235 



Laguna Station. The instructions that have been issued relative to 

 the disposition of cotton and cotton seed produced in regulated 

 cotton zones in the State of Texas are quoted verbatim. 



With regard to the European corn borer [Pyrausta nuhilalis] the 

 extension of the quarantine area is being discussed. In spite of the 

 fact that the food-plants of this moth now number nearly 80, and 

 that the present surveys are daily reveaUng new areas of infestation, 

 in the majority of cases the damage done has been negligible and 

 further quarantine action is not practicable. The present purpose is 

 to determine as accurately as possible the distribution of the pest, 

 and to carry on control experiments on a large scale with the object 

 .of determining the jjossibilities in that direction. 



Berger (E. AV.). The Semitropical Army Worm. — Qrtrly. Bull. Florida 

 Sta'e Plan* Bd., Gainesville, iv. no. 2. Januarv 1920, pp. 17-33, 

 Ifig. 



Xylomyges eridania, Cram, (semi-tropical army worm) was the cause 

 of serious destruction among castor beans in Florida in 1918. There 

 are probably four principal generations, with a possible fifth, in the 

 year, the infestation described assuming serious dimensions about mid- 

 July. The life-cycle of each generation occuj)ies an average of about 

 35 days; 4-6 days for the egg, 17 days for the larva, and 9 days for 

 the pupa, the egg-laying period of the moths lasting about 4 days. 

 All parts of castor plants are eaten by the caterpillars ; the leaves are 

 preferred, then the young fruit-spikes, the leaf -petioles and the tips of 

 the shoots. The more mature caterpillars that are chiefly found near 

 the base of the plants in the daytime generally eat the bark off the 

 plant. Nearly mature spikes are not injured severely, only the outer 

 green covering being eaten off. Other food- plants include cotton, of 

 which the immature bolls are attacked and the blooms and squares, 

 as well as the bark of the plants, sweet potato, sunflower, potato, 

 velvet bean, okra, egg-plant, pepper, oleander, beggarweed, avocado, 

 peanuts, watermelon; cowpeas and citrus, as well a number of broad, 

 fleshy-leaved weeds such as careless- weed {Amarantus), Sonchus and 

 Rumex. 



Methods of control vary according to the stage of development of 

 the cateriaillars in the field. When they are young and before they 

 have started to migrate from the parent leaf, and also in the egg- 

 stage, hand-picking is a very eSicient method, but if practised 

 against the larger caterpillars would result in serious defoliation of the 

 ^lant5. Dusting and spraying with arsenicals are applicable under 

 almost any conditions, and should cover not only the infested plants 

 but also the weeds and grass between the rows. For dusting, a 

 machine should be used when the plants are wet with dew, 1 part of 

 powdered lead arsenate being used to 4 parts of hydrated or air-slaked 

 hme; for spraying, l|lb. powdered lead arsenate is required to 50 

 U.S. gals, of water, 125 to 175 gallons being necessary for each acre. 

 The caterpillars of X. eridania do not migrate to such an extent as 

 most army worms, but the larger individuals wander about a great 

 deal over the ground and up and down the plants. A poisoned bait 

 is very effective against this stage, 12^ )b. each of rice bran and 



(677) b2 



