184 



FRIENDS AND ENEMIES OF PLANTS 



out from eggs laid end to end along the veins on the under side of 

 the leaves of the currant bush. 



The cotton-boll weevil is a pest that came originally from Mexico 

 to Texas, and from this State it has worked its way into Louisiana, 

 Texas, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. It is a small, reddish brown 

 snout beetle which breeds in the cotton pod and feeds upon the 

 plant. The female beetle deposits her eggs in a cotton square or in 

 a boll. In a short time the eggs hatch out into grubs, which in the 

 course of a month become mature beetles. It is estimated that 

 each beetle will produce about one hundred eggs during her life- 

 time. All cotton squares affected by them usually drop to the 

 ground, while the bolls become stunted and stop growing. The 

 ravages of the boll weevil may in some measure be checked by 

 burning up all trash and stalks of the field in the fall so that the 

 weevils will be deprived of a winter home. It is also advisable to 

 secure a weevil-resistant variety of cotton which should be planted 

 early and should be well cultivated. Poisoning with Paris green 

 has been tried, but has not been found satisfactory. The Guate- 

 malan ant has been introduced into Texas with the hope that it might 

 destroy the boll weevils, but the results have been disappointing. 

 Certain native ants are much more efficient enemies of the weevil. 

 Cutworms are the larvae of several different kinds of moths, 

 which usually feed at night. They cut tender young plants off 



at the surface of the ground. 

 They may be brown, gray, or 

 green. Early and frequent cul- 

 tivation of the soil will reduce 

 their number largely. January 

 plowing is especially recom- 

 mended in the Southern States. 

 Rotation of crops will also be 

 found helpful. 



The codling moth is a pest 

 that preys upon our apples and 



Larva of codling moth. CaUS6S thg loSS f milH nS f 



dollars annually to our 'farmers. 



The moth lays her eggs on the young apple and on the leaves of 

 the tree. These eggs hatch into worms ; which eat their way 



