51 



In Series II 21 weevils were confined with fresh cotton leaves and 

 cotton-seed meal as food. During the 297 "weevil-days" that this 

 experiment was continued but one weevil died. The average period 

 of the test for each weevil was 14 days. The weevils fed almost 

 wholly upon leaves. Occasionally one would feed a little on the 

 meal, but they certainly preferred the leaves, and the results show 

 that leaves alone were responsible for the longer life of these weevils. 

 The 20 survivors were placed in hibernation December 20, 1902, but 

 all died before April 15, 1903. 



In Series III freshly picked squares were placed with the meal to 

 see which would attract the weevils. Fresh meal, as well as squares, 

 was supplied at frequent intervals. During the 158 "weevil-days" 

 that this test continued not one of the 10 weevils died. The average 

 period of the test was almost IG days, and after it the weevils were 

 placed in hibernation, but all died before April 15, 1903. In only one 

 instance was a weevil observed feeding upon the meal. From this 

 test it was evident that cotton-seed meal has not the power to attract 

 weevils from squares, even when the latter have been picked for 

 several days. 



In spite of the complete failure indicated by these results, a series 

 of field tests was made during the late fall of 1902. 



FIELD TESTS. 



In order to settle this question finally, two series of field tests were 

 made, one during the fall, when weevils were abundant but full-fed 

 and cotton still standing, and the other during the early spring, with 

 the view of attracting weevils as they came from hibernation before 

 cotton began to square. 



Fall of 1903. — Cotton-seed meal fresh from the mill was placed in 

 10 cheese-cloth bags, which were shaken so that the fine dust from the 

 meal covered the outside of each bag. The bags were numbered and 

 then tied to cotton plants in infested fields at about the middle of the 

 plants. The bags were so distributed as to test fields in which the 

 following conditions prevailed: One field entirely black from frost, 

 one nearly black, one about half green, and one still entirely green. 

 The number of weevils on the plant to which the bag was attached 

 w"as noted each day to ascertain in a general way the number of wee- 

 vils which would be very near the meal and able to reach it in the 

 ordinary course of travel over the plant without having to fly to it. 

 Weevils on adjacent plants would naturally come within the sphere 

 of influence if such existed, but they were disregarded. After the 

 failure of the meal to attract weevils in the fleld became apparent, 

 weevils were caught and placed upon the bags to see if they would 

 stay there. 



. Altogether 6 5 observations were made, covering a period from Novem- 

 ber 24 to December IG. The weather was generally cool, averaging 



