18 The Bulletin. 



Up to the present it seems to have attracted attention mainly in 

 the more eastern of our cotton counties. Inquiry among 40 cotton 

 farmers fails to locate it as a serious pest in the counties of Meck- 

 lenburg, Scotland, Wake and Warren. (Several in these counties 

 merely mention "Lice" or "Cotton-louse," but do not specify the 

 Koot-louse). That it is present in these counties seems certain, for 

 on inspection we located it in a field near Kaleigh (Wake County), 

 and the owner of the field said he was familiar with it. In an in- 

 quiry among 56 growers in the counties of Halifax and Edgecombe 

 (two of our largest cotton-producing counties), 29 growers mention 

 this Koot-louse as a serious pest, a greater number than mention 

 any of the other insect enemies of cotton, thus giving it first rank 

 in importance among the cotton insects in these counties. 



The species occurs on a number of plants, and this spring (1908) 

 a louse on corn roots (doubtless this same species) has been reported 

 from the western part of Gaston County. 



Summing up all these fragments of evidence, we may say that this 

 insect is doubtless present in a large portion of the State, and prob- 

 ably does some injury to cotton in most of the counties where the crop 

 is grown, but up to the present it has attracted attention as a 

 serious cotton pest principally in the eastern section of the State. 



Habits, Life-history, etc. — As a result of our inquiries this year 

 for information about this pest, and for specimens of it, a number 

 of persons have written concerning it, and from these we quote : 



Battleboro, N. C June 12, 1908. 



Dear Sir : — * * * I feel that I can give you some information on this 

 pest, as it is a common thing with us. The Root-louse is more prevalent in 

 cold springs. * * * They attack and suck the plant when small and cause 

 it to dwarf and not grow until warm nights, when all this (affected) cotton 

 will revive and grow, making late bolls subject to frost. * * * The plant 

 when first attacked will be (apparently) all right, but it will not grow, and 

 becomes hard and knotty-looking, lacking all vitality, stem will be small and 

 dark, and root seems to be decaying as the lice suck it, until it dies, or warm 

 weather and cultivation seem to cause them to disappear. They are more 

 prevalent in stiff and bottom lands. I notice cotton in my fields to-day 

 affected, and while I have not personally examined the roots * * * it is 

 generally understood that Blue-bugs (Root-lice) are the cause of the non- 

 growth and stunted form. Yours very truly, 



Hugh B. Bryan. 



Battleboro, N. C, June 13, 1908. 



Dear Sir : — I send you by to-day's mail three plants that are infested by the 

 "Blue-bug" (Root-louse). One plant was about dead when taken up, another 

 badly damaged, and the third is not so badly damaged^ * * * As you say 

 you know nothing about this pest I will give you a few facts that any farmer 

 in my section could tell you, but probably will not, because he would expect 

 everybody to know about them. This insect is much worse in cool, damp 

 weather, and on land that is of a close nature, as the heat will not penetrate 

 this as it will sandy land. Hot, dry weather will drive the pest away. 

 * * * You are very apt to find ants working in a little hole by the side 

 of all plants that are infested — in fact the ants are so apt to be there at work 



