The Bulletin. 23 



Natural Enemies. — No careful study of the natural enemies of 

 this insect has yet been made, though it is known to be attacked by 

 one or more species of parasites. It is altogether likely that some 

 are eaten by those species of insect-eating birds which frequent ^ cot- 

 ton and cowpea fields, such as the Bob White, Sparrows, Cat-birds, 

 Mocking-birds and Blue-birds, but the good that they do in con- 

 trolling'this insect is not great, and it will not do for the fanner to • 

 rely on them. 



Summary. — The Cowpea-pod Weevil seems to have only recently 

 become a serious cotton pest in this State and apparently its regular 

 food plant is the cowpea. It attacks young cotton in May and June 

 and pierces the leaf stem and main growing stem with its beak or bill. 

 It is apparently chiefly confined to lands which were in cowpeas the 

 previous year. Up to the present it does not appear to be much under 

 control of natural enemies. 



REMEDIES. 



With this insect, as with so many other cotton pests, we must 

 depend chiefly on methods of management and care of the crop to 

 avoid injury. It is doubtful whether it would be profitable to make 

 any application of poison to the plants, even if such treatment were 

 known to be effective. But as the insect is chiefly destructive to 

 young cotton and on lands previously in peas, it is practicable to out- 

 line methods of treatment which will benefit the crop and which, at 

 the same time, will be inexpensive. 



The most obvious method of control is to avoid planting cotton 

 on land which was in peas the previous season. The letters and 

 experiences quoted in this account of the pest all show it to be mainly 

 confined to land previously in peas, hence the avoidance of such lands 

 for cotton will furnish an almost absolute protection. We well know 

 that cowpeas are a favorite crop to go ahead of cotton, and for the 

 present there will be no occasion to change this system of rotation so 

 long as this weevil does not become a pest, but once the .grower finds 

 it serious on his cotton he may know that by avoiding land which 

 was in peas the previous year he may secure practical immunity 

 from this pest. 



Since the insect attacks principally young cotton, the grower 

 may find it in the field before the cotton is chopped. He can then 

 chop to a thicker stand so as to allow for some being killed by the 

 insect and yet have enough for his crop, or, if his cotton is late, he 

 may postpone chopping until after the insects have disappeared 

 (which they seem to do early in Tune), and then he can chop out 

 those plants that have been badly injured and secure his stand from 

 the healthy stalks remaining. Late planting will tend to avoid the 

 insect. 



