THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



97 



DIRECTIONS FOR RAISING PYRETHRUM. 



We have lately been obtaining and 

 distributing, on behalf of the U. S. Ento- 

 mological Commission, the seed of this 

 valuable plant for trial in the Southern 

 States. The following directions for sow- 

 ing and cultivating have been furnished us 

 by the California growers. That quite so 

 much care is necessary, or that any more 

 is required than for the cultivation of other 

 Compositae is doubtful, since it has been 

 grown with the greatest ease in past years 

 at Washington, as we are informed by that 

 experienced horticulturist Mr. Wm. Saun- 

 ders, and also around Ithaca, N. Y., as we 

 learn from Prof. Barnard. 



Prepare a small bed of fine, loose, sandy, loamy 

 soil, slightly mixed with fine manure. Mix the 

 seed with dry sand and sow carefully on top of 

 the bed. Then with a common rake disturb the 

 surface of the ground half an inch in depth. 

 Sprinkle the bed every evening, until sprouted ; 

 too much water will cause injury. After it is 

 well sprouted, watering twice a week is sufficient. 

 When about a month old, weed carefully. They 

 should be transplanted to loamy soil during the 

 rainy season of winter or spring. 



The Cotton Worm Investigation. — 

 Prof. C. V. Riley, Chief of the United 

 States Entomological Commission, who has 

 in charge the investigation of the Cotton 

 Worm, arrived in the city yesterday from 

 Atlanta, Georgia, where he met, by appoint- 

 ment, Prof. J. P. Stelle, of Mobile, and 

 Prof. Eugene A. Smith, of the State Uni- 

 versity at Tuscaloosa. He is accompanied 

 by W. S. Barnard, Prof, of Entomology 

 and Invertebrate Zoology at Cornell Uni- 

 versity. In an interview, Prof. Riley gave 

 us the following outline of the organization 

 of his corps of assistants in the important 

 work which he is pursuing. 



Prof. Stelle will go to Texas, making his 

 headquarters somewhere in the Colorado 

 Bottom, where he will be assisted by Judge 

 W. J. Jones, of Virginia Point, near Gal- 

 veston. 



Prof. Barnard will make his headquar- 

 ters at Vidalia, Louisiana, so as to fully 

 study those portions of Louisiana and 

 Mississippi which were neglected in 1878 

 and 1879 on account of yellow fever. 



In Mississii)pi, Prof. R. W. Jones, of the 

 State University, assisted by Dr. E. H. 

 Anderson, of Kirkwood, and Mr. Lawrence 

 Johnson, of Holly Springs, will represent 

 the Commission among the cotton lands of 

 that State. 



In Alabama, Judge J. F. Bailey, of Ma- 

 rion, assisted by Mr. Jaines Roane, chemist, 

 of Georgetown, D. C, will make a special 

 series of experiments. 



In Georgia, Prof. J. E. Willet, of Mercer 

 College, will make a series of experiments 

 to test the usefulness of fungus germs in the 

 destruction of the worm, and will have the 

 aid and advice of W. G. Farlow, Prof, of 

 Cryptogamic Botany at Harvard. 



In Florida, Mr. H. G. Hubbard, a well- 

 known entomologist of Detroit, Michigan, 

 who has been for some time stationed at 

 Crescent City, will make a series of practical 

 observations and experiments, and will here- 

 after have his headquarters at Tallahassee. 



Prof. Smith will be occupied more particu- 

 larly with the preparation of maps showing 

 the different cotton regions, and indicating 

 a new classification of the cotton belt with 

 reference to the hibernation of the insect. 



Mr. E. A. Schwarz, who has been as- 

 sociated with Prof. Riley from the begin- 

 ing of the investigation, and Mr. W. H. 

 Patton, an experienced entomologist of 

 Connecticut, remain at the headquarters 

 of the Commission in Washington during 

 Prof. Riley's absence, and will take the 

 field later in the season at points to which 

 future experience may direct. Prof. Riley 

 leaves to-day for Mississippi, but will be 

 back in this region next week. He will 

 travel from point to point superintending 

 the work, and advising with his assistants. 

 Toward the end of September he expects 

 to go to California to learn everything con- 

 nected with the cultivation of Pyret/irufn, 

 a plant which he believes will be one of the 

 future dangerless antidotes to the worm, 

 and the cultivation of which he has already 

 taken steps to introduce in the South. — 

 Selina (Ala.) Times, July 21, 1880. 



State Entomologist for New York. 

 -We are glad to be able to announce that 



