THE BOLL WEEVIL Today the world's largest consumer of raw cotton is the boll weevil. None of the risks attendant upon cotton have equaled this little insect in the drama of its appear ance and the tragedy of its effect. In 1896 Dr. L. 0. Howard, Entomologist of the Department of Agriculture wrote: . . . the cotton plant cannot be said to suffer seriously from the attacks of insects. . . . An exception to this general statement may in the future be found in Anthonomus grandis, a Mexican weevil which damages cotton bolls. This insect down to the close of the season of 1894 was known to us only through a few specimens collected upon cotton bolls in Mexico some years earlier by Dr. Edward Palmer. During 1894, however, we learned that the species had made its ap pearance in the state of Texas." It had crossed the Rio Grande near Brownsville about 1892. The Mexicans called the insect the "picudo," re ferring to its long snout. The Texas planters called them "sharpshooters" because of their ability in puncturing the bolls. Dr. Howard wrote as early as two years after the first weevils were found: "There can be no doubt that this insect may become the most serious enemy to the cotton plant with which cotton growers in this country have had to contend and every effort should be made to prevent its further spread," 20 and added "none of the general applications of insecticides will be of the slightest value against this species." 21 From the time the weevil first invaded Mexico in 1848 no organized fight had been made against it. As a result, large areas were laid waste and taken out of the area of cotton culture.
Texas followed the same course of non-resistance. Dr. Howard in 1894 advised the passage of legislation empowering agricultural commissioners of counties to enforce remedial measures. A report of Professor Town send of the Division of Entomology in 1895 earnestly advised the creation of a cotton free zone along the Rio Grande. The recommendation was not taken seriously. Texas failed to realize the extent of the peril to the cotton industry. Added to this was a natural hesitancy
in forbidding to the farmers who always raised the first bale in the United States the chief crop which the cli mate permitted." It has been said that in the early days a ten-mile no-cotton zone properly enforced would have stamped out the evil.' Such measures were taken in 1917 against the pink bollworm after Texas had learned her lesson. This insect, which is estimated to destroy 50 per cent of the crop, was found in a cotton field at Hearne, Texas. The Hearne district was then made a cotton free zone, and no cotton was grown in the area for three years. "This district is now believed to be entirely free from the pest, demonstrating what may be accomplished where adequate control is maintained for a period of years." " In dealing with the problem Texas seemed particularly helpless because of constitutional limitations upon purposes for which the legislature can appropriate funds.
By 1895 the insect had reached San Antonio to the north and Wharton to the east. The drought of the next year prevented any extension of the area. In 1897 there was a slight extension of the area of insect infection. The Department sent Townsend to Mexico to look for natural parasites of the insect. He found none. The next year, the Texas legislature, having provided for a state entomologist, the Department discontinued its work and referred all inquiries to the Texas specialist. The winter of 1899-1900 furnished the lowest temperature recorded in Texas. Many expected this to finish the tropical bug, but the next spring and summer he came out later and in smaller numbers but was very prolific. By 1895 the pest had traveled two hundred miles, by 1901 he had increased his travels to five hundred and infested half the state of Texas.' The state of Texas had become thoroughly alarmed and had offered a $50,000 prize to the person who could propound a cure for the boll weevil. It is said that all the cranks in the state set to work, but nothing valuable came of their efforts.