44 Growing Sea Island Cotton Under Florida Conditions 



Fig. 15. Urena lobata, sometimes known as Caesar weed, one of the common 

 w^ild host plants of the cotton stainer south of Ocala. Notice the 

 branching characteristic of the plant. Leaves are dark green, from 

 three to four inches across, almost round. Blossoms are about a half 

 an inch long, slightly pink. The fruit is a five-sectioned bur about 

 one-fourth an inch across, w^ith one small round seed in each section. 

 This plant grow^s in fertile, somewhat moist situations. 



Positive Measures of Stainer Control 



In stainer infested territory close watch should be kept 

 for stainers from the time cotton blossoms appear. If they 

 are found in considerable numbers before the cotton begins 

 to open, active measures should be taken to reduce their 

 numbers. Several means of doing this are at the disposal 

 of the cotton grower. 



Hand Picking 



If stainers are not particularly numerous, hand picking 

 may suffice to prevent them from doing appreciable dam- 

 age. The adults are gathered by hand and dropped in a pail 

 or can containing kerosene. In many instances, if the can 

 is held under the plants the stainers can be jarred into the 

 kerosene rather easily. 



