4 THE COTTON WORM OE COTTON CATERPILLAR. 



tendency toward the recurrence of a series of two or three seasons of 

 abundance. Apparently the species reaches great numbers in South 

 America and remains abundant for several years, thus giving rise to 

 the consecutive swarms which have invaded the United States. 

 Since the region in which this occurrence takes place is far beyond 

 the influence of the recent cold weather in the United States, we may 

 suppose that the past history of the insect may be repeated and that 

 another invasion may be expected during 1912. This would seem to 

 be especially probable in case the temperatures of the spring months 

 should be above the normal. 



We do not wish to be understood as predicting an outbreak during 

 the present season. The facts we have noted seem to indicate that 

 such may take place, but, on the whole, our position is that of giving 

 a warning rather than a prediction. In order to be on the safe side 

 it is advised that planters make the necessary preparations for fighting 

 the worm and that they begin operations at the earliest possible 

 moment. 



THE COTTON CATERPILLAR AND THE BOLL WEEVIL. 



In regions where the boll weevil occurs the cotton caterpillar is not 

 an unmixed evil. On the contrary, it generally acts as a decided 

 check against the boll weevil. The defoliation of the plants drives 

 many of the weevils out of the field and allows the sun to destroy 

 numerous immature stages in fallen squares on the ground. In fact, 

 where the defoliation is complete the boll weevil receives almost as 

 serious a setback as happens when the planter destroys the cotton 

 stalks in the fall. It must be noted, however, that there is a point 

 beyond which, even in boll-weevil regions, the cotton worm is not a 

 benefit to the crop. Where the defoliation begins early in the season 

 the plants may be prevented from maturing the bolls, and thus the 

 damage by the one insect is merely added to that of the other. 



In regions where the boll weevil is abundant our advice is that planters 

 do not poison the cotton for the leaf worm, unless it becomes numerous 

 by the time the earliest bolls are about three-fourths grown. Where 

 the boll weevil is present but not in great numbers the poisoning 

 should be done at a relatively early date. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE STAGES OF THE COTTON MOTH. 



The egg. — The egg is light green in color and contrasts with the color 

 of the cotton leaf, so that it is easily detected by the practiced eye. 

 The eggs are generally placed on the underside of the leaves, never 

 in clusters. The female deposits about 500 eggs. The duration of the 

 egg stage varies with the temperature, ranging from 3 days to more 

 than 20. 



