29 



meridian westward, the bollworm rapidly becomes of less and less 

 importance along with the diminishing annual rainfall. The further 

 consideration of this area-will be included in the next topic. 



THE BOLLWORM IN THE WESTERN UNITED STATES. 



Owing to the incompleteness of data on the distribution and destruc- 

 tiveness of the bollworm in the more Western States traversed by the 

 Rocky and other ranges of mountains, and the consequent breaking up 

 of the zones into small and more or less poorly defined areas, it will 

 not be possible to indicate the relative destructiveness of the insect in 

 this territory, except in a ver}^ general way. 



No records have been found of the occurrence of the bollworm 

 in the States of Montana and Washington. In Oregon, however, 

 it was reported hj Professor Washburn" as destructive to sweet 

 corn at Corvallis, in 1889, and elsewhere in the State. It was not con- 

 sidered a newcomer, as it had been reported b\^ farmers four, or even 

 eight, years previously. These reports appear ver}^ probable, in view 

 of the records of this Bureau of two specimens from Oregon prior to 

 1885, as mentioned by Riley in the Fourth Report of the United States 

 Entomological Commission. 



The bollworm was to be found in California as early as 1879, accord- 

 ing to a note in the Pacific Rural Press of September of that year. 

 More recenth^ ^ the insect has been mentioned by Mr. Coquillett as 

 feeding on various plants in that State, though no data are furnished 

 to indicate serious injury from the pest. In Nevada, according to 

 Prof. F. H. Hillman,^ the bollworm is commonl}^ injurious to sweet 

 corn, and less frequently to tomatoes, in the western part of the State. 

 Injury is reported '^ from Buckeye, Ariz., to corn in 1899, and its occur- 

 rence in portions of New Mexico, injuring corn and tomatoes, has been 

 occasionally mentioned by Professor Cockerell. In Utah, according 

 to Prof. E. D. Ball, the bollworm is a pest of considerable importance, 

 injuring corn and other crops. 



FARM METHODS IN RELATION TO BOLLWORM INJURY. 



As has been elsewhere mentioned, present injury to cotton by the 

 cotton bollworm assumes its greatest proportions in Texas, Louisi- 

 ana, Indian Territor}", Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Arkansas, with 

 more or less injury in Alabama. The fact that the western part of the 

 cotton belt should be thus afflicted, while the Carolinas, Georgia, and 

 Florida enjoy practical immunity, is somewhat remarkable, and this 



«Bul. 3, Oreg. Agric. Exp. Sta., p. 6. 

 & Insect Life, I, p. 331. 

 cBiil. 36, Nev. Agric. Exp. Sta., p. 19. 

 f^Bul. 32, Ariz. Agric. Exp. Sta., p. 288. 



