HEARINGS BEFORE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE. 5 
direct loss to the cotton planters of the State for this year, but under possible condi- 
tions it may be much greater next year, for the weevil are spreading somewhat 
northwesterly and southeasterly along the direction in which they have been going, 
and a much larger infected district is certain to appear in the State. In addition to 
this direct loss is the decreased land value, the decreased retail trade, the decreased 
bank deposits, and the narrowing of the channels of business, and the entire loss of 
the gold brought from Europe by reason of the cotton export trade, and, worse than 
all, the poverty of those who are poor, black and white, engaged so largely in cotton 
cultivation. All this easily suggests to the mind that if this pest spreads into the 
other cotton States what the effect must be upon all of the other industries depend- 
ing upon it, and what must become of the cotton supremacy of America in the short 
space of a few years. It is clear that the most unfortunate thing that could happen 
to the cotton planters of the South is that reduced production by reason of the boll 
weevil would augment the price of cotton so as to give an impetus to foreign govern- 
ments to enter upon cotton production on a large scale, and in addition to manufac- 
turing cotton, as they now do, they would enter upon the cotton-seed oil and the 
cotton-seed cake industries. 
The Department of Agriculture has been doing the best possible with the means 
in hand to deal with this difficult and troublesome matter, proceeding at first largely 
upon the theory that it was solely an entomological proposition. First, $10,000, 
then $20,000, and then $30,000 was appropriated for investigation and experiment 
stations, and for the discovery of methods to meet the difficulty. The investigations 
of the Entomological Division of the Department of Agriculture by the chief, Doctor 
Howard, have been far-reaching and thorough. The life history of the insect has 
been studied in a way that reflects credit upon that Department’s work. All known 
methods of combating it have received attention. Owing to the habits of the insect 
the futility of poisons, sprays, and all such methods has been conceded. Up to this 
date no parasite has been discovered that would war upon this insect, nor has any 
disease been discovered that would be communicable and thus exterminate them. 
This insect seems to be the healthiest bug that Doctor Howard has met in his many 
researches. While these methods can and ought to be pursued further, and doubt- 
less will be, yet by force of conditions other methods must be immediately resorted 
to involving cultural methods, the diversification of crops, the destruction of all 
infected materials, the planting of early maturing varieties of cotton, the creation and 
propagation of the best resistant varieties, etc. 
It is now demonstrated beyond all question that the diversification of crops is 
highly essential. All this would be much more true of the regions east of the Mis- 
sissippi River, where cotton has been the sole dependence for so many years. All of 
this work will entail a considerable expenditure of money and will necessitate a 
thorough organization in the infected districts; and while we gratefully return our 
thanks to the Department of Agriculture and to the Congress for what has been done 
in the past, we respectfully urge that much more must be immediately done if the 
alarming condition now obtaining in Texas is to be successfully met and the spread 
of like conditions in other cotton-growing States is successfully prevented. The State 
of Texas has enacted some legislation on the subject and is doing what it can; and 
the State of Louisiana has become aroused on the anticipated invasion of the weevil 
and will possibly shortly have a call session of the State legislature to deal with the 
boll weevil. The magnitude of the interests involved and the peril that threatens the 
cotton-growing regions and the actual conditions that exist as we know them causes 
us to suggest to the Congress the adoption of the following plan, which meets with 
the unanimous indorsement of the signers hereto, and which we briefly state, and 
the reasons therefor: 
First. We suggest that a cotton commission be created, to consist of five members, 
one from the Bureau of Plant Industry, one from the Division of Entomology, and 
three practical farmers, two resident in the infected disirict of Texas and one in the 
State of Louisiana; that this commission be located at some accessible point within 
the infected territory. This plan is virtually made necessary in order to bring about 
any organized adequate relief. The Texas cotton convention, which recently met at 
Dallas, passed the following resolution: ; 
‘‘ Recognizing the great danger confronting the cotton industry of Texas and other 
cotton-growing States, we earnestly appeal to the Federal Government through its 
Department of Agriculture to continue its liberal appropriations and to vigorously 
continue its efforts for the sappression and extermination of the boll weevil, bollworm, 
and other cotton pests.’’ ; ; ; 
This convention created an executive committee, which committee has unani- 
mously requested the Texas Representatives in Congress to secure legislation provid- 
ing for cotton experiment farms in every county where the county will cooperate 
