14 



apply it by means of two sacks attached to a pole and borne through 

 the plantations by a negro mounted on a mule who rides down the rows 

 of plants. This gives perfect satisfaction, and the farmers of the State 

 tell me that they want no better remedy for this insect," 



Mr. F. W. Mally writes on the same subject: "The benefit which 

 the public generally derives from the researches of economic entomolo- 

 gists is well illustrated by the result of the cotton-worm investigation 

 published in the Fourth Report of the TJ. S. Entomological Commission. 

 In that report estimates of damage, etc., are given, and I will only allude 

 to the benefit which the planters have derived from the report. For- 

 merly, planters waited until the August brood of the Aletia issued and 

 depredated on their cotton. This brood may be called the migratory 

 one, since it spreads over vast areas of cotton fields. At that time, too, 

 the planters used Paris green just as they purchased it from the dealers. 

 They have now been educated to know that the Aletia propagates in 

 certain quite well defined centers earlier in the season, and that if taken 

 in July (or about five weeks earlier than they had been accumstomed to), 

 they can prevent their spreading to larger areas. Now, too, they dilute 

 the Paris green with flour and finely-sifted wood ashes, greatly reduc- 

 ing the cost of the poison per acre. At the same time the acreage or 

 area to which jioison is now applied has been reduced tenfold, at least. 

 For example, here in the Red River Valley, for 30 miles up and 50 miles 

 down the river in July there were only two plantations (together about 

 2,000 acres) upon which Aletia was found. In August this brood would 

 have spread over almost the entire section mentioned. Paris green 

 was applied to this limited infested area, and the larger areas saved 

 from injury. The saving is hardly to be estimated. The above ap- 

 pears to me to be one of the greatest triumphs of economic entomology, 

 and, I may truthfully say, also of my most estimable chief. Dr. C V. 

 Eiley." 



With regard to another injurious insect, the following facts well illus- 

 trate what may be done by following the advice of an experienced en- 

 tomologist. 



During the year 1885 the Hon. Moses Fowler, a wealthy banker and 

 landowner of Lafayette, Ind., applied to Prof. F. M. Webster, an 

 agent of the U. S. Department of Agriculture, then located at that 

 place, for relief from very serious depredations by an unknown enemy 

 to his corn, which was damaging some of his fields from 5 to 75 per cent, 

 he having this year 10,000 acres of land devoted to this crop. Upon 

 examination the depredator proved to be the well-known corn-root 

 worm, the larva of Diahrotica longicornis. Mr. Fowler estimated the 

 loss in his fields by reason of this insect at $10,000, with a i)robability 

 of still greater injury the following year. On the advice of Mr. Web- 

 ster, the next season he sowed 5,000 acres of the worst infested lands 

 to oats, and the following year the other 5,000 acres was treated in the 

 same manner, the first 5,000 acres being this year again devoted to corn. 



