Cornell Muiversity Library THE GIFT OF ANZILSE. relt¢liqo 4553 ALBERT K. MANN LIBRARY AT CORNELL UNIVERSITY won iii 3 1924 076 513 468 Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www. archive.org/details/cu31924076513468 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, U.S. HEARINGS BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE ON BILLS HAVING FOR THEIR OBJECT THE ERADICATION OF THE COTTON-BOLL WEEVIL AND OTHER INSECTS -AND DISEASES INJURIOUS TO COTTON, AND ALSO HEARINGS OF THE HON. SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE AND CHIEFS OF BUREAUS AND DIVISIONS OF .THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRI- CULTURE ON THE ESTIMATES OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1905. WASHINGTON: GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 1904. CONTENTS. Cotton-boll weevil: Statements of— Page. Hon. George F. Burgess, Representative from Texas.-.......-.-.-.- 3, 41 Beverly T. Galloway, chief of Bureau of Plant Industry ............ 15 L. O. Howard, chief of Division of Entomology -..-...-......-...-- 29 Hon. Scott Field, Representative from Texas.................------ 36 Agricultural appropriation bill: Statements of— Daniel E. Salmon, chief of Bureau of Animal Industry............-. 46 Milton Whitney, chief of Bureau of Soils....-....--.....--.-.-.---- 66 Beverly T. Galloway, chief of Bureau of Plant Industry; and Alfred F. Woods, pathologist and physiologist; William J. Spellman, agros- tologist; William A. Taylor, pomologist, and Frederick D. Coville, ® botanist, chiefs of divisions in Bureau of Plant Industry --..-..... 97 Willis L. Moore, chief of Weather Bureau...............----------- 197 H. W. Wiley, chief of Bureau of Chemistry ......--....----....---- 228 L. O. Howard, chief of Division of Entomology.....-.---.-..- --- 266 C. Hart Merriam, chief of Division of Biology -......-..--..-. --- 288 George W. Hill, chief of Division of Publications -......---..-...... 300 Frank L. Evans, chief of Division of Accounts..................---- 318 Martin Dodge, Director of Public Road Inquiries.............--.--- 330 Hon. William R. Smith, Representative from Texas, and Elwood Mead, of Department of Agriculture, on Irrigation...--....-...- 349, 353 A. C. True, Director, Office of Experiment Stations ...........-.--.-- 372 8. R. Burch, Chief Clerk, Department of Agriculture ..........--..- 383 E. 8. Holmes, associate statistician, Bureau of Statistics ..-.....-..-.- 394 Overton W. Price, assistant forester, Bureau of Forestry ......-....- 404 Hon. James Wilson, Secretary of Agriculture -----------.---------. 428 CA 1 1 HEARINGS BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE REGARD- ING THE COTTON-BOLL WEEVIL AND APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. BOLL WEEVIL. CoMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, HovusEe or REPRESENTATIVES, Wednesday, December 16, 1903. The committee met at 10.30 o’clock a. m., Hon. J. W. Wadsworth in the chair, for the consideration of the following bills: H. R. 4477, H. R. 5496, H. R. 7300, H. R. 7304, and H. R. 7646. The Cuarrman. Gentlemen, the business before the committee this morning is the cotton-boll weevil question. I think Mr. Burgess, of ‘Texas, wishes to address the committee. Mr. Burieson. Yes; Mr. Burgess desires to make a brief prelim- inary statement, STATEMENT OF HON. GEORGE F. BURGESS, REPRESENTATIVE FROM TEXAS. Mr. Burexss. Gentlemen of the committee, I shall endeavor to make a brief statement of my understanding of this whole situation and in support of the bills introduced and now pending; and I will thank the committee if they will permit me to make the statement without interruption, assuring them that when I have concluded I will gladly answer any inquiry that the chairman or any other member of the committee may desire to make with reference to any matter. The bill which I shall advocate immediate prompt action upon by the committee, and early report and a prompt action of Congress, the number of which is 5496, is not a hasty nor ill-advised one, and per- haps the strongest argument I can make in support of it would be to ive a brief statement of the steps which successfully led to its intro- duction by myself, by request of the whole Texas and Louisiana dele- gations in Congress, unanimously. You will notice that the bill states that it was introduced by me by request. arly in the session the Secretary of Agriculture and sev- eral of his subordinates having inspected the boll-weevil district in Texas and attended the boll-weevil.convention at Dallas, Tex., upon their return we had a conference with the Secretary. As the result of that conference we prepared and signed a statement made to him in the form of a petition, which the committee will find printed in the Congressional Record of the 24th of November, on page 329. That petition is signed by all the members of the Texas and Louisiana dele- gations and gives a statement of the magnitude of the cotton indus- tries of the United States, of the nature and extent of the peril that 3 4 HEARINGS BEFORE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE. threatens them by the Mexican boll weevil, and of the methods we suggest for relief, and which we ask the Secretary of Agriculture to recommend to Congress. I will not read all of that, although I would be very much pleased if each member of the committee would take the trouble to read the whole statement, because he will find some very interesting and instructive data therein. Mr. Scorr. Will you give that reference again? Mr. Burexss. Yes, sir; it is inthe Congressional Record of Novem- ber 24, on page 329. The petition is as follows: The statement is as follows: To the SzcrEraRy or AGRICULTURE: We, the undersigned Representatives of the States of Texas and Louisiana in the Fifty-eighth Congress, respectfully present to the Secretary of Agriculture that the supremacy of the cotton industries of the United States is imperiled by the ravages of the boll weevil in Texas, which State produces about one-third of the total annual cotton crop of the United States; and we respectfully represent that the magnitude of the interests involved and the threatened spread of the pests through all of the cotton-growing States makes the question one proper to be legislated upon by the Federal Congress. The present distinguished Secretary of the Treasury of the United States, in a speech delivered in Boston on the 29th of last October, stated: ‘‘We grow three- fourths of the cotton fiber of the world. We export two-thirds of what we grow. That leaves for consumption one-fourth of all the cotton of the world. From this we export alittle over $30,000,000 worth and import about $40,000,000 worth of man- ufactured cotton.’’ An average cotton crop of the United States is about 10,000,000 bales, which at 10 cents a pound (which is less than the present price) amounts to $500,000,000, two-thirds of which, as we export that amount, brings from Europe and pours into the channel of American commerce $333,000,000 annually. From the Abstract of the Twelfth Census it appears that in 1900 there was invested in cotton compressing, cotton ginning, and the manufacture of cotton goods, $498,000,000. There were $88,000,000 paid out by these industries in wages to employees, and the value of the products produced was $356,000,000. In addition, there was invested, in 1900, in the cotton-seed oil and cotton-seed cake industries $34,000,000, paying three and one-quarter million in wages, and paying $45,000,000 for material, and producing products to the value of $58,000,000. This isa marvelous growth since 1880, when only $7,000,000 worth of cotton-seed products were pro- duced in the United States. This cotton-seed industry is of the greatest importance, because it aids us in maintaining our cotton supremacy in that it adds to the value of the farmers’ products from 1 to 2 cents per pound in the ptice of the lint cotton— that is to say, that a bale of cotton, now sold for 8 cents, would bring the farmer as much money as the same bale would have brought at 93 or 10 cents per pound prior to the present disposition of the seed, and this is one of the distinct advantages which we possess over the European countries now attempting competitive cotton growing. All of this is intensified in value by a future prospect in the markets in the Orient, superinduced by an increased prospect of an early construction of the isthmian canal. The manufacture of cotton goods is about equally divided between the South and the East, while the cotton-seed oil and the cotton-seed cake industries are almost entirely with the South. The foregoing facts give a fair view of the magnitude of the interests involved. Now Texas produces, as we have said, about one-third of the cotton upon which all of these great industries rest. The boll weevil first appeared in the southwestern part of the State of Texas, coming from Mexico, and in a few years has spread in a northeasterly direction practically to the Louisiana line, a dis- tance of perhaps 700 miles. If this advance of the weevil continues, but a few years will suffice to carry it across the States of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia and into the most northeasterly cotton-producing States of the Union. It is quite difficult to estimate the exact extent of the injury or the financial loss sustained in Texas this year by the cotton growers. The expert of the Agricultural Depart- ment, Mr. Hunter, some time since very conservatively estimated that it would not be less than $15,000,000. The judgment of those of us whose names are signed hereto, and who reside in the infected districts in Texas, is that this year’s loss will amount to not less than $35,000,000, and may possibly be as much as $50,000,000. This involves not only a 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 6 HEARINGS BEFORE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE. with the Department of Agriculture in its efforts that the pests may be thoroughly and rapidly met and remedies generally applied. It also recommended that two- thirds of the cotton seed, consisting of the quick-maturing varieties now being bought by the Government, be planted upon these experiment farms in each county, so that a large volume of the improved seed be provided for Texas planting in 1905. These suggestions are wise, we think, and could best be carried out under the plan we have outlined. The value of having Texas and Louisiana farmers on the com- mission is that they will bring to the work of the commission a practical knowledge of the people, climate, and crops involved, and will induce confidence ia its recom- mendations and aid organization and uniformity of methods and cooperation by cot- ton planters. We further suggest that a fund, to be called ‘‘the cotton-investigation fund,’’ of $500,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, be set aside to be expended by the Secretary of Agriculture in furthering all the purposes contem- plated herein; and in this connection we suggest that possibly the remainder of the fund of a similar amount appropriated to stamp out ‘‘the foot-and-mouth disease’’ might be utilized for the fund jointly, so as not to greatly increase the appropria- tions for the Congress. ., It may be possible that the named amount may not be expended in one year, but the conditions are such that it is almost impossible to e-timate in advance and in detail what the expenditures ought to be and will be, and by far the better method is to grant this commission a sufficient sum to cover all A sie phases of its work and to inspire confidence and cooperation on the part of the cotton planters. The commission properly organized could so lay out the work as to expedite it in all its phases and Heng immediate returns to the fullest possible extent, and would not be hampered in the matter of specific requirements, as would be the case in one of the appropriations for the Department proper. A detailed statement as to how this money ought to be expended so as to bring practical results is difficult, but we suggest the following problems: First. Demonstration of improved cultural methods. Second. The location and supervision of experiment stations in counties or in districts organized in one or more counties. Third. Work, having for its objects the production and distribution of early weevil- resisting varieties of cotton. ; 7 Fourth. Studies of cotton diseases. Fifth. Studies of cotton insects. Sixth. Introduction of new crops. : Seventh. Studies and experiments in connection with methods for destruction of the boll weevil and other cotton insects. Eighth. Studies of the enemies of the insects. Ninth. General propaganda. Tenth. Cooperation between the States of Texas and Louisiana in methods to be devised to check and confine the ravages of the cotton-boll weevil to Texas and pre- vent its spread in Texas and into other cotton States. In our judgment, possibly, the sum we have mentioned may be economically con- sumed in one year. It.may be deemed advisable to cooperate with Louisiana in stamping out the first appearance of the boll weevil in the cotton fields of western Louisiana, and if this be deemed feasible twice the sum named could be sensibly expended annually for that purpose alone. We therefore pray the Secretary to rec- ommend to Congress the adoption of these suggestions. 8. M. Robertson, R. C. Davey, R. F. Broussard, Phanor Breazeale, Jos. E. Ransdell, A. P. Pujo, Adolph Meyer, members from Louisiana; 8. B. Cooper, chairman Texas delegation, Scott Field, Geo. F. Burgess, Mor- ris Sheppard, O. W. Gillespie, C. B. Randell, Jno. N. Garner, Jack Beall, Jas. L. Slayden, R. L. Henry, A. W. Gregg, A. S. Burleson, W.R. Smith, Gordon Russell, John H. Stephens, members from Texas. It will appear from that statement that we recommended unani- mously—for this is signed, as you will see, by all the members of the Texas and Louisiana delegation—a plan having two points, practically. First, the creation of a $500,000 fund; second, the organization of a commission of five members under the direction and supreme absolute control, of course, of the Secretary of Agriculture, both with reference to organization of the commission, the plans, rules, and regulations which control it, and the expenditure of the fund which supports it. Acting upon that statement, you will find in the last report of the Secretary of Agriculture a very full discussion of this matter, a very HEARINGS BEFORE COMMITTEE ON AGRIOULTURE. 7 concise business discussion of the whole proposition involved, and I wish to call brief attention to some portions of that report: Crisis In Corron Propucrion. : The invasion of the cotton-boll weevil has been a special menace to our cotton crop, and has done more than anything else to awaken widespread apprehension as to the future of this most important crop. The boll weevil first appeared in the State of Texas in 1894, and from that time on has been under observation and investigation by the Department through its Division of Entomology. It was not until 1902, how- ever, that this branch of the Department was able to undertake anything like thor- ough and systematic work in the matter of studying this very destructive enemy of cotton. In 1903 the cig le of the work was further enlarged, an appropriation of $20,000 being made in the Division of Entomology for the investigations. Aside from this work the Bureau of Plant Industry has, during the past year, been carry- ing on considerable work with a view to securing, if possible, early and resistant varie- ties by breeding and selection; and has been conducting some more or less general experiments in the matter of crop diversification at special points in Texas. It has also been engaged in distributing a considerable quantity of cotton seed of early maturing and promising sorts. The work of the Division of Entomology has shown conclusively the value of good cultural methods, the planting of early maturing varieties, and the destruction of weevil-infested material, this conclusion having been reached only through the care- ful and detailed studies of the life history and habits of the insect. The demonstra- tion work along these lines, which the Division carried on the past year, has been exceedingly promising, as it has been shown that cotton can be grown in remunera- tive quantity, despite the presence of the weevil. Notwithstanding what has been accomplished by the Department, however, the fact remains that the boll weevil is constantly spreading north and east, and it is probably only a question of time when it will reach all of the cotton-growing States. Thus the country is confronted with a very grave problem, as the invasion of this insect must necessarily mean a com- plete revolution in present agricultural methods. During a recent visit to some of the Southern States considerable time was spent in the weevil-infested district, and from the facts gathered in this way I am convinced that energetic measures must be adopted to meet the present emergency. After thoroughly canvassing the situa- tion with representative men in Congress and with others, I am of the opinion that a cotton investigation fund should be appropriated and set aside for immediate use in connection with this most serious problem. .In order to make the work compre- hensive and thoroughly effective, I am of the opinion that a sum not less than $500,000 should be made immediately available for this purpose, the same to be expended under the direction of the Secretary of Agriculture, in such manner as will give the most immediate practical results. As to the problems which might be handled by the Department with such a sum available, I would respecttully call attention to the following: RECOMMENDATIONS, 1. Checking sporadic outbreaks of the weevil.—It would seem highly important that some action be taken looking to the checking, if practicable, of sporadic outbreaks of the weevil in the territory immediately adjacent to that now infested. This could best be accomplished by the organization of a corps of competent entomologists and could be carried on in cooperation with the State authorities. In orderto make this work thoroughly effective it will be necessary for the States interested to enact proper legislation. This is amatter that could be handled and guided by those in authority, working under the direction of the Secretary of Agriculture. 2. Demonstration work to show the value of improved cultural methods by which farm- ers can produce fair crops in spite of the weevil.—This is the most promising field for im- mediate relief, and owing to the fact tlfat the weevil is so far confined to Texas, the work here outlined would necessarily be limited more or less to this State, although regions in adjacent territory should also have such investigations carried on in them in order that the people may become enlightened in advance of the insect’s ravages. The object and scope of the work would be to show by actual demonstration exper- iments the value of better cultural methods, the value of early maturing varieties, and the value of and necessity for complete and thorough destruction of all infested mate- rial. To carry out this work thoroughly and effectively would require a corps of men familar with cultural conditions, and who have the knowledge and ability to direct the necessary specific work that might be ordered by the Secretary of Agricul- ture. Legislation would be required in this case, also, to enforce the destruction of infested material; but, under proper organization, this could be brought about. 8 HEARINGS BEFORE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE. 3. Work having for its object the production of new, early, and improved varieties of cotton.—The value of early varieties has been demonstrated, but most of them have serious drawbacks in that they are poor yielders and the lint drops out easily during storms. These matters may be corrected by proper breeding and selection, and one of the important problems would have for its object the taking up of this work on a systematic scale, to the end of securing sorts which would not only be early, but would be storm proof and resistant. 4, Studies of cotton diseases.—While the boll weevil is mainly in the public eye at present, the fact remains that other serious pests of cotton cause great losses annually. It is natural to attribute all losses at the present time to the insect in question, whether these losses be from other insects, diseases, floods, droughts, or whatever source. Reliable studies indicate that the loss in Texas alone from the so-called root-rot disease will, in all probability, aggregate several millions of dollars annually. This and other diseases should be thoroughly studied, and corrective measures should be adopted. 5. Cotton insects.— What is said of cotton diseases is also true of cotton insects (especially of the boll worm) other than the boll weevil. These should all receive careful attention, and practical experiments should be carried on with a view to lessening the injury caused by them. 6. Introduction of new crops.—The urgent necessity for the introduction of other crops which will take the place of cotton can not be too strongly emphasized. Cotton, of course, should be grown, but the time is evidently at hand when a concerted effort should be made to bring about a change in southern agricultural conditions in the direction of greater diversification. Thisis recognized now as a vital question in the South. In many sections already the yield of cotton is barely profitable, so that, when the reduction due to the boll weevil and other pests is taken into account, it will be necessary to abandon cotton growing altogether; while the decreased yield in the best districts of the cotton-growing sections renders it more important that other crops should be grown. Such crops as alfalfa, sorghum, Kafir corn, and cereals of various sorts should all receive attention, not only for silage, pastures, and winter for- age generally, but for green manures as well. 7. Studies and experiments in connection with methods for the destruction and control oj the boll weevil and other cotton insects.—It would seem highly important that the Govy- ernment should take cognizance of the many devices which are being placed on the market for combating the weevil and other insects. This is necessary as much for positive as negative results. Hundreds of devices and nostrums are offered to the ublic, and people are led tu spend money for them. The Government should be in position to determine, once for all, the value or nonvalue of such devices, and thus be able to definitely and positively advise on all matters of this kind. Aside from this, the Government should take the matter of mechanical devices under thorough consideration, and should encourage, by the utilization of mechanical experts, the construction and use of everything which gives promise of practical value. 8. Studies of enemies of the insect.—While the studies of the enemies of the insect have had, so far, no practical result, there is no doubt that this work should be con- tinued, and everything in the nature of enemies, whether they be predaceous or parasitic insects, birds, fungus parasites, or others, should receive careful attention. 9. Securing and distributing seed of cotton known to have special value for earliness and ability to resist the weevil.—Systematic action should be taken in the matter of securing from every source available seed of promising varieties and thoroughly testing them in the weevil-infested district. In addition to this there should be a systematic endeavor to bring together desirable varieties from all available sources for advance trials in the sections where the insect is likely soon to make an invasion. 10. General propaganda.—Under this head there should be organized a competent corps of efficient workers, who could, with the cooperation of the agricultural col- leges, farmers’ institutes, State boards of agriculture, and all such organized bodies bring to the attention of planters everywhere the latest results as to methods of meet ing the present emergency. . To carry out the foregoing work effectually it is believed that the best results will be secured by a separate organization. It will be seen that the two branches of the Department primarily interested in this matter are the Bureau of Plant Industry and the Division of Entomology, and their officers and men would be in a position to effect the proper Greanizebion and to direct the main features of the work. I would therefore, respectfully recommend that if the amount already mentioned be set aside as a cotton investigation fund the Secretary of Agriculture be authorized to take such steps in the perfecting of a Se a organization for handling the work as in his judg- ment may be best. Owing to the very nature of the investigations and the fact that they will involve most thorough and far-reaching scientific work, the management of the general plans must necessarily rest with the Department. It is believed that HEARINGS BEFORE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE. 9 the work can be strengthened by securing the advice and cooperation of one or two thoroughly practical men in the States most directly interested, viz, Louisiana and Texas. The Secretary of Agriculture, however, shou!d have full authority to organize the work for the sole object of securing, as already indicated, the most immediate practical results. In order to more effectually handle the problems which must necessarily fall to the work of the Division of Entomology, I have already recommended in my esti- mates that this important branch of the Department be made a bureau. The work that it has done in the past, especially in the field in question, certainly justifies this action; and I most earnestly recommend that this matter be given primary consid- eration in connection with the entire problem. It is very desirable, furthermore, that the fullest cooperation be effected by the Department with the experiment sta- tions in the respective States where the more important work will be conducted. This is especially true of Texas, where the Agricultural College is doing everything in its power to aid in the matter, but where it is more or less handicapped by lack of proper facilities and funds. The fund recommended to be set aside for the purposes mentioned, and used in accordance with the plans outlined, will give the Department such liberty of action as the exigencies of the case demand. An industry which brings to the country an annual income of something over $500,000,000 is threatened, and the time is at hand for energetic action. I again, therefore, most earnestly renew my recommendations for the means and authority to carry out the plans as herein set forth. Respectfully submitted. ; James WIxson, Secretary. Wasuineron, D. C., November 28, 1908. I take it that is a complete support of the unanimous proposition submitted to the Secretary by the Louisiana and Texas delegations, which, of itself, was nota hurried matter, but a matter that we have been thinking about for months and for years, and trying to evolve some prac- tical business way of getting at this evil that is growing, and growing, and growing, and that threatens, if not checked, to ruin the cotton States in the South. In passing, I say, with regret, that in the home county in which I live, a great historic old county in Texas, where the first gun was fired in the war of the Texas revolution, and where the early settlers organ- ‘ized the town in which I live under the Mexican colonization laws, the loss this year, I know, of my own personal knowledge, will be not less than $1,000,000 in that one county alone. That is easily told by the receipts of the bales of cotton in former years and this year in the different towns where the cotton is marketed. When we reached this stage we had a meeting of the cotton growers of the other States, together with the Texas aad Louisiana delegation. They all indorsed this plan, and a large delegation from the different States, practically all the cotton States in the Union, was raised to call upon the President of the United States, to call his attention to this matter and to suggest to him our desire that some general mention of the important matter be made in his message to Congress. That was done. The delegation waited upon the President, who received us very courteously, and discussed the matter very fully, and finally took action in the matter, the detail of which is unnecessary, and in his annual message you will find these significant words, on page 22: The cotton-growing States have recently been invaded by an evil that has done much damage and threatens the entire cotton industry. I suggest to the Congress the prompt enactment of such remedial legislation as its judgment may approve. The bill was drawn by a subcommittee of the Texas and Louisiana delegation, in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture, and follows closely the lines of the statement which I have read, and the report and recommendation of the Secretary of Agriculture. It is in line with the suggestion of the President as well, and in line with all 10 HEARINGS BEFORE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE. anterior legislation of the Congress with reference to similar matters, as closely as this legislation could follow that. For instance, a thorough investigation was made of the different acts with reference to the Bureau of Animal Industry, with reference to the foot-and-mouth disease bill that was passed at the last Congress, and to the extent that this subject admitted of the phraseology of those acts it was followed in this bill. Several sections of the bill are verbatim copies of the sections in the act creating the Bureau of Animal Industry—the last one and part of the third one—and I wish now briefly to discuss the bill by sections. It is composed of four sections. The first section reads as follows: F That the Secretary of Agriculture shall organize in his Department a cotton com- mission, to consist of the chief of the Bureau of Plant Industry, the chief of the Bureau of Entomology, and three practical men familiar with cotton growing, two residents of the State of Texas and one of the State of Louisiana. The duties of said commission shall be to prepare and execute, under the direction of the Secretary of Agriculture, such plans for lessening the damage caused by, and controlling the spread of, the Mexican cotton-boll weevil and other insects and diseases injurious to cotton as the Secretary of Agriculture may deem best. You will note that that section creates and defines the powers of the commission, all being subject to the absolute control and direction of the Secretary of Agriculture, as his best judgment may dictate. The number of avenues by which possible good may be brought to the people suffering from this pest are such that we conceive no way except passing legislation’ to invest extreme—absolute, if you will—power in the Cabinet officer of our nation who has these matters in charge, as you would with reference to quarantine; as we did with reference to the foot-and-mouth disease; as we did with reference to infectious diseases of the Bureau of Animal Industry. To do less than that would only be to possibly hamper practical and sensible business results, and we deemed it better to go the full length in the matter and trust the Secretary of Agriculture absolutely with reference to the work to be done and the money to be expended than to attempt, by any matter of detail, to put any limitations upon his power which we deemed would be injurious to practical, beneficial results. Section 2 provides: That in furtherance of the purposes of this act ther i of the Treasury of the United tates from any one) Dep Eree the sum of five hundred thousand dollars, two hundred and fifty thousand dollars of which shall be immediately available, which shall be denominated the “Cotton - fund,”’ and which shall be exclusively applied to the purposes of this act and in the expenditure of which the Secretary of Agriculture shall have plenary and exclusive powers, as he may deem best, to accomplish the purposes of this act. You will note that that practically gives the same unlimited power with reference to the expenditure of this fund by the Secretary of Agriculture as the first section gives with reference to the creation and management of the temporary commission; because we have no idea, frankly, gentlemen, of creating any permanent cotton commis- sion—none on earth. We never expect to urge any such idea as that but we urge it simply to meet the impending and threatening and ter- rible danger that afflicts us, and when the purpose of it shall be accom- plished of course the thing will fall to the ground, as was the case in the foot-and-mouth disease bill. HEARINGS BEFORE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE. li Section 3 provides: That it shall be the duty of the Secretary of Agriculture to prepare such rules and regulations as he may deem advisable in furtherance of this act, and to certify them to the executive authority of each State and Territory in the threatened region, and invite cooperation in the execution of the purposes of this act. That is practically a copy of a section of the bill creating the Bureau of Animal Industry, having largely a similar purpose. For instance, we can not know, and human foresight can not determine, just how or to what extent the boll weevil may cross the Louisiana line and appear in the cotton fields of western Louisiana. If, when it does cross, as the Secretary and everybody else believes it will, it should appear at the time practical and feasible for the Secretary of Agriculture to coop- erate with the State of Louisiana—which has now, by the way, I will pause and digress to say, a special session of the legislature going on, called by Governor Heard some ten days ago to take action on this matter, so as to create there a commission and invest them with power to condemn and to stamp out any sporadic appearance of the weevil— or with the State of Arkansas, or with the Indian Territory, or with the State, even, of Mississippi subsequently, in an effort to prevent the spread of this weevil into adjacent States and Territories, he ought to have power in the bill to act in that matter as in the other matter; and this section is necessary for that purpose and involves the same phrase- ology and the same purpose as the act that created the Bureau of Ani- mal Industry, which provided, as this does, that he could adopt rules and regulations and certify them to the authorities in the State or Ter- ritory, so as to invite and induce cooperation to meet completely, in the best and most practical, feasible way, whatever might arise in the future. There seems to be no doubt on the part of any of the thoughtful men who have looked into the matter that the danger for the future is not only to Texas by an increased spreading and an increased devasta- tion, but the danger is that they will rapidly spread across Louisiana and Mississippi and into Arkansas and the rest of the cotton States, and that will mean ruin to us, not only temporarily, but while it may appear far-fetched to some gentlemen, the most potent thing to my mind in this whole matter is that already the increased price of cotton by the biggest bull that has ever operated in the cotton field, the boll weevil, has given an impetus never before given to competitive cotton growing by European nations, and if high prices continue by reason of the further spread and devastation of the boll weevil, we will be seriously threatened by such increased competition in the Indies and Africa and other countries under the care and guidance of European nations, as that our present cotton supremacy may be absolutely ruined. The great advantage we now have grows out of the fact not only of geographic position and cultivation and favorable climate and all that, but in addition to that we have a monopoly. If you will pardon the recent controversial expression, which will fasten the idea into your minds, we have, so to speak, a preferential of 2 cents a pound on cotton by reason of our having a monopoly of the by- products of cotton seed, cotton-seed oil, and cotton-seed cake, which absolutely control in the United States. We made last year more than $60,000,000 worth of products from the cotton seed, and paid to the planters $45,000,000 for the seed. 12 HEARINGS BEFORE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE. If much more cotton should be raised in Europe and they go into the cotton-seed industry of oil and cake, they will destroy our differ- ential, get 2 cents a pound off the price of our cotton, competitively speaking, and get an increased impetus, so that really the matter is of vast concern; for when we consider that annually, at the present rate of bales of cotton raised and the price, $330,000,000 in gold are brought from European markets and poured out into the channels of American commerce by the fiber alone, and that $30,000,000 is brought from various South American countries and the Orient in cotton prod- ucts, and about $23,000,000 from the by-products of cotton seed, and all of it is poured out in the channels of trade in America annually, we see what is threatened and what is at stake. This constitutes one of the chief imports that make the great balance of trade in our favor. The last section is a verbatim copy of a section in the bill which created the Bureau of Animal Industry. Section + is as follows: That the Secretary of Agriculture shall report annually to Congress, at the com- mencement of each session, a list of the names of all persons employed, an itemized statement of all expenditures under this act, and full particulars of the means adopted and carried into effect in furtherance of the purposes of this act. So that if mistakes are made—and it is human to err—the matter can be annually fully looked into by the Committee on Agriculture and by the Congress, and whatever amendments are necessary or whatever enactment is necessary, in the way of the extension of the fund, or anything else, it can be done intelligently and in a business way under this bill. I do not’ wish to detain the committee, and I thank all of you for the close attention you have given me in the matter. If any gentle- man desires to interrogate me, I will be very glad to answer him. Mr. Hasxins. How long has this boll weevil been devastating your crops in Texas? Mr. Burcess. Something less than eight years. Its first appearance was in what we call the Rio Grande counties in Texas, in the extreme southwestern part of the State, and undoubtedly it came from Mexico. That has been determined by Doctor Howard’s investigation in the Bureau of Entomology of the Department of Agriculture. They have chased the bug down and they know all about it. The only trouble is they find he is the most marvelously healthy bug and the most difficult scoundrel to kill that they have ever run up against in their researches. He does not feed on the leaves of the plant. If he did, this legislation never would have been sought. We worked on him long ago on that theory, but he does not feed on the leaves. He does not feed, even, on the leaves of the square; but those of you who are familiar with cotton growing will understand when I tell you that this bug comes out and he goes in the butt of the square, in under the leaves, and bores into the embryo boll, deposits his seed, and then on and attacks another square. The effect of that is that the square, which is the first process of development of fruit with cotton—the square going into the bloom and the bloom into the full-grown boll, something after the fashion of other fruits—the effect of that is that the square withers dries up, and falls to the ground ina few days. I believe it is fourteen days, is it not, Doctor Howard? Doctor Howarp. Yes. Mr. Burerss. That is the estimate. From the deposit that larva hatches out into another boll weevil. HEARINGS BEFORE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE. 13 Mr. Haskins. Has the State of Texas heretofore taken any action in this matter, toward eradicating it? Mr. Burcgss. Oh, yes, sir. We have had several acts of the legis- lature, and we have an agricultural and mechanical college actively at work. We have some experiment stations. We offered a $50,000 reward, and organized a commission to visit different farmers and receive applications for the award and make different experiments and test different methods for the extermination of the boll weevil. Without going into the detail of it, I will just say that it panned out nothing. We found out nothing that would kill the bug, and the most that has been done, in my judgment, is due to the Department of Agri- culture, and especially to the two subdivisions, the Bureau of Ento- mology and the Bureau of Plant Industry (and primarily to the Bureau of Entomology), in the different experiments which have demonstrated that it will be possible to lessen very greatly the ravages of the weevil by breeding resistant sorts of cotton, and peculiar kinds of cotton, and early varieties of cotton. For instance, it is pretty well established and pretty generally accepted—and Iam a rather good boll-weevil authority myself, as I have been for eight years right where they are under my nose in every field, and it isa large agricultural county I live in—that the less leaves, the less foliage, the cotton has the better; that the more rapidly and earlier the squares form and the bigger the fruit at the first bounce, so to speak, the better, the reason being that this bug comes out in the winter in not very great numbers. The first crop, as we call it, of the boll weevil does not very seriously injure the cotton crop, but they reproduce so rapidly and so enormously that the second stage of them, when they shoot in the squares and the squares fall and their young come out of these fallen squares in boll weevils, and practically deyas- tate the fields wherever they go in, so that the earlier the foliage, the less the foliage, and the greater the cultivation the more you can make, for in addition to the facts that I have stated about them coming out in not so great numbers, it seems to be true that you can not kill the full-grown bug with heat or cold. We have frozen some of the scoun- drels in a bar of ice and kept them two days and then broken the bar of ice and put them in the sun and they thawed out and flew off. That sounds like a dream, but it is a fact; and heat seem not to affect the full-grown bug, but it does affect the larve. For instance, if there is less foliage on the cotton and these squares fall down to the ground, and the rows have been planted wide apart and broadside with the sun’s rays so that the sun falls down hot upon them, a very great many of them never hatch out. In other words, the intense heat of the sun will destroy the larve in the square, although it will not destroy the full-grown bug. So that these cultural methods are now apparently the main reliance. Of course we do not want the further investigation abandoned. I understand Doctor Howard contemplates further investigation, and, I think, very wisely. He has heard of some appearance of a bug like this down in Central or South America, and he wants to keep chasing the matter down to see if we can not find there a disease that can be communicated to the boll weevil, or a parasite that will prey upon him, so that, after the manner of the Department in the scale matter in California, they can rid us of the pest in that way. We want pursued all the different avenues that offer any practical relief. That is one of 14 HEARINGS BEFORE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE. the main reasons why we regard a general bill of this sort as abso- lutely essential. If you attempt to make specific appropriations, you only limit the power and practical business effect of the organized effort or plan. Mr. Scorr. Do these weevils prey upon any other plant? Mr. Burerss. No; I think not. Mr. Scorr. Where do they harbor during winter? Mr. Burcsss. In the stalks, under the bark of the cotton stalks, in some instances, under the bark of logs in the fields and places of that sort where they get shelter. Mr. Scorr. Haveany experiments ever been made looking to destroy- ing the weevil during that period of its life? Mr. Burcess. J think Doctor Howard and his assistants have devoted a good deal of attention to that, and are still doing it. Mr. Burteson. Unquestionably. There have been repeated experi- ments. Mr. Burecess. A great many experiments have been made, and a great deal of study and thought has been given to it, but I am not advised that any method has yet been discovered of striking them in that stage. I think that is a wise suggestion, and that method of procedure ought to be closely and scientifically pursued, because if these fellows can be wiped out in the winter that ends the proposition. Mr. Burweson. In large numbers they leave the fields in the winter aud hibernate in the woods. The Cuarrman. What percentage of the crop do they destroy on the average? The entire crop? Mr. Bureess. Take my county, Mr. Wadsworth. That is a pretty oo I think they have destroyed 50 per cent of the crop, easily. Mr. Grarr. Take it in a field where they appear, do they clean. out the whole field? Mr. Bureegss. In the field they run as high as from 10 to 60, 70, or 80 per cent. To illustrate: One of the largest planters in my county plants 2,200 acres in cotton and has made as high as 1,700 bales. In that field he will make this year 103 bales. Mr. Apams. Is spraying possible practically, or is it too expensive? Mr. Buresss. If you could catch him and spray him, that would solve the difficulty; but the trouble is he gets in under the square, Mr. Adams. Did you ever see a cotton square? Mr. Apams. No. Mr. Burcrss. Suppose this [illustrating] is the embryo boll and suppose four pretty nice leaves meet in this way. Over this embryo ae or boll this fellow gets in under these leaves and goes on this oll. Mr. Apams. He has to be somewhere else before he gets in there. Mr. Burcess. That is true; but he gets in there with lightning rapidity. We have tried a great many experiments on the line of spray- ing him. We have tried it with sulphur fumes and arsenic and Paris green and almost everything you can think of. It undoubtedly does kill some of them. Mr. Haucen. About how many bales of cotton do you produce in Texas? : Mr. Buresss. It is estimated that in Texas and in the Indian Terri- tory together we produce ordinarily something over a three million bale crop, about a third of the total production of the United States. HEARINGS BEFORE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE. 15 The CHarrman. What is the estimated loss? Mr. Burcrss. My judgment is, Mr. Chairman, that the loss will run more than $30,000,000. It is rather hard yet to get at it accurately. Mr. Haveen. What is the cotton selling at? Mr. Burarss. A bale of cotton now will bring about $60. I believe, undoubtedly, that all the cotton planters will agree it would be better for the country and for all concerned if cotton never was above 10 cents a pound; 9 cents would be better. Mr. Bowrs. Is it not a fact, Mr. Burgess, that if the cotton of the South is destroyed or cut half in two, it practically destroys the mill- ing industry not only of the South, but of the East as well, or at least destroys any power of making money in that line? Mr. Burcess. I want to say this in connection with that matter. That was one of the reasons why I called particular attention to the state- ment that is printed in the record, because I took the trouble, being one of the committee that prepared that statement, to collect from the census the absolute figures with reference to all these cotton indus- tries. They show that about half of the manufacturing cotton industry is divided between the South and the East, and they produce nearly $400,000,000 worth: of cotton products in the whole United States. Of course to decrease the raw material upon which these industries rest and to increase its price is to check and arrest their growth and development. I see Professor Howard has a magnified model of the boll weevil on the table. Professor Howarp. Yes. The Carman. Mr. Burleson, this matter at the last meeting was left somewhat in your charge, with regard to the cotton interests you represent. What arrangements have you made as to the order..of speaking ? Mr. Burson. I suggest now that Doctor Galloway or Doctor Howard, either one of them, be heard. The Cuarrman. Very well. STATEMENT OF PROF. BEVERLY T. GALLOWAY, CHIEF, BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Mr. Gattoway. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, I shall not take any time in going over the same ground that Mr. Burgess has gone over. He has covered that subject pretty thoroughly. 1 would also refer you again to the Secretary’s report, on page 88, where he dis- cusses the general proposition. My object shall be wholly to take up the lines of work which are suggested in the Secretary’s report and to explain somewhat in detail the investigation that the Department believes should be put in operation in order to bring about the results that are desired. ; In the first place, I want to emphasize that this is a matter that concerns not only the State of Texas, but the entire South. Any- thing that has anything to do with the cotton crop affects every indus- trial operation in the South, so that it is, considered from that point, a question for all the cotton-growing States, and especially in view of the fact that sooner or later this evil will invade the adjacent territory. There is one other matter that I wish to emphasize at this time. That is, that like all similar invasions of this nature, pretty nearly 16 HEARINGS BEFORE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE. everything that happens to cotton now is attributed to the weevil. There are a great many other things that are destructive. Of course the cotton-boll weevil is the thing that is now in the public eye, but there are such things as storms, and floods, and similar things, and any injury, any damage, is generally attributed to this particular thing. Taking up, therefore, the lines of work that are enumerated by the Secretary in his report, there is reference on page 88 to the first line of work, ‘checking sporadic outbreaks of the weevil.” Dr. Howard will talk on this subject, and I only wish to say a few words in passing. In the matter of the expenditure of money in this field alone, the en- tire amount could probably be used, but it is a grave question whether the Department should take any action to that end. It is a question whether the States themselves can not, if it is deemed wise to do so, act in the matter, and it is merely a question of detail whether or not the Department should spend $10,000, $20,000, or half a million dollars in attempting to check sporadic outbreaks. I do not by that mean that efforts should not be made to check sporadic outbreaks, because I think efforts in that direction could be well put into operation. The Cuarrman. Have any sporadic outbreaks occurred ? Mr. Gattoway. Yes, sporadic outbreaks have occurred and are oc- curring on what is called the wave of the evil. The CHarrman. It is absolutely by contact from the diseased or affected portion of the country, is it not? Mr. Gattoway. Sporadic outbreaks, of course, would come in that way; but the point I had in mind was where a sporadic outbreak would be of such a nature that to stamp it out would not require a great expenditure of money. The question of the expenditure of money that I wish to speak about is whether or not the General Government should take action with reference to reimbursing cotton growers for crops that are destroyed. That is where the expenditure of money might be run to any limit. That method, of course, was followed in the case of the foot-and-mouth disease, where the Government actu- ally reimbursed, to a certain extent, owners of cattle who had such cattle destroyed. But those things Doctor Howard will discuss more fully, and I shall leave them in that shape. 2 Mr. Scorr. You have alluded to a sporadic outbreak. If it would not interrupt you to ask the question now, I would like to inquire whether this boll weevil has inflicted anything like as much damage in other cotton-growing countries as it is now inflicting upon our country. ie Gatioway. Ithinknot. We have suffered more than any other country. Mr. Scorr. And whether some other countries have had a visitation from it, and it has then, after a period, passed away. Mr. Gattoway. [think not. The thing is existing in Mexico and and: doing as much damage there as it ever did. The Cuartrmayn. Do they continue to raise cotton there? Mr. Gattoway. They raise cotton in certain sections where the weevil does not exist or can not exist owing to climatic conditions. There are certain elevated portions of Mexico where I understand they can grow cotton, but we do not have any such climatic conditions in she