SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION LIBRARIES 



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vide for the appointment of commissioners in each county upon the 

 application of a certain number of the citizens of that count^^ These 

 commissioners should be empowered to enforce remedial work, to levy 

 penalties, or to have the work done by their own agents, the cost to be 

 assessed upon the property. It will be well to let this law have a wide 

 bearing and not to confine its application to this particular insect, but 

 (^over all injurious insects, in case of future emergencies of a similar 

 nature. Such a law should be passed in every State in the Union. 

 Though it might remain inoperative for years, its application would be 

 available in case of any sudden emergency, such as the introduction 

 from a foreign country of a new injurious insect, or the sudden multi- 

 plication and spread of any one of our native species. 



SrMMARY OF REMEDIES. 



(1) Trapping over-wintered beetles by means of a few early planted 

 cotton plants. 



(2) Destruction of volunteer plants in corn fields or abandoned fields. 



(3) Picking fallen squares as fast as practicable, from the time the 

 squares are formed on the plant. 



(4) Cutting and burning the cotton stalks as early in the fall ag prac- 

 ticable, and, if possible, plowing the cotton fields at the same time. 



(5) Trapping the last weevils in the field b3' means of a few plants 

 left standing. 



There can be no doul»t that this insect is the most serious enemy to 

 the cotton plant with which cotton growers in this country have had 

 to contend, and every effort should be made to prevent its further 

 spread. The writer believes that this can be accomplished, if, by con- 

 certed action of the planters, the recommendations just made are carried 

 out throughout the infested region. 



L. 0. Howard, 



Entomologist. 

 Approved : 



Chas. W. Dabxey, Jr., 



Assistan t tSecretary. 



Washington, D. C, February 12, 1S96. 



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