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niiclst of a Held where the insects were veiy abundant. Since tliat 

 time other investigators have lodged into the matter carefulh\ Lights 

 have been kept burning in cotton lields. In no case has a single 

 specimen of the boll weevil been captured in this riianner, although 

 thousands of species of insects have been taken. The public mis- 

 apprehension about the possibilit}' of capturing the boll weevil with 

 lights is due to the fact that a somewhat similar insect, Bahminus 

 victo7'le)isis^ and other acorn weevils, differ from the boll weevil in that 

 the}^ fly at night and Kghts exert a strong attraction for them. During 

 certain seasons the acorn weevils are exceedingly common in Texas, 

 and great numbers of them fly to the electric lights. 



The old idea, the fallac}' of which has l>een explained repeatedly b}'^ 

 entomologists for the past fift}' jears, that sulphur can be forced into 

 the system of plants to make them immune to insect attack, sometimes 

 creeps out with reference to the boll weevil. The method is entirely 

 useless. Sulphur is not soluble either in water or acids. It is conse- 

 quently impossible for it to be taken up })y the plants. In chemical 

 combinations, in which forms onh' could it be assimilated b}' the plants, 

 there is nothing to indicate that it would have special insecticidal 

 properties. The usual form in which the use of sulphur has been 

 recommended in Texas is that the seed should be soaked before plant- 

 ing in water containing it. Money used in this manner is entirely 

 wasted. 



Undoubtedly the most important fallacious remedy that has ever 

 been proposed for the boll weevil is Paris green, which received a 

 great deal of attention during the season of 1004. The urgent demand 

 for a speciflc remed\^ on the part of the planters was evidenced b}' the 

 extensive use of this substance. At least 25 carloads were used in 

 Texas during three months. Aportion-of the great attention that 

 Paris green attracted was due to the fact that early in the season a 

 certain number of weevils ma}^ be killed by it. The number destroyed 

 in this manner early in the spring really means nothing whatever to 

 the crop later, Avhen the plants have put on squares and the poison no 

 longer reaches the pest. It has been demonstrated that the great 

 majority of the weevils do not emerge from hibernating quarters until 

 the plants begin to put on squares. Those that emerge in this manner 

 can not be affected by any amount of Paris green that might be applied. 

 The Bureau of Entomology has had fields dusted repeatedl}^ throughout 

 the seas(^n, but without benefit. The results of many experiments 

 with Paris green will be found in Farmers' Bulletin No. 211 of this 

 Department. 



Among the futile means of controlling the boll weevil the large 

 number of machines that have come to public attention from time to 

 time must be included. There is some possibility that ultimately an 



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