31 



diLsted over the plants, from 2 to 3 pounds of Paris green should Ije 

 used per acre, and in sprajnhg the poison should be used at the rate of 

 1 pound to each 50 gallons of water. Fifty gallons of water will 

 spray approximate!}' 1 acre of cotton. 



In purchasing poisons reliable brands should be insisted upon. 

 Where large dusting machines are used, it will be more economical to 

 mix the Paris green with 3 or 4 times as much flour, or even more, 

 or with sifted, dry, or air-slaked lime. 



During the summer of 1903 very favorable results were obtained in 

 poison experiments at Hetty and at Calvert, Tex., by reason of the 

 great abundance of bollworms at that time. At Hetty, Paris green 

 was applied by means of l)ags on a pole. In this case a net gain of 

 $5.79 per acre was realized. At Calvert, Paris green was applied 

 both as a spray and in the dust form. By the former method a net 

 gain of $6.99 was secured, and by the latter a net gain of $4.11. 

 Although several experiments were conducted during the season of 

 1901, no decided results were obtained owing to the more general 

 absence of bollworms in destructive numbers. 



In north Texas especially, there is a decided prejudice on the part 

 of cotton pickers against picking cotton from fields tliat have been 

 poisoned. Several reported instances of fatal poisoning, through cuts 

 or sores on the hands, are cited in support of these objections. The 

 writers have investigated several of these reports of poisoning, and 

 no evidence has been found to Vv'arrant the conclusion that there is any 

 danger to pickers from the proper use of poison in boUworm control. 

 Harmony of action in poisoning on the part of planters would largely 

 do away with the present prejudi?e of pickers against this work. 



INEFFECTIVE METHODS OF EOLLWORM CONTROL. 



Attention has at various times been called to the incfficienc}' of cer- 

 tain methods often used by planters with a view to controlling the 

 bollworm. A common error is in the burning of lights to attract and 

 destroy the moths, and one less frequently employed is the use of 

 poisoned sweets placed in pans here and there in the cotton fields. 



During the past two years, under var3'ing conditions of weather, 

 both of these procedures have been thoroughly tested. As a result 

 the previously demonstrated futility of such work has been fully veri- 

 fied. Attention is called to the uselessness of such operations that the 

 planter may avoid this needless expense. 



RECOMMENDATIONS. 



The work of the Bureau of Entomology during the past two j^ears 

 has shown that by the adoption of certain cultural expedients, desirable 



212 



