HEARINGS BEFORE COMMITTEE ON. AGRICULTURE. 29 
7. Studies and experiments in connection with methods for the destruction and control of 
the boll weevil and other cotton insects.—This is a subject that will be fully discussed by 
Doctor Howard. 
a ea of enemies of the insect.—This subject will be fully discussed by Doctor 
oward. 
9. General propaganda.—It is believed that the work of the Department can be 
made effective not only throughout the region infected by the boll weevil, but in 
adjacent sections as well by a thoroughly organized effort in the matter of bringing 
before the public the results of work accomplished. This can be done through 
cooperation with the agricultural colleges and experiment stations in the respective 
States, the State boards of agriculture, farmers’ institutes, and other similar associa- 
tions. General efforts should be made to distribute quickly the results of any 
important discoveries by means of leaflets, small bulletins, and in other ways. It is 
believed that $10,000 annually could be well expended in this work. 
10. Securing and distributing seed of cotton known to have special value for earliness and 
productiveness.—It is not believed that the Department should go into any exten- 
sive distribution of seed. The seed secured as a result of breeding and selection 
should be handled by the Department purely in an experimental way. No effort 
should be made by the Department to simply furnish seed for replanting plantations. 
Whatever seed is distributed should be sent out with the object of demonstrating its 
value, either for earliness or some other desirable characteristic. In other words, 
the distribution should be purely for experimental purposes. Ten thousand dollars, 
it is believed, would be sufficient to conduct this work generally through the regions 
most directly interested. 
The work here outlined involves an expenditure of $215,000, not including the 
problems which will be referred to more fully by Doctor Howard. Some of these items 
will, undoubtedly, in actual field practice run larger and some may run smaller. It 
is difficult in laying out plans of this kind to always foresee emergencies that may 
arise. An exceedingly unpromising proposition may, as the work develops, prove 
the contrary, and would then warrant the expenditure of more money in this direc- 
tion. 
The Cuarrman. We will now hear Doctor Howard. 
STATEMENT OF PROF. L. 0. HOWARD, CHIEF OF THE BUREAU OF 
ENTOMOLOGY, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
Mr. Howarp. Mr. Chairman, I really do not know what there is 
for me to say. 
The Cuarrman. I will say to the new members of the committee 
that last year we made an appropriation of $30,000 for Doctor Howard, 
and the language is this: 
Including the investigation into the ravages of the coddling moth and of the cot- 
ton boll weevil and boll worm, with a view of ascertaining the best methods of their 
extermination. 
You might talk to us along those lines, Doctor, and tell the com- 
mittee what you have done under the appropriation, the condition of 
things in Texas, what experiments you have made, and what success 
and what failure you have had. 
Mr. Howarp. Very good. As you have learned already from Mr. 
Burgess, this is absolutely the most difficult problem in economic 
entomology that the whole world has ever had to handle. The boll 
weevil is an insect which is very prolific; which has many generations 
in the course of a year; which lives during the critical part of its life 
entirely enclosed in the boll, where it can not be reached by any insecti- 
cide, and it can not be reached by any natural enemy insect which we 
have been able to discover: ; 
We have studied the subject for several years, ever since the weevil 
came into Texas, with the greatest care. We know absolutely every 
stage in its life history, every possible chance for every variation in 
