26 MISCELLANEOUS COTTON INSECTS. 



they begin mating and depositing eggs, though many of them are grown [now], 

 as the large pair I am maiUng to-day. Fourth, "In what places are they most 

 numerous and destructive ? " In cotton lields. They have never seriously injured 

 any other crop than cotton, though they are found in pasture far from any farm. 

 They are destructive in Coleman, Runnells, Burnet, and Llano counties and as far 

 west as Concho County, and I know not how much farther west. 



These grasshoppers are numerous in nearly all districts in these western counties 

 in which the hog law has been enforced for the past few years. We can not use the 

 poisoned bran mash here on account of the great honey dearth, as it would poison 

 my neighbors' bees as well as my own. 



However, the nmsh was tried, as Mr. Smith's next letter, dated JiiW 6, 

 indicates. 



The hojjpers are still giving me trouble, but we have them somewhat checked now 

 V)y using the poison on them as suggested by you. I am using the wheat bran sweet- 

 ened with a cheap grade of molasses and arsenic mixed with it, and I believe it would 

 have been a perfect success if I had commenced in time. I saw the first pair mating 

 June 10. They get their full growth by the last of May. As to when and where 

 they deposit their eggs, I have never been able to ascertain. 



Mr. Smith sent numerous specimens, which were kept in cages in 

 the laboratoi\y for some time, Ijut all failed to oviposit. 



Undoubtedly the poisoned bran mash will prove perfectly effective 

 for the control of these insects if employed plentifully early in the 

 season. It is possible that the egg's are laid in grass land, and that 

 they or the .young hoppers may be eaten to a considerable extent by 

 hogs where the latter are not restricted. Probably with larger areas 

 of land under cultivation in these western counties the species will 

 become less abundant, for, although it occurs as far north as Kansas 

 and western Missouri, it is reported by Doctor Riley to be not very 

 injurious there. 



The species has been well named the clumsy locust, for it is exceed- 

 ingly awkward. The wings are shorter than those of the other lubber 

 grasshoppers, and, unlike those of Dictyophorus, are not raised from 

 the back when disturbed. The coloration is somewhat variable, being 

 mostly a tawny brown, with markings of greenish or yellowish, the 

 latter often ]:)eing quite pinkish. 



THE BUR CLOVER APHIS. 



(.[phis medlcagims Koch.) 



Associated witli the connuon cotton or melon aphis, Aj)his gossypil 

 Glover (tig. l-i), there was found another species concerning which 

 no previous economic mention has come to our notice, although the 

 Aj>]iU sp. mentioned h\ Mallv " may be the same thing. 



The two species occur together on the young cotton plants just as 

 the first leaves are forming. A. //ledicKf/i/iis may be found abun- 

 dantly at this time, and for a week or two earlier, on the common bur 



«1891: Bui. 24, o. s., Div. Ent., U. S. Dept. Agric, p. 30. 



