REPORT OF THE ento:mologist. 329 



As peaclies seeuied so altiHctive, we desiretl to have tested tlie poisons fuitlier witli 

 peach preserves and canned peaches, Imt a northeast gale prevailed tintil the last day 

 of oui' stay, and the moths had then almost entirely disappeared. 



My own opinion is that peaches, in some form, will be the best A-ehicle for poison for 

 the moths. 



A letter from Judge 'Bailey, of Mariou, Ala., contains the following-, 

 bearLng upon this point : 



One farmer informed me that the moths ntterly destroyed a larQ,e fig crop in less 

 than a week. Another informed me that all his best apples were punctured and sucked 

 into a sort of hojiey-comh work by the cotton-miller. A physician in the northwest 

 part of the country assured me that the array-worm sucked his grapes dry in three 

 nights. I know the moths are strongly attracted by cider pomace from the cider-mill. 

 Tliey feed nj)on ripe persimmons with great avidity. I observed theiu around a tree of 

 this kind on my lot as late as the 21st of November last. While they were feeding on 

 the fruit of this tree I made some etitbrts to poison them, but witli poor success. I 

 tried several poisons handed me by an aiiothecary ; only one liad anj'^ effect. It was 

 cobalt, iinely powdered, and mixed with the fruit mashed with a small quantity of 

 honey. The files sought the bait in great numbers, but, like bees, they sucked their 

 fill and left ; only nine were found dead around the saucer containing the poison. 



With respect to observations the present year, the following from Mr. 

 Trelease's report will give the results at Avhich he arrived : 



Since the perfect form, or moth, of Aleiia is known to feed upon sugared substances 

 and fruits, and since it is known to be attracted by light, to a certain extent, it has 

 been thought possible to destroy the moth by allowing it to feed on i)oisoued sweets, 

 or by employing this food or lights to attract it into traps of various sorts. 



As will be seen by referring to my report on the food of these moths, they are at- 

 tracted in large numbers by ripe apples, peaches, and grapes, beside one or. two other 

 less common fi-uits ; but I signally failed to attract them in numbers to my mixtures 

 of molasses or sugar and various substances. Though no exj)eiiments on a large scale 

 were conducted, I feel confident that poisoned dishes of ripened and slightly ferment- 

 ing fruits which liave been bruised may be advantageously employed for the destruc- 

 tion of these moths, by placing them about the cotton fields when the moths are fly- 

 ing. I would recommend that this be tried, especially on warm days in winter, when 

 the moths are allured from their hibernacula, in the early spring, and in the fall, after 

 the brood which destroys the cotton has emerged as moths. 



From all observations it seems probable that a preparation of over- 

 rii^e fruit — peaches, melons, mashed apples, or persimmons — will be su- 

 l)erior to any other sweet mixture for the puri)ose of attracting the 

 moths, althouglj, as shown by Professor Smith, one-half each of rum and 

 molasses and water, when smeared upon the trunks of trees, has proved 

 attractive. 



Actual results with i)oisons have proved rather unsuccessful, but this 

 may be owing to the fact that the moths fly away to die. As regards 

 the best poison, Judge Jones seems to have had excellent success with 

 arsenite of soda, while Judge Bailey considers the so-called '^cobalt"* 

 the best thing that he tried. It is called " blue-stone" or ^'fly-stone," 

 and is customarily used in fly poisons. 



And now, as regards the advisability of an extensive use of poisoned 

 sweets, it is a question for every idauter to decide for himself from the 

 evidence laid down. 



There can be no doubt but that it wonld be au excellent plan to try it 

 in those regions where hibernation is sus])ected on the spots where the 

 worms first a])pear. The sweets should be put out in these places in early 

 sprijig and also in late fall. The importance of tlie latter is evinced 

 from tlie fact of Professor Smith's success in October. There can cer- 

 tainly be no doidjt but that every moth killed saves the planter from 

 a great many worms, but the hibernating moths are, of course, of im- 



* The ordinary cobalt of druggists is nothing more or less than im))ure metallie 

 . arsenic, costing from 15 to 15 eents"i)er pound. Called cobalt on account of former laws 

 against the selling of arsenic in England. 



