260 REPORT UPON COTTON INSECTS. 



been smeared, aiid visited them at 9 p. m. We (Professor Comstock 

 and myself, Professor B. having left for Washington) found 20 Aletia 

 moths on one peach and 15 on the other, notwithstanding the molasses. 

 At 7 o'clock next morning nearly as many moths were at the peaches, 

 though the sun was an hour high. One peach had a hole one-thirty- 

 second inch in diameter, and the peach had been eaten out underneath 

 the skin to a depth of one-fourth inch and a diameter of 1 inch. The 

 other peach had 5 holes, not so large, and probably 50 excoriations one- 

 fourth inch in diameter. They clustered most about the stem end, where 

 they could thrust in their bills without effort. 



" September 12. The halves of the same peach, opened, were placed out 

 last night, and 10 Aletia and 1 other moth were found at them this morn- 

 ing. 



" Some dried peaches (with skins on) having been soaked in water, were 

 placed out at same time, but no moths were found at them. After re- 

 turning here, two hard peaches were put in a jar where some moths had 

 hatched from chrysalides ; the moths were almost famished and immedi- 

 ately clustered over the peaches, but failed to make any impression on 

 them. 



POISONING THE MOTHS. 



" 1. Molasses. Mixed Fowler's solution of arsenic with common molas- 

 ses, 1 tablespoonful to 1 pints, and placed some in tin pan, with floating 

 perforated cover of tin, as suggested by Professor Biley- After about 

 two hours we found 2 Aletia and 2 other moths sipping ; next morning 

 probably a dozen of Aletia and other moths were found drowned in the 

 molasses, having insinuated down by the sides of the cover; none dead 

 on the ground. 



" Mixed some of same poisoned molasses with sirups of strawberry, 

 orange, and pine-apple, and with rum, vinegar, and lager beer, and 

 smeared on trees and stumps in the cotton field and adjoining forest. 

 At 9 p. m. found 1 Aletia and 2 other moths at the vinegar and 2 Aletia 

 at the beer; at 7 next morning found only one feeble Aletia at the beer. 

 The poison did not seem to be strong enough. 



" 2. Peaches. September 12, we put out in the cotton field, in large 

 paper boxes 



a. Peaches (halves) thickly sprinkled with white arsenic. 



b. Peaches (halves) drenched with Fowler's solution. 



c. Dried peaches (soaked) covered with white arsenic. 



d. Dried peaches (soaked) with Fowler's solution. 

 Visited boxes next morning, with following result: 



a. Five dead Aletia, 2 disabled Aletia. 



b. Two dead Aletia, 1 dying Aletia. 



c. Two Aletia in box not dead. . 



d. No moths of any kind. 



"As peaches seemed so attractive, we desired to have tested the poisons 

 further with peach preserves and canned peaches, but a northeast gale 



