212 INSECTS INJURIOUS TO STAPLE CROPS. 



Upon small areas the application of Paris green by- 

 spraying the volunteer plants as they appear in the spring, 

 and two or three times during the next two weeks, will 

 greatly check the increase of the pest. The young tips 

 are the parts which should be most thoroughly sprayed, 

 and as the number of volunteer plants will not be very 

 great, such spraying will not require much time. The 

 solution used should be as strong as one pound of Paris 

 green to fifty gallons of water, as it does not matter if the 

 volunteer plants are killed by it. Volunteer plants appear- 

 ing in deserted cotton-fields or corn-fields should be 

 destroyed as far as possible. 



Picking up the fallen squares and burning them is urged 

 by Prof. Mally* as one of the best means of fighting it. 

 He records that one cotton-grower ''who had fourteen 

 acres of old land in cotton, picked up his squares faithfully 

 and made seven bales. His neighbor, who is conceded by 

 all to be the better farmer, had an adjoining field of 

 twenty-five acres of cotton, but did not gather and burn 

 his squares, made two bales." He states that eleven 

 negroes picked up the squares on ninety acres between 

 9 A.M. and 6.30 p.m., at a cost of $8.00, or less than 10 

 cents per acre. The squares should be picked up every 

 ten days or two weeks. This method is only practicable, 

 however, upon small areas. 



But few insect parasites seem to infest the larvae and 

 but little aid can be hoped from them. Quail and turkeys 

 have, however, been reported as eating large quantites of 

 the weevils and being most beneficial. 



* "The Mexican Cotton Boll-weevil," Farmers' Bulletin No. 130, 

 U. S. Dept. Agr., F. W. Mally. 



