40 Growing Sea Island Cotton Under Florida Conditions 



The Cotton Boll Worm (ChJoridea obsoleta) 



Occasionally an oiUbreak of the cotton boll worm occurs 

 and considerable damage results. A hole is eaten from the 

 outside of the boll and the contents are consumed. This in- 

 sect is also a serious pest of tomatoes and corn, being known 

 as the tomato fruit worm or corn ear worm when it attacks 

 these crops. 



The boll worm is a much more serious pest in some locali- 

 ties than in others. Where it is known to be a menace, close 

 watch should be kept for its appearance, and the cotton 

 dusted with calcium or lead arsenate when it appears in 

 damaging numbers. Usually only the rankest spots need 

 dusting, 



Aphids 



Cotton is sometimes more or less severely attacked by 

 aphids, usually when it is young. The usual procedure foi- 

 controlling aphids, however, are so expensive that it does not 

 pay to apply them to cotton. Generally aphid infestations 

 on cotton are eventually controlled by natural agencies in 

 time to prevent serious damage to the crop. 



Cutv^orms 



Cutworms will be found troublesome on cotton under the 

 same conditions that they are troublesome on other crops. 

 After turning under grass land a close watch should be kept 

 for cutworms. If they are found to be numerous, they should 

 be poisoned with one of the several baits in common use. 

 Probablv the most commonly recommended formula consists 

 of: 



Bran 20 Pounds 



Cottonseed meal 5 Pounds 



Paris Green 1 Pound 



Water 2 1^ Gallons 



Some recommend syrup or molasses in addition to the 

 above, and some use arsenate of lead instead of Paris green. 

 Probably five or six ounces of sodium arsenate in 25 pounds 

 of bait would be found equal to, if not superior to, either. 



If the cotton is up, or coming up, when cutworms are first 

 noted, the bait should be spread on the ground along the 

 drill late in the afternoon. If a field is known to be infested 

 with cutworms, it is best to broadcast the bait a week or so 

 after breaking the land, or at any rate, before the cotton 

 begins to come up. 



