c 



I 



THE BOLLWORM OR CORN EARWORM. 13 



will assemble in the corn from considerable distances and deposit 

 most of their eggs on the corn plants. These eggs will hatch and 

 the young larvae, being so numerous, will destroy one another to 

 such an extent that usually not more than a few out of the many 

 hatching on the silk of each ear will reach maturity. 



One plan of planting the trap rows consists of leaving belts from 

 10 to 40 feet wide across the field at the time the cotton is planted 

 and about June 1 planting this space with- Mexican June corn jn rows 

 5 or 6 feet apart. About 10 days later a row of cowpeas may be 

 planted between the corn rows, thus leaving room for cultivation 

 and at the same time furnishing attractive places for the bollworm 

 moths, which will concentrate in the trap rows in great numbers. 

 AVhile any variet^y of corn may be used, the Mexican June corn is more 

 desirable in the Southwest on account of its resistance to drought. 



Another system is to plant patches of June corn and cowpeas here 

 and there over the plantation following such crops as oats, wheat, 

 and potatoes. This provides a trap crop for the bollworm, results 

 often in a good yield of corn, and in a crop of cowpeas, which is 

 valuable as green manure or for food and forage. 



CONTROL ON TOMATOES. 



The worms usually begin attacking the tomato crop before the 

 fruit is set and continue their work until frost. At first they feed 

 on the tender leaves at the tips and burrow into the stems. Later 

 they attack the buds and flowers, then the small fruits, and continue 

 the damage eA^en when the fruit is ripening. 



The feeding habits of the larvae early in the season render the use 

 of arsenical poisons effective, and as the worms pass from one fruit 

 to another poison will destroy many of them later, but it is not 

 advisable to use poisons later than 10 days before harvesting begins. 

 As the first clusters of tomatoes are of greatest value, especially in 

 the trucking regions of the South, the early use of poisons where 

 bollworms cause trouble undoubtedly would net good returns. 



-On tomato lead arsenate should be used rather than Paris green 

 in order to prevent burning. This material may be applied in dust 

 form or as a spray. For the spray about 2 pounds of the lead arse- 

 nate in the paste form and 1 pound of zinc arsenate dissolved in 50 

 gallons of water should be used per acre. The use of about 3 pounds 

 per acre of powdered arsenate of lead applied as a dust is recom- 

 mended. The first application should be made as soon as the moths 

 are observed in the field or injury to the leaves and stalks is noticed, 

 and succeeding treatments should follow at about weekly intervals. 

 If fungicides (such as Bordeaux mixture) are used against diseases 

 of the tomato, the arsenical may be added to these. 



