THE PliSTK COEISr-WOEM, 9 



regard to it. We find the ears infested in the fields as well as in the cribs. I am sure 

 that they work on sound cobs. 



Mr. L. p. Bell, West, Miss., whose letter has just been quoted in 

 brief, wrote: 



Investigation shows that they are in all cribs of corn * * * the farmers are 

 becoming uneasy about the crop. They appear to be worst in damaged corn but are 

 found in sound ears too. 



Mr. Thos. H. Jones, who has been working under the writer's 

 direction, makes practically the same statement, and Mr. J. B. Gar- 

 rett, x\ssistant Director of the North Louisiana Experiment Station, 

 Calhoun, La., under date of November 24, 1915, wrote as follows: 



It would appear from my observation, wliich of course is rather limited, that the 

 "pink corn-worm" is found in ears of corn most frequently where they have been 

 previously injured by boUworms, birds, etc., hut I have seen them in ears which were 

 perfectly sound and shoived no signs of other injury. 



We must accept this as the trath in spite of the fact that the wriier 

 and several others ha^e never seen any infested ear of corn which 

 was not first attacked, if ever so lightly, at the tip of the husk by the 

 boUworm or some other insect, giving ample opportunity for the moth 

 of this species to deposit her eggs. 



On December 2 Mr. W. H. Home wrote from Laurel, Miss., that 

 his community was thrown into considerable confusion by the dis- 

 covery of a little pmk ooni-worm which was domg damage to many 

 oribs of corn. As the pest seemed to be comparatively new he was 

 desirous of any mformation that would enable the growers to stem 

 its ravages. He desired also a personal visit from an agent of the 

 department. 



The Bureau of Entomology received later, through Hon. T. U. 

 Sisson, a communication from Mr. W. B. Rainey, Hesterville, Miss., 

 stating that there was a little worm known as the "pmk worm" in 

 that country eating the corn after it was cribbed. Information in 

 regard to some remedy was urgently requested. The statement that 

 the msect formed a web at the little end of the ear, and from there 

 proceeded downward eating and webbmg, left no doubt that this was 

 the species in question. 



On December 5 Mr. R. P. Wright, wrote from Carthage, Mss.,, 

 amply describing this insect, saying that it threatened to destroy the 

 corn in that vicinity, and that numbers were imbedded in almost 

 every ear of corn, which they ate most voraciously. 



INJURY DURING 1915. 



During January, 1915, ears of corn showing average infestation 

 of the pink corn-worm were received from. Mr. K. H. Diggs, Lexing- 

 ton, Miss. ; there were three varieties of corn taken from five different 

 cribs. The corn was planted between April 5 and May 10, and har- 

 26427°— Bull. 363—16 2 



