71 



been observed* always upon land which had been in cowpeas the year 

 preA'ious. A rotation in which cotton does not follow cowpeas eflfec- 

 tnally dis])Oses of the trouble, but such a rotation is not always j^rac- 

 ticable. In the laboratory the beetles show a marked preference for 

 cowpeas, when both the latter and young cotton plants are growing 

 side by side. Trap rows of cowpeas, planted between cotton rows 

 when the cotton is planted, would probably serve to direct the attacks 

 away from the cotton almost entirely. However, as man}' more 

 cotton plants come up than are ultimateh' utilized, the simplest and 

 cheapest remedy appears to be the delay of the first '* chopping " as 

 long as possible, or until the extent of the damage can be approxi- 

 mately forecasted. The first chopping can also be made light, so as 

 to leave plenty of plants, and the damage by the insects will then 

 amount to hardly more than a severe thinning. AMien the time for 

 the second chopping arrives the period of maximum injury will have 

 passed and a good stand can be secured. Owing to the relative 

 abundance of this si:)ecies in the localities mentioned, it was mistaken 

 by many for the boll weevil and caused much temporary alarm. 



Carpophilus dimkUatus Fab. has several times been found breed- 

 ing abundantly in cotton bolls which have been destroyed by the 

 cotton anthracnose. Systeiui. Jdanda Mels. developed an unusual 

 appetite for young cotton plants, and during May did severe damage 

 to cotton near Jackson, Ga. 



A somewhat detailed inquiry among the wheat growers of the State 

 has revealed that in previous years the damage by Mcnjetlola {Ceci- 

 domyta) destructor Say has been considerable. In the case of Bartow 

 Count}^ alone, which normally produces more wheat than any other 

 county of the State, the damage by this insect in 1903 Avas estimated by 

 many prominent planters as considerably in excess of 20 per cent of 

 the crop. This was equivalent to a money loss of practically $19,000 

 in that county annually. Examinations in Bartow County revealed 

 the eggs of the spring brood in abundance on April 1. Observations 

 were made from time to time during the summer, and it can now be 

 stated with certainty that in this the southernmost part of its range 

 in the United States the Hessian fly is not more than two-brooded. 

 Plans were made for extensive experiments in sowing wheat in 

 different localities and at different altitudes during the past autumn 

 in order to determine with certainty the dates of Qgg deposition. 

 Owing to an exceptional and prolonged drought during August, 

 September, and October, early-sown wheat remained in the ground 

 without germinating until about November 5, and did not appear 

 above ground until after the periods for the appearance of the adult 

 flies had passed. The only puparia that can be found at present are in 

 volunteer wheat, and the indications are that during 1905 the attacks 

 of the insect will be much less than formerlv. The advisabilitv of 



