146 ANNUAL REPORTS OK DEPAHTMKNT OF AGRICULTURE. 



It is true that the success of the lime-sulphur wash as a winter 

 treatment for this scale has obviated the necessity for a competent 

 natural enemy to a large extent, but it is believed that this enemy is 

 s^ill living in parts of the South. 



MEXICAN COTTON BOLL WEEVIL. 



The Mexican cotton boll weevil received some attention at the 

 hands of the department prior to the 16-year period under consid- 

 eration. At that time it was confined to the State of Texas, and, 

 inasmuch as the State itself appropriated a sum of money for its 

 investigation, to be carried on by the State entomologist, the depart- 

 ment turned the matter over to the station authorities for a time. 



In 1900, howeA^er, it appeared that the problem was so great as to 

 demand every possible aid, and, with congressional appropriations, 

 the entomological service of the department entered once more upon 

 the investigation and has continued it until the present time. In the 

 course of this investigation probably the most intensive study ever 

 made has been carried out in regard to the boll weevil. Every phase 

 of its life history and activities has been gone into with the utmost 

 particularity. 



As the result of these intensive studies, w^hile no actual and radical 

 remedy of an exterminative character has been found, a system of 

 cotton-plantation management has been developed, based entirely on 

 these studies, which enables the planter to grow good crops even in 

 the presence of the weevil. This has been put into effect with great 

 success by the southern farm demonstration service of the Bureau 

 of Plant Industry. Incidentally other insect enemies of cotton have 

 been studied during these investigations. 



FIG WASP. 



Following the sending to California from Algeria by Mr. Swingle, 

 of the Bureau of Plant Industrj^, of the fig wasp {Blastophaga gros- 

 sorum)^ this insect, upon whose relations with the flowers of the 

 Smyrna fig the production of the Smyrna fig crop is dependent, was 

 established in California under the management of an agent of the 

 Bureau of Entomology, and this establishment is responsible for the 

 present Smyrna fig culture in that State and of its future culture in 

 other States. 



GLPSY MOTH AND BROWN -TAIL MOTH. 



The gipsy moth and the brown-tail moth, two insects accidentally 

 introduced into New England, became so abundant and destructive 

 in 1905 as to call not only for large State appropriations but for 

 governmental aid. Realizing the hopelessness of exterminative work 

 after these pests had gained a firm foothold over 4,000 square miles 



