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There has been a gin at Alice for three years and one at San Diego 
five years. As soon as the latter went up more or less cotton came 
overland, in the seed from parts, especially more northerly parts, of the 
Brownsville region to be ginned, ox-carting direct to San Diego being 
much cheaper than carting to Brownsville, and then sending by train, 
lighter, and steamer to New Orleans. Now, it has already been pointed 
out that in many instances the weevils may be gathered in the picking 
of the cotton, in case the seed alone has been eaten out and the fiber 
not injured, when the boll is not prevented from bursting. This cotton 
being shipped in the seed during 1890. and 1891 to San Diego, and more 
or less since then to Alice,* has resulted in introducing the weevils 
into that region, from which they have since easily spread through 
contiguous fields over the whole region now infested. 
The regular daily stage each way between Alice and Brownsville has 
been running since July, 1893. From 1868 to 1876 (about) a stage was 
run from Brownsville to San Diego. These stages, of course, carried no 
freight. Freighting was formerly carried on by means of ox teams and 
carts between Brownsville and San Antonio, via San Diego. Such 
freighting is probably nearly abandoned now, but may be carried on to 
some extent as far as San Diego or Alice. It is said that cotton seed 
was carried on the road by these freighters for the purpose of feeding 
the oxen. A stage also runs from Eio Grande City to Pen a. 
AMOUNT OF DAMAGE CAUSED BY IT IN TEXAS. 
During the year 1894 in the Brownsville region (San Tomas) the 
loss of crop was estimated at over 90 per cent. In the San Diego region 
the loss was about 90 per cent. At La Rosita, 12 to 18 miles west of 
San Diego, the damage was estimated to be something over 75 per cent. 
At Eosita, on the Xueces, about 15 miles below Sharpsburg, 90 per 
cent of the crop was destroyed. At Sharpsburg fields amounting to 
6,000 acres yielded not over 1,500 bales. In Bee County 50 per cent 
or over of the whole crop of the county was estimated as destroyed. 
In a field of 1,200 acres about 30 miles south of Beeville the weevil 
was very bad m all but about 50 acres, which produced fine cotton, 
while the rest was badly damaged. At Pearsall damage to cotton 
crop was estimated at 25 to 50 per cent, but it is not yet known whether 
this was the weevil or the boll worm. 
In previous years at Brownsville, Mr. Stark, jr., informed me, the 
weevil was worst in 1892, the entire crop having been destroyed by it 
in that year. In 1893 it was not noticed to cause much damage. At 
La Nona it was reported to have ruined the whole crop in 1892, two 
miles east of there. On Mr. Delamer's place of 300 acres, twenty 
"A competing line of railroad from Skulmore to Alice makes cheaper freight rates 
on the lint cotton east from Alice than from San Diego, which is farther west. 
Therefore as soon as a gin went up in Alice cotton for ginning went there in prefer- 
ence to San Diego — C. H. T. T. 
