as 

 is well known, a reasonabl}^ effective method of mitigating the damage 

 of the pest has been developed, known as the cultural system. It is 

 to be feared that there will be many obstacles in the way of the adap- 

 tation of this system to other regions. Of course, the planters in 

 other States will have the advantage of learning from the experience 

 of planters in Texas; nevertheless, there will undoubtedl}^ be many 

 difficulties. The greater rainfall from the Sabine River eastward 

 will contribute to the yery rapid multiplication of the weevils. In 

 Louisiana the rainfall during the growing months of May, June, Jul 3^, 

 and August has been 4.47 inches each. In Texas, for the same 

 months, the average monthly precipitation has been only 3.26 inches. 

 * In this connection it becomes of some interest to speculate as to the 

 possibility that the weevil may eventuallj^ be carried outside of the 

 United States and gain a foothold in other cotton-producing countries. 

 The fact that the insect is rather rapidly adapting itself to conditions 

 in the United States that are quite diverse from those of its native home 

 leads to the supposition that it would experience but little difficulty in 

 adapting itself to climatic conditions wherever cotton maj^ be grown. 

 This probabilit}^ of the spread of the weevil outside of the United 

 States is increased by the fact that cotton seed for planting purposes 

 is frequently shipped from the United States to various parts of the 

 globe, and that within the last few 3'ears various conditions have 

 caused especial interest to be displayed in this matter. There is noth- 

 ing whatever to prevent weevils that ma^^ happen to be sacked with 

 cotton seed from being carried long distances on shipboard. In the 

 semidormant condition in which they hibernate, they have often been 

 known to go longer without food than is ordinarily required for a 

 freight shipment from Galveston to Cape Town. Although there are 

 no truly cosmopolitan cotton insects, it seems likely that the boll wee- 

 vil may eventually be more widely distributed than any other. 



LIFE HISTORY. 



SUMMARY. 



The egg is deposited by the female weevil in a cavity formed b}^ eat- 

 ing into a square or boll. The egg hatches in a few days and the 

 footless grub begins to feed, making a larger place for itself as it 

 grows. During the course of its growth the larva sheds its skin at 



