13 
and those possessing a long, tubular corolla, like the honeysuckle and 
the morning-glory and the flower of the Jamestown, or ‘‘jimson” weed. 
Many years ago it occurred to an observing planter that the jimson- 
weed flowers might be poisoned to advantage, and from this sugges- 
tion has grown up the custom in certain parts of the country of squirt- 
ing into the flowers of the jimson weeds growing in the immediate 
vicinity of the tobacco fields a certain amount of sweetened water 
poisoned with cobalt or ‘‘fly stone.” A modification of this process, 
' described by Professor Quaintance, is as follows: ‘‘In the evening a 
quantity of the bloom of the jimson weed is procured and is placed 
promiscuously through the field under holes in horizontal slats, 
supported by sticks or otherwise, and into the flowers is placed, by 
means of a quill, a small quantity of this poisoned mixture. This poi- 
son should be of about the following proportions: Cobalt, one ounce; 
molasses or honey, one-fourth pint; water, one pint.” This practice 
is so well understood among tobacco growers that it is hardly worth 
detailed mention, except to state that experiments at the Louisiana 
experiment station and elsewhere have proved that it is effective as a 
palliative. At the experiment station just mentioned jimson weed 
was grown for this purpose, and the writer remembers a doleful com- 
plaint by the director of this station some years ago to the effect that 
his farming visitors interfered with the experiment, since their horror 
of weeds was so great that, in passing through his grounds, they pulled 
up the jimson weeds and spoiled his experiment. 
Many years ago Townend Glover, the first entomologist of the 
Department, in mentioning this method of catching the moths of the 
horn worm, suggested the manufacture of artificial porcelain or tin 
jimson flowers, which would be perennial in the highest degree and 
could be poisoned year after year. The writer is not informed, 
however, as to whether this suggestion has ever been followed. 
A sweetened preparation, poisoned with arsenic, however, has been 
tried in Maryland by Prof. W. G. Johnson The material was placed 
in wooden pails, perforated near the bottom and set in granite pans, 
into which the poisonous liquid was leached. ‘These traps or decoys 
were set upon stakes about the field a little higher than the tops of 
the tobacco. Although the experiment appeared to be successful, 
Professor Johnson reserves his final conclusions until he has had an 
opportunity to make further tests another year. 
Most tobacco growers have learned by experience the necessity of 
carefully removing the worms from the leaves after or during cutting 
and before they are carried into the barn, since otherwise they will 
continue to feed in the barn on the drying leaves. Where such care 
has not been exercised, the evaporation of bisulphide of carbon in the 
barn, in accordance with the directions and with the precautions which 
will be described under the head of remedies for the cigarette beetle, 

