METHODS OF CONTROLLING TOBACCO INSECTS. 



consists of 1 pound of Paris green mixed with 50 to 75 pounds of bran, 

 sweetened with molasses and moistened with water to make a mash. 

 This should be dropped about the field three or four day- before the 

 plants are set, or two or three teaspoonfuls should be dropped about 

 each hill after the plants are set . The cutworm- are very fond of the 

 sweetened mash and will generally eat it in preference to the plant-. 

 [f -eed beds should become infested with cutworm-, the bran mash 

 may be drilled through the bed and the ravages of the worm- will be 

 stopped. When trap baits are used great care should be exercised 

 in keeping all live stock arid barnyard fowls out of the field until the 

 poisoned materials have been worked into the soil. 



In the spring of 1908 the writer applied an arsenate of lead spray 

 (made at the rate of 1 pound of arsenate of lead in paste form to 12 

 gallons of water i to a plant bed that was seriously Infested with cut- 

 worm-, with the result that all the 



cutworm- were killed before they l^^^A 



had done any appreciable addi- r - kj ^ "s^ 



tional injury t<> the plant-. 



THE TOBACCO FLEA-BEETLE. 

 <itrix par' ula Fab. 



The tobacco flea-beetle ( Epifrix 

 parwda Fab.) (fig. 3) is known 

 also by the common names of 

 "tobacco flea" and "'flea-beetle. 7 ' 

 It may be found, from setting 

 time until frost, in more or 

 less injurious numbers in every 

 tobacco field in the United State-. 

 The most injurious outbreak on 

 record occurred in the "dark tobacco" districts of Kentucky 

 and Tennessee in the spring of 1007. Nearly all plant beds. 

 except those tightly canvased, were devastated. Practically all the 

 first sowing was destroyed and in many cases the second and third 

 also. In consequence the acreage was reduced 15 to 20 percent, and 

 owing to the fact that the crop as a whole was set much later than 

 usual an additional loss resulted. Late-set tobacco iUh-< not produce 

 the same number of pounds as the early-set tobacco, and because of 

 the lateness of harvesting and the near approach of cool weather this 

 tobacco frequently cures poorly and is graded lower than tobacco 

 that is harvested earlier in the season. The loss in Kentucky and 

 Tennessee in 1907 was not far from $2,000,000. 



The tobacco flea-beetle passes the winter in the adult stage in piles 

 of dead leaves or dead grass in the wood-, or in fence corners and 



—The tobacco flea-lieet!e < Eyitrii [jarnila): 

 a. Adult l>eetle: 6. larva, side view; c. head of 

 larva: d.hind legof same: e, anal segment of same; 

 /. pupa. a. b.f. Enlarged al>out 1.5 times: c. d, e, 

 more enlarged. ( From Chittenden.) 



