274 



REPORT UPON COTTON INSECTS. 



locations where insects abound, when they are attracted by the light 

 from all sides. Myriads fly toward and against the lantern and vertical 

 plates, when they are precipitated into the liquid and drowned. [Patent 

 No. 135366, dated January 28, 1873. 



The following communication and figure was recently received at the 



department : 



25 GRANT PLACE, 

 Washington, D. C., October , 1879. 



DEAR SIR : I inclose herewith drawing and description of a tested cotton-worm 

 exterminator, for the consideration and use of your entomologist. 



I will be pleased to present Mr. Huston's letter referred to, if required, or to do 

 anything further desired of me in the premises. 

 I am, sir, vours, very respectfully, 



J. STITH. 

 Hon. \V. G. LE Due, 



Commissioner of Agriculture, City. 



StiWs Cotton-worm Exterminator* This exterminator is of the class 



which lures to self-destruc- 

 tion the mother moth on 

 her first flight to deposit 

 the worm-producing egg, 

 and its essential peculiari- 

 ties are, 1, a day and night 

 attractor lantern, and, 2, 

 such embaying of the lan- 

 tern side that the approach - 

 ing moth falls a more cer- 

 tain prey into the usual 

 trap-basin below. 



In the cut, A, and A, are sides 

 of the at tractor-Ian tern; these 

 sides are of opal glass which by 

 day is brilliant white and in 

 twilight or by night, lighted by 

 a lamp within, is most attract- 

 ively luminous; each pane of 

 the lantern is flanked by an out- 

 reaching catch-wing B, against 

 which, or against a lantern face 

 itself, one or the other, the 

 rnoth, attracted by the lantern and lured as well by an odorous bait below, precipitated 

 itself according to its habit of flying to or of passing close alongside of a brilliant 

 object; a cover C, projecting well over all, prevents upward escape even if eleewise 

 possible to its now violently arrested flight, and all below lies a trap basin D, charged 

 to a suitable depth with the common enticing bait and effectual death-bath as well, 

 of sweetened water and vinegar, poisoned with cobalt. Centrally up from the basin's 

 bottom rises a conical socket to cap securely on to a stake so planted firmly afield 

 as to hold the exterminator just sightable above the general surface of the crop foliage. 

 The opal panes may be advantageously tinged with a trace of pink, to better siinu- 



* Mr. W. H. Huston (Selma, Ala.), who has thoroughly tested this exterminator in 

 the cotton-field, reports that it ivill attract and safely capture every buy or fly, of erery 

 description, that cornea within its range. J. S. 



FIG. 75. J. Stith's lantern. 



