The Bulletin. 21 



It is possible that an application of tobacco dust at rate of from 

 100 to 200 pounds per acre, sown in the row with the seed, would 

 be an effectual preventive, as tobacco in many forms is an excellent 

 remedy for plant-lice. But this has not yet been proven. In the 

 ( Vntral States it has been demonstrated that the seed corn can be so 

 treated as to greatly reduce injury from this insect, but it is ex- 

 tremely doubtful whether these methods could be used profitably on 

 cotton, owing to the vastly greater quantity of seed used. 



For further discussion of several of the methods here mentioned 

 the reader is referred to what is said under the headings Rotation 

 (p. 4), Plowing (p. 5), Deep Fall Plowing (p. 5), Preparation of 

 Soil (]>. -5), Time of Planting (p. 6), Planting Excess of Seed 

 (p. 6), Fertilization (p. 7), and Cultivation (p. 7). 



THE COWPEA-POD WEEVIL. (Chalcodermusceneus.) 

 Order Coleoptera. Family Curculionidw. 



Description.- — A very dark brown, bronze or black weevil, less than 

 one-fourth inch in length, with strong snout or beak bent down under 

 the head. It appears in fields of young cotton in late May and early 

 June, attacking and eating holes in the leaf, stems, and in tender parts 

 of the main stem in the young growing part of the plant. Especially 

 abundant and destructive in land which was in cowpeas the previous 

 year. 



Injury in North Carolina. — During seven years this insect had 



not been complained of to this office until 1007, in which season it 



was reported from Duplin, Wake, Johnston and Harnett Counties. 



That it has long been present in the State, however, is well shown 



oy the fact that we have in the office collection specimens from Wake 



County in 1901, from Johnston in 1002, and from Carteret in 1003. 



In 1007 it was regarded as seriouslv destructive, as shown by the 



following : 



Clayton, N. C, June 4, 1907. 



The hug you call Cowpea-pod Weevil is still playing havoc with my cotton 

 on the 3-acre lot where he first appeared. In nine days I have gathered over 

 5.000 of them off the three acres, and they seem to keep right on coming. 

 * * * They are in several of my neighhors' cotton also; one told me this 

 morning that he had gathered over 2,000 from one of his fields. But in every 

 instance where they have appeared it is where peas were planted last year. 

 Lots of lice are working at the root and sucking the life out of it. so yon see 

 cotton is having a very bad time down here. 



.Most truly. Icana Pool. 



R. F. D.. Four Oaks. N. C, June, 1007. 



I enclose a few hugs. * * * They devour the cotton crop and are very 

 destructive, get on the stalk and "lull" it. and kill it almost like a hot iron 

 had been pierced through the stalk. One man says they are destroying his 

 crop. Very respectfully. 



R. I. Lassiter. 



On May 20, 1007, Mr. M. C. Hodge, R. F. D. Xo. 2, Ealeigh, 

 W 7 ake County, brought to the State Department of Agriculture young 



