TtIK SK.MI'IUOI'IC AL A K M \' WORM. $9 



AiKili/si.s of ',.'>:, I Misc. 



IVr cent. 



Moisture 4.85 



'r<)t;il .•irscnioiis uxid 40.42 



Total coiiper oxul 114.87 



Guiu ami dextrin ( approxiiiiMtot " 20.00 



Acetic acid and uihiT niidi'icniiiiu'd ._ 9. <S0 



Total 100.00 



Soluble arseulous oxid 11.80 



(10 day water ext. method.) 



From the above analysis the samide evidently consists of about 2(t per cent 

 icnm and dextrin and 80 i)er cent I'aris screen. The amount of solnlde arsenic is 

 very hisb antl would mulo;ii)tcdly uivc rise to serious trouble. 



SUMMARY. 



The semitroijical army worm is a .smooth or hairless iioctiiid 

 -caterpilhir, Prodenla irklanhi Cram. It feeds normally on weeds, 

 such as the pokeweed and spiny amaranth or " careless weed " of the 

 South, and is confined to semitropical America as a pest, ^^^len it 

 becomes unduly abundant it attacks the foliage and, in some cases, 

 the stems and fruits of all forms of garden truck grpAving in its 

 habitat, the list of known food plants includmg tomato, potato, sweet 

 potato, eggplant, pepper, okra, collards, and cowpeas. In its habits 

 it is similar to the cutworms, having also the climbing habit, and 

 when extremely abundant it migrates in armies like the common army 

 worm, whence the name. 



Experiments show that the egg period may be passed in a min- 

 imum of 4 days, the larval period in 17 daj^s, and that the entire life 

 cycle, in an outdoor sunnner temjierature. would be about 35 days or 

 5 weeks; also, that there are four generations and possibly five pro- 

 duced in a year, the insect breeding practicalh' continuously during 

 the wai-m season. In ordinary years the species is largely controlled 

 l)y natural enemies, of which seven are parasitic and .six predaceous. 



A series of fifteen experiments was conducted against this species 

 in Florida diu'ing 1007, which shows conclusively that a spray of 

 arsenate of lead is the best remedy, being much superior to Paris 

 green when ai)plied under local conditions. It is in every way more 

 effective, chiefly because less likely to be washed. away by the frequent 

 i-ains of the wet season in that region. It is Ijest applied at the rate 

 of '2 or 3 pounds in 50 gallons of water, and applications must be 

 renewed when the in.sects again beconn' numerous, as the latter are 

 apt to spread from unsprayed i)lants. 



CG— V 



