10 



ing- are the best means of control. The caterpillars are readily seen 

 and ma}" easily be destroyed b^^ hand while chopping the cotton; and 

 this should be done, as one caterpillar can destro}^ several plants if 

 left unmolested. When present in large num])ers the}" may be readily 

 destrojed b}' dusting the vegetation upon which they are feeding with 

 Paris green. 



GRASSHOPPERS. 



The differential locust {J/e/anoplu.s different led !>< Thos.) is by far the 

 most injurious grasshopper in Texas. In the summer of 1903 the 

 adults severely injured cotton and corn in the south-central part of the 

 8tate; and in the spring of 190-1 the voung, just after they had hatched 

 from the eggs, destroyed the young cotton and corn plants to an 

 alarming extent throughout several counties in this section, but par- 

 ticularly in the bottom lands along the Brazos River and its tributaries. 

 The eggs commenced to hatch in numbers ])y the middle of jVIarch, 

 1901:, and by April 1 the young were present in many fields in count- 

 less numbers, destroying the 3'oung plants and necessitating replanting 

 over large fields. The eggs had been laid along the edges of culti- 

 vated fields, along ditches, and in fields which had been uncultivated 

 the previous year. (See figs. 5 to 8.) 



Remedies. — It was found that by thoroughly dusting the weeds 

 around the fields with Paris green, either pure or diluted with flour. 



JAJB 



Fig. 5.—Melanoplusdifferentialis: adult— enlarged (original). 



great numbers of the nymphs were killed. In addition, a large spoon- 

 ful of poisoned bran mash was placed ever}'^ 3 feet in the row 

 throughout the fields and the plants were dusted. This treatment 

 proved ver}- effective, 20 or 30 dead grasshoppers being found near a 

 pile of the mash. This mash is made by stirring 1 pound of white 

 arsenic or Paris green into 25 pounds of bran or middlings and then 

 adding 1 quart of cheap molasses diluted with sufficient water to 

 thoroughly moisten the whole mass, but not so much as to make it 

 dough}'. If too moist it cakes too quickly in the sun. It was found 

 that the mash was nearly as efi'ective without the molasses. ^Vhere 

 the young hoppers occurred in immense numbers — for they often 

 formed a small cloud when first disturbed — they were sprayed with 

 pure kerosene or crude petroleum, or a soap emulsion containing 



