18 Growing Sea Island Cotton Under Florida Conditions 



The soil moisture supply was practically exhausted on the 

 heavily fertilized plats (H. F.) at all depths early in July. 

 Under the non-fertilized (N. F.) cotton the soil moisture 

 supply was not exhausted at any time during the season. The 

 heavily fertilized cotton wilted very badly during most of 

 July, while the unfertilized cotton did not wilt at all. 



Moisture percentage was determined by weighing before 

 and after heating. Soil with 2% moisture felt dry to the 

 touch, and obviously furnished the plants very little water. 



MISCELLANEOUS PESTS OF SEA ISLAND COTTON 



The Cotton Leaf Worm (Alabama agriUacea) 



The cotton leaf worm, commonly called the cotton cater- 

 pillar, ordinarily attacks cotton in Florida during the latter 

 part of September or the first part of October. If the attack 

 is severe, all foliage is destroyed in a few days after the 

 pest appears. Some of the immature bolls are ruined, but very 

 few grown bolls are damaged. This insect therefore does no 

 damage in Florida except possibly on exceptionally late cot- 

 ton in the southern part of the Belt. Since late planting is 

 questionable practice even in this part of the Belt, it is felt 

 that the leaf worm is a practically harmless insect in Florida. 

 However, if it attacks cotton early enough to endanger an 

 appreciable part of the crop, it can easily be controlled by 

 dusting with calcium or lead arsenate. A light application 

 of either of these poisons will so reduce the caterpillars in 

 numbers that the bolls will not be attacked. 



In the northern part of the Sea Island Belt, complete de- 

 foliation by the leaf worm will considerably reduce the ini- 

 tial weevil infestation the following year. Partial defoliation, 

 however, will have little effect on the weevil population. 



The cotton leaf worm is the larva of a night flying moth, 

 which does not survive the winter in Florida, but migrates 

 in from the West Indies each year. The moth feeds princi- 

 pally on flowers and fruits, and is sometimes found in the 

 northern part of the United States in the fall. The larva, or 

 leaf worm, feeds only on cotton. 



