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7 sv,5' ^*'^ / . CIBCULAX Nt, 14 6E1..kNL- iii 'li .1 , SInited States D)cpirt mcii t I r cI It LI rc, DIVISION OF F.NTOMOLOG TI : MI: XI: i t1 IIl'N-t11 N .i. Ei EV IL. i i n t IA,. ,.*i i..1" ,1'n f Btoll.) .".t'illi. nrl TI[E t ]li'l'1 \1;, ('ircular No. 1; .;).' piil)li-'lil. ii A. i ii. I .'l.11',. a d (.o l .ii Il a ilrief relport ai' tle 06b.11'1rvlitiiIIS iii.til, upt 1) I Ii:it time, snnil tlih cotli (' l ioii busdis il on th s h t l r-aI\'iti iii., i'-1L'i flil tg the MN .Il'X ;lii ott I) I oill W ee vil, an insert (1f (C'trial .I Anicerieiin iril iiin j. . whbicb, ( -lll'hlr I.'l, 1' F. j .." attracte-d <.allsidrll'i i. I hie utteifliiit ill the -.-/ . Cottonl fields lit' SOutl 11(A E ^r' |i-' Texas. Ti(- imnvrsti. ^ r T / {^ ^ ^ gatioin waiscontiuitiid i itil_ ,.,. f- doring the suimlirlll. .. full,an tl fd ir li-\,iiitirr ,,. . of 1895, especially by . Mr. Sllharz. ho\vl, - visitedil Te.-i;iin Maiy . aind .tig ititl agtia '* '* from (it'h)ibr to )e De a cemlber, aiiind 1y Mr. -- ~ Tol'II' sIlli lln, w ii t'u. 1.-AI lhiwtA0 U iaIt q adult whtip; wa. sia |ra-a statiomed ill I ihe 'ta It vtlrgi during thle greater plit ,t, the summer. ll Thei writer went to r"\..- inll D)ecemibte -, ill iil iiimipat y with MI. Secliwalrz s.i.iliilly gitdied tih! e lniilitibi of ilt' hii-s :. lit that S nl and t,1.i .4! with iiiily l1 iiiiiilllit cotton griow'ers. Tli'h ulie.t ft' their pre-ent circular is to la;y l in! I. i t toll planters thie re-uli- of this mipplu nii til ini\rv i.iv.itiii. In order to niakte it 'o iiipli t- in it-clf?. such '..ilts i- ,.lli. iifli', l are i l..,ith'1 i'ailu (-'im.llhr Ni). ii. ;ENI-IA.I. %P'l'Al %N( E V NI. M' i.1lIII) (OF WO()RK. "'hi. ii.sect is a-i -in.ill. liP- ili we, rvii. ti' th lie ih i ,iil L'''ipi".aln .illearalvle shiowni iit ii t 1, i. land mi ;isil ilng a litrl, Ih.-h h .tli a iii lil- ter of atil inlih ili hIniltli. It is fIiid ii llil cotton li.hl]- thiriiii, tliit t lie seA.Soni, |n1n11tullnlii and l.ihi e its I'g, in the sqli ltres ai id iolls. Tile larv. of tlihr shailt.. .aind aip.aI.iivrn.e ;liiwni at C. I, I and IlleSr- I iii- ;I lilthi iyc-r tliree eighths of' ai inch in length whlien full grown, li',, withill tle IItI(s :uil li ills IId feed upon their i terior substance. 'lhi, squa'ires :attatvked usiully drop, but must of tlih- damaged bolls remniii uipoill thie liant inid .et-oime iunt. ,n d ur dwarfed, except, late ill ht' sil ISeaii, whliel thiev eirlier dry (or rot. IDI iS IBTi 'ION. T'lis i.u- L t tlirIoin ghli its rvnages caused tile viltiii, ;lo:iioii .iMouiilova', Mexico, a1botut 182i'. .nba l(dolmeit. of cotton Two) or three years ago Fit, '2 -N i:l -Ih,," iu; i-im 1ill' 1 of llh Me, \ie .111 i *:y!,n 1 tll w re il. cotton was agaiiil plinited in that vicinity. lint thile weevil immediately Sreailpeared ;miil (destroyed tlie crop. At Matnon(r;s tlie weevil was noticed eilht or ten years ;ago. About 1893 it crossed the river at IBroiwnsiville,aid in 1894 was noticed in tlie country around San Diego, Alice, ;ind Beeville. At thle close of thlie seisoii of 184 the insect occu- pied a territory extendling to the north ;a little beyond Beeville, a few miles to the (a-.t of that point, and southwest to the neighborhood ot R,;ilitos., mil the National Mexican Railway. The greatest damage setIems to have leeun done along the lower Nueces River. I)uring 189.5, am, pliati.iiirly in thle latter part nf tlie season, it extended its range to ;i c,,sideratble extent. Toward the east it was found iu moderate abiilLIdak'nc' at1ol:i tilt, \.,ll 1 HI tae tilil:olr'ti l i'iJ n af V i ltoria, Tl' ii'ii Au.AIIii, aill Cuero. Ni'tli of itS old 1.1 II it exteI lI d toI 1 KCinedy 'lorev S Ih. IIIv m.IiI \ poi ts III the I ouI ry i i ., I.twIen tI II latter phice anid C'iiero. A .i. gl firhl wa liiiiil neI ar Sail Antollwhichlul conitaineil,\ %teevilHs hin gi, ini l..n-.~,and inI the sam e way ;q i .'i linsh 'lA wai- found far to tI e east at \\ liii1.11 iII whic h the w1h eet\ ill had appeared late in the seaoIn. TIe xa4It lhi .il In, \\ Ihee14 tli iilnsrt was 1,111 l ,lirin4-" II'',-" alre ildlicaft'ed l li till ;,',') iii inll,_, M Aii. N A I I 1 \ 1 IIt 1 1 i I; \ 1 I TI I I I'. Tiii insect pa-sesv- tile winter i,, thie evill state. It cil;I I)n. oiii n, )n thil oltti iliti l t u i,,t i late iUn I)etemeirl, ;aniil. in 1.1. t, t II,, a. ;iany portion ofth, h' itist is green. It is futbnd mlost alnuldluntly in tlie i.,n ly winter liilhdhl between the iln- voliirre iLn t Ilie hlx1. and lster it Ireqiueiontly works its w.iy down into tlhe dry aind open Il,11-. a/ All tilitspl ciii",ns l;,ind lby Mr. -. sih wa'rz. in sueli situations in V00 thli late 'in." oft I".95 were ,' -c - dead; bill Mr. '1ow ii.i|iui 4 nd 1"S4E_ " a ilfw 11 1ig in March. ThI "v j '' dry hIoll is plr. ',,l\1 not a Ii, .' /- ,, queintly I 1v .i.ce -, iil l iIii ii.itin, place. .luI(g, S. 1;. lI;, ,le1. (3111 S li i'lps bi ir lin ne vr i- \ ritii ,,_ J^ j H V ^ V ^ T ^ .tatls lhat thlie weevil at lihat - tilni was heili. lllniiil cvarly Iv every day in the dry IIl-: but , tlhi.s .tateiieint lacks the.i '.1i Iliica tin c \ Iliich it ii -'lit other- a ,' , , ~ ~ I', f) li. .- %. 1i 1. it. 1 11hnl ars i m **11.: . W I'4e h -l~l h:lt-1 d ;1 I.-. ll,,~ ll,, ,,,n l ,,. ,,: Ii -,l r., ,> l ,rva in rilii.* r.i' ',| .. .... ,. II %vti se l i inv il lit; rii. i ihe lin i It .1! 1 .1 .... ., -. . tlie hict that uo heavy M'l't-! had probably occurred up to that tine at Sharpstiirg. W ith tiht 'ultinu,,of the pilIkit or with thin* i/ii,. or ill\ ii., "I tWe bol]s as a. ilu ciilt t tr It-l. the h il1il|t w\ '-. Ii, la %p h tlie plant a2nid seuk .WheltvIr u-Ider i e iIii'l.i ait tle sirnMace ",' the v giimin. W ".r anI v, o u wee'd aimI tr.shi ;it lih margin(iti ( it tihe filik. lIIre thie reImnain it iil thle waiil dayivs ot .-plring;. when they ily to the ii-t ibuds on such v 11111unteer pla ts is Imay ,',mie iip, in the neighborhood. They teI edon these and lay thichr epgg.s lo li t early -ii. im iv a4 d m i.. or Pierliaps two, g MeratiNTIs areF 1l.velopedl in such '1ilnt ii.,,-, the lumber hlei'lii" upon the hl.ir.aeter iff tlhe se:IiII and thle date of cotton pltim.. I; l-i-tinime the planted littolli hais gr'naiii hi.i tllllil to I)rin)ulte sIqlalres the weevils have hieco IIie IllI e liiir11liMii. andi those which ilave developed In11 tlihe l el- eration (lit vliillnt.er cotton attack thle planted cotton, amd tlir,,i..i tleir pln li t iv'.cs. either for ti,.liii-L or a.. I.i\ in,... eause a w h Inlesale sheddinlIg It, the yulng .slliialves. Itseeis to Ile ani almost inv ;rial1e ruhl 1 iat ;a silqrine inl whici a weevil hais laid an i, i p, "o I Iii h ll- li n, ,il as a reI'sult Il the work of the larva; ill the ,Jil1,. a ',n li,. g ,i' iil lii,. lari'Va reachesI Ifull gi, 1 li. tranIsfi)rIns to |il,'.,. andl issues eviiII.illy as at bl etle. tlie tiine io ciipild in this i,11ii, .iji-i ',,liiiiiii, f6iir weeks. later. aIs tlie bolls io'rin. the weevils attack tiliri .il I i. nd la. their 4 *1 egg. in them, and the larvaw develop ill the interior just. a.s with tlhe squares. The bolls, however, do not drop. Figs. :, a, and :1, b, show the larvae in the squares, aid fig. 3, (', shows mi young boll rut open and tlie pulpa in its customary position. There is a constant succession of generations troin early spring until frost, the weevils becoming constantly more numerous and the larvae and puplv as well. A siiingle female will occitpy herself with egg-laying I'MI a t'coii.-ideiralile number of day.,, so that tlchere arises by July al inex- tricable confusion of giiieratiomis, and the insect may lie found in thie field in all stages at the same time. Thlie bolls, as we have just stated, do not drop as (do the squares, but gradually become discolored, usually onil one side only, and by the time the larva becomes full-grown generally (crack open at the tip. While in a silqa i one usually timnds but a sin- gle larva, in a full-grown boll as many as twelve have been found. IiI any case, how- ever, the hatch. .ig of a single : lhrva in a boll s i results ins the ( le-x a e strtctioie of the :yboll to spch aln jt ta extent that its 1t iber is useless. Where no seri. ous frost occurs tiii Depember, p ofk the insects all, we" rdiaeal y all, FIG. 4-Mature boll cut open at left, showing full.gr,, no lar% i -r'II at I, I in trit right not cut aud showing feeding puinctures and i. ,I s it, are- aFi5 d hitter bi ber. iiat i g quarters, although larval have been found on into, .1 amuaiy at Sliarlisbiirg. Wh'len- ever a heavy frost comes in this month Ih, m-r hebi e, the ohbervations of last fall show that those insects which haye not reached the beetle stage are nearly all killed. From tills fiict it fidlliaws that the insect will probably not prove as injuiious iii other portions of the cotton belt as it is in southern Texas. Itwas found during the latter part of 1895 that the weevil was present in a number of localities in which it wag not k iioMwn by the p)lanters themselves to occur. It is illihior. taut that every planter who lives in or mear the region which we have mapped out should ibe able to discover the weevil as soon as it imikts its al)l)earance in his lieliI. Where a field ik at all badly infested the absence of bloom ik an ildica- tion of the presence of the insect. In the early . part of the season the weevils attack the s' uares first, and these wilt and drop off. A tiId nlay lie in full blossom, and as soon as the iin'vet sh'preads( well through it hardly a blossom will be s5eii. This dropping alhe, however, is not a suitlicietit. indication of the wiei il's presence. Squares are Flr.5.-5late Fall boll Phbw. shed from other causes, but if a siitIicie t 11moberi i,. .1w h,.meiv ifi. lie. of fallen squares are cut oi eii the va.;u.c will be ween bull jii involuert. apparent. crh characteristic larva of the weevil will lIe ,luite readily n,,.,:-i,ial/aii on comparison with the igu res which we iublkiih herewith. As ..iitud alo L'. the bolls do 11 llt[ 'I I,,. jiiinurei made tl tiIe w<*\'lll, I Icesliig. |lOWevel al-eo o aipml.ltir 'll csl Ila i a bollt IS .dil ,i t .i I haii 1 i., to ii,. .,h tll tilp the lLar a ,ik thll 3111 l)l i'ii lI 1411eiM W li ll I I I't lltih ol ll 'lll ilng it olp til Late 1 l1 ti 1 1i asol thll, 'e 1 -, tlr. -i.e%'t -es will be ftlou i, ,l r 1 r.1 the ino' hnre a;id the 1 ll. no shiiwl li II. *', or in their absence the I.'rliii-, i. II.rks ianl lhe \,.1 low, !.4111ii.Iii i.\1irenieiit which i.llh i ti n i \ ii l,<., at the lla,1 e 1,, tIl bl oll are' Iv M lhlniie t idicril nni s. OPIILUAR N \\ I'.. Ill south Tc\I'.,. -III'IIn S.l ll-li ..-|n.l'lkll Ilu, l1h tIlc insec t is ;Z,.1. I Olly k in W "w, .,- th,, lrnc l,. 1 lh .1i I Il~i \ 1% 1 .,, %,i, I,,,' I ,l, I' to tll(, 'SlUlt or lcaik 9l thi iii-i l;VIlil-hi I' I .in L pl )lanters '.ai., i.uilky ret'erred tIo thte itns.ct .t11 lii.t. as .I hi. sli:c li-.hi,,rmI a trllll w\h\ eh lir lli iny +1 ;ii'M Ihas b liii .ipplnie to any insect w which ';iltlis5 (tii alIedding ll (ll- squares M 11 thee r',tti It' th IboHllS. As thier, ;In s:er eril ] Iti v iii -,I s that are com11 monll ly called sharljshslistrs. aUK% an hin1,1. tlhongh inln inums. ale ly -no i) Ilidans to be compared w ith this il-cut, it become.ts lml.s.-a.i y to dlscnir, i, in every \\waIy the ue iof tHlie word slhirp- slooter s i;iliilieil t ttlhis .,\ i. LI, I- waste attemil)ted il (ite li 1i editi io olf th tii ul.' la \ illii. .t i,.ii], one i, tlie commonilest ,i the insects ordili ilirll l nIiittl shiii ] h,,,iiiitrv'. .ulli= g attentionI to ie raI dicil ,lith,.i i ii.,r-. whilh ex'M.t lIelhwe.l it .iandi he weevil tinder consideralio. I1"1,. adolt tioill oftlii tl eri" .Mexicaln i tton l,,ll bid ..\ iF" lil the Iew pest- is reiconi- mended. ThIe t ruin sharlishooter is now nuch lies's g,.cn1.hil. :i]iii.,lw to tlit'he wev\il I hllin i t was at fir't. I'laltiters .i.llil' nhow l'i"r to it ias thet boll wvet'il, or the Mexican ",I .\ il. oir the Mex\iean boll weevil. I.A I..SSITES ANt N I I lN H I. 1ENIlIIS. It i. s.tf tit s.iy that little assistance +ill be derived t'i .i thie work olf Iill'nral I'lt'llies and parasites ii, upo, this instjset. ( i thle fiorllner 1oit4' ol any itilIIort.ilce lii'v hIeel foilid. several ( i al eites, Ihow ver, have been tfuiipl ati iltack it, and in olet o ever, late ini Iir *-lt i, ili. ;il'ltr thle weevil hias col pl t'ed its l.il I iL. forl tilte vi'ar :iind l a tini when a minili umi t ,t' .,l can lie .'II miniljli'li,.1 by tle i ic, i ti'inli it' tile l, iv;:i. Thie itaiijority 1 tihe weev ils in a gi .,ii tit-il Ifiil to hiile itr'i;it li'r c'>'.lik I i'iiL, Iil, 1 li,'1 Iy oC ld weitlie"r ol' Solle tlither taims, soi ii it the work o1 liarites ati this tintw does iot conmit. ('ail'ul is.liiiilt.. s, however, show tliat tlill 15 to 20 per cent i,' the weevil hi;i*, in l'illii squares inll N, veinher tt lIeev ilhle and Kelijtfly were dIehstrye il y li mirasites. Theie is a bare Ioxsibilily tliat in tihe' original hnli 'oe oll- il" weevil (south li r\ixiCO anlid st"ne 'ienitral Alnn'riiiIli States. aq \w\ll a; certain id tIe West I nies) mtore imicic iit'n pa a.mti's could i,,iiid. but this llpossiblility is ,l;ini ly ',ilttiiiitly -iii.,' toI walramn the ep linse of a search expeditioi. R E; 11 E;1'IES. In .onislidri,'ii tlih matter ,li ,.mniII.- we must start will thle state- menit that cxpexnei, has shown that none 4,' the iii,.i.nl aipldictionss it insecticides ill IW it the ..li;hll.-( valnie ;,.iit,- this l.. irrie.. There ate r[ea.Mi.'[s. liow'vrei. which cotton l,.irers 1miay .l,,iop .iitl \h1iiri. if carried out Lniierelly at the lighlit Iin. 1l postpone thie alpiearance of the insect in i iijuriu.is numbers for one or two generations, even if they will not prevent an undue multiplication of the species. These measures are directed againstt. tlhe over-wintered weevils and the larva- of the first generation, since where the insect has once become numerous nothing can be done to save the crop froin practical destruction. We have noticed that the \ecvils first appear in spring among clusters of younmig squares on the most advanced cotton plants. This slug gests the possibility of' trapping these earliest beetles by means of a very few cotton plants especially grown fr this purpose. These plants must be gi own at convenient points, muit be protected from frost, and forced by watering, so that they will branch out and acquire buds even in advance of t lie volunteer cotton. The weevils which issue from li(eriiatiiig quarters on the first warm days will be attracted to these pilanits at once, and canll be easily collected atid killed(, if the plants are examined daily until the cotton in the fields has become of some size. It is not likely that this plan will appeal to the average cotton planter, but we are convinced that much good .an be done by its gen- eral adoption. The fact that the spring generation develops only upon volunteer cotton has suggested thle possibility that the insect will not spread lbw.omid the region where volunteer cotton will grow in spring, but untbrtunately this possibility is by no means absoluitel\ to be relied upon. Nevertheless, the destruction of such volunteer plants as come up in cori fields ;>md in abandoned fields which, tihe previous year, were planted to cotton, can not be too strongly recommended, for it is a matter of observation that the shade aifloidcd by thlie corn or the rank- growing weeds which come up in abandoned fields is especially favor- able to the development of the weevils. While the plants are young, and where labor is ;is cheap as it is in south Texas, a great deal of good can be acconlomilished by picking and burning the fallen squares, and if this is done promptly .1 large number of the insects will be destroyed. It should be done at. least twice, at intervals of three weeks, during the period while thIe plants are small. As soon as the plants begin to lwa:inch out, however, this method becomes iimlracticable, onil account of the difficulty of finding the squares on the ground. Thi idea of picking the affected bolls during thlie cotton picking was suggested in the tir-t edition of the circular. It was thought that the aflected bolls could be so readily recognized lhat. m1ny thou.sainls of the insects could be destroyed by the cotton l pickers by picking these affected bolls and c.i iryi ng themn a\ ;y in a separate receptacle to be burned. The amount of extra labor involved ill this operation, how- ever, would be very considerable, and the atiteetcd bolls in many instances are not to be recognized at a glance. ]Th'hes. measures, aside from the last one,'togct her with i early planting and clean cultivation, comprise all that can be done to save the crli p of l.in. It is obvious, however, that no general adoption of these simple measures will be bimouight about this year, and that. the probabilities arc strong that the insect will be quite as injurious as in 1895, if not more so. A good first crop will probably be seuredl it tlhe climatic conditions are fIivoiablc. but the top crop is sure to be (lestroe.ed by tihe weevils. This dc.triuitimii, judging from the experience of the past two v;i.-, will probably take place in September in most of' I tlie localities where the weevils were present in 18%I5, aid at this time the prospective loss of the top crop will at once become evident from the a;tbsence of bloom. - 7 'l The pro.-il-'t ,,1" anv hIrtlivi l, i,pi, .inli Oi l 'otton I,,in,,. thu i ,! .so ,exttvn ,'f" sm dl.al .1 r.iiu; t.rtti,,i i obtained as to what i |I,,i li,.,i,-. ifte iT.11 t !i In lst I|i i,'t iir ] i id ,i nf ir il ino tEie number 1r tg i iti ci irailII se. t''l li ig .;1p l1 il.'li,\ Iv 1 11 ii nn 111 it ot I,,) I)I. 1'1umuio*r 1' I .-1 alilc t hat i I s i t iii 4 ipp1 ioiit i l i-i uinni : I I i li iii I I I c p ailt ;T I 1 I I' lia d i t i e i ti I'Itl tIn 1 I il :'l 'ii i Ini, I i i IIf the p l llts i il t lii e iii bl 'rl i emis .vidi.at gifnil tin," :otti cll \ i i to bhile ,..nitI,,red will be i ri. h i, i ll. l i0 1 .'it iii In IIany l,, S. ili, I. ,InIiiaI the I st sIum Ii this I ould ie hut Ie il d poe I d o- i ult u;lil\ll.. as eI vrly d i l tvn l ,' -inn I- I I (lelobrr, andt, '*t,\,..il l.ir ,, gt,,,.. ,I| c'ottt ll ill N.urrcs',' ;ill Ihiv~tl iiii e .is i \ denied 1 i t i tIlil:.l hilu oI lhi. le I I e a I e I ) ill ta! l turally te id*lHt'I< toI ,ii ,Id.iin i i ; 'i l. iiivtI," tli ]' l.it, irI l I -d th i ,i I i n. l it l the 1 in Sct .li l t I 'I i 1 1 i,- \' i lhi). 1 It i line mt'lIto Ill ])IVaI (',,llllf fitir exsnii|l>, stems ti IH :n,,iii 1 thn' 1 .' 1)riit i % of, the k II : IIl tl i l e i ill c i I, I by 1r1 It rIf i I I I I e 1 \li t I ell be nt Vntgil IIblt'iMied to jlut down Iiheir 5lantu < iliin; cs ai Vha i. ithese i.i oflaiit ki.' ti tIhei',lnl ,,ii ioitoni. I. thii. whc y the l~ls t^ti inu imimy lield.- \, ill dnil, lsh be I,.ri I-mi.nling; 1i itil Ilwwrd th 1'1d -dI DI 'friill ltt'r, ('t i lhd an.vhiiL t I ii nulik iu'la' n, il 'Iin vc' l ,n' iithler 1,\ l i i -il.ntii ori Itltrne i.e. it i- inll tis ;ill dearnuction lIr t liet ttoe tlhat oir l st lpr d f iel ae t i t i't ii a''reson| o tlook iud il tnii. eo l eetisi twah ftli' 1 r .11 .L..1 i lion Siihiit I' h e llic hi t lli I tot al the l)l1li l i lln -'\ i4. 1i i l hil should 111 I i'1 h tired in thiis a i%. All the in.eI t.I w' icht a t il tI l rvaIl alni ]i'I .,l .c t Io I ill I; 1, d1e.- ,\(I etl wheIIII tp I otto In i i lII d I It Ihose \%hli,.h1 ;1 y he in the l,-,tll, \,, N, rill, hy lli.-lri. -,'.il alive. If, there ti're, ai cirtai, i 1ii uber a li' thI e i lantig t le hpl .at .,Wneli a in ,\i t Iat II. these ipl.>nts will attract the reun. i, i,,,_ l,, ..lh.> whvlh will settle IlI kii tl eC i. N-o tliLatI t or 1CV Ib i dtI' l li I ,i a1. 1.. I ii. 1 tl n i dbl.y ind a1l,.l i \ ;i d.i. If tiiI li] ttl e ;iire all 'u1t IIIdown Md iid urnii. tiln b'etls will sprad fai' and wide: lilt if a i i'w arC e ]u i .Iti ,itnilin_'ue i this wa" the weevils will \W here tlh re is il h' vili' ,- a e ertaill al li i t lot co ltto still Ih be ;iils h- ,-red I;l'Qel I liv eatl-y part tIl',()cober1 it may I e aI ;1]i ; t 4o l) "stI)iOe tl i. is 4 ltin ., ldi> h'd In ;1 n in of ti iplnrts t W e I have tIn I II that tIIhe weevil iitiiinu,- to I 'ii l ed and 1m11vay lhe al,,lt1 ile the bolls in ;1 il .1 ..1- u) tI tli e time i l' the llt.-il b 'o t The ,.uu ielitii a d bur'ciii't' will then a olgintl]i.- 1 I a eolnsidleansblie alilouillt ile' c\, i even illf done u i,.L Ng n\ 'ra., Iber. ;altloll., ()etober woun l be t ia better. F'roint the-. preiselt ,uttlsol,. i' -iii'l I,', tIe bc t hope wh-i Ih the cotton i pilliltel. in I lih alhe ttv il e;iioltn %will ieve ul the :ll r wllt l cIf in tiill,, i ing this l.iit (d.sucit t l method in tole .ttll of I. anId theIll mo e 'liO- oug lil, and nd nifillm iily (ami. in I II I. the earlier) thiis is done in ;n\ L'iM I oII tlo.ali[y i1l, -i re'ater will be.the ele rnee okI',. a -,lood tl .i, tle I,'ll i -, \\ii Year. I'llftortlinnit-ly, it'ter talkiin'. %ith Il;lim Y cotton to l:llph tri Z its 1i1" 'egin,i w o are by IO )lea s .in ilti tle .)1i l \\ ll be ,Ir .11 general. I-ollhmed, f'ill the reasons .ll..-lggv.tt,, above; mid as the l li-prt ,t tIese plmiilters thelinslves. as %%ell ;i-, till- owlers of cotton plalltatiolls ill dljoiniilil r l'egios,, a as yet u iiit W'e-l .tl, will ih.r,,p1iil almost ,.iritr, 1\ ol the aet-mral ado|ltion oi'f this plan or some better one whieh may 1 ,t l>e ,li- Cove'lred, it ler il.nes necessary to look t;,\ i trd the l t niifirt'fii.it lif remedial work by" ,.i.-l.itinm. It will be -greailt ti tlihe iitre'v.t ol' ll growers of cotton in thIe pi.ohr Ii. ditri.t lyiniig to tie nl rthlea-t-t o tin,' t egion at prest'lt infested to i1r1'g' thlie l:iasUage of an eact dtiiiing th le .e ,si ii ,t IS9ii.;-!i7 which m ill lriiii.- about thlie enforcement of reuinei .iil work in .''97. T'iins ac;t limuhl pr(o. UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 8 3 1262 09216 4556 vide for the appointment of commissioners in each county upon the application of a certain number ot the citizens of that county. These commissioners should be enipowered to enforce remedial work, to levy penalties, or to have the work done by their own agents, the cost to be assessed upon the property, It will be well to let this law have a wide bearing aiil not to cnnifine its .iipplication to this particular insect, but cover all iiijuriuis insects, in case of future emergencies of a similar nature. Such a law should be passed in every State in the Union. Though it might remain inoplerltive fuir years, its application would be available in case of any sudden emergency, such as thle introduction from a foreign count y of a new in 1jurious insect, or the sudden multi- plication and spread of any one of our native species. SUMMARY OF REM-DIES. (1) Tnippinig over-wintered beetles by means of a few early planted cotton plants. (2) Destruction of volunteer plants in corn fields or abandoned fields. (3) Picking fallen squares as fast as practicable, from tlhe time the squares are formed on the plant. (4) Cutting and burning the cotton stalks as early in the tall as prac- ticable, and, if p',ssible, plowing the cotton fields at the same time. (5) Tra.ipping the last weevils in the field by means of a;i few plants left standing. "Ileie call be no doubt that tiws insect is the most serious enemy to the cotton plant with which cotton gnmers in this country have had to contend, and every e(lloUit should be made to prevent its further spread. The writer believe, that this can be accomplished, if, by con- certed action of the planters, the i-eommiiiendationsjust made are carried out throughout the infested region. L. 0. HOWARD, Entomologist. Approved: (CHAS. W. D)AINEY, Jr., Assistant Secretary. WIXSH NI ,"'N. 1). 1C., Frhui-ry 12, 1,96. |