134 REPORT 4, UNITED STATES ENTOMOLOGICAL COMMISSION. 



as the perfected machines supply this want, we may justly expect that 

 the efficacy of the arsenical poisons is considerably increased by the de- 

 struction of many Moths before these have deposited their eggs. 



Finally, in this connection, we would mention a- theory or proposed 

 remedy -by Dr. J. Lupton, of Winchester, Frederick County, Virginia. 

 Noticing that the Bee Moth was more attracted to a fluid sweetened and 

 flavored from the hive than to any other kind, he conceived the idea 

 that the Cotton Moth would also be most attracted by sweetened water 

 which was flavored with the bruised leaves of the cotton plant. Prof. 

 N. T. Lupton, ofYanderbilt University, Nashville, made an experiment 

 in 1872 which seemed to indicate that the liquid thus prepared with 

 cotton leaves had the greater attractiveness for the moth as compared 

 with ordinary molasses and water, and being anxious to decide the ques- 

 tion we took pains to have the proposed remedy fully tried. 



We quote from Mr. Schwarz's report the following account of experi- 

 ments made by Mr. Pattou and himself at Selma on the attractive power 

 of the cotton-leaf essence : 



In accordance with yonr instructions, I gathered, while at Selma, Ala., a quantity 

 of fresh cotton leaves. From about 8 pounds of these leaves one pound of alcoholic 

 extract was obtained, and from another lot of leaves a simple decoction was made. 



During the first week of October there appeared to be a good opportunity for experi- 

 menting, as the evenings were warm again (after a preceding cold spell), and as the 

 moths began to hatch. On October 8 and 9 I ^'sugared," in company of Mr. Wm. H. 

 Patton, a number of trees, fence boards, and posts, in a favorable locality, with the 

 following substances : 



1. Mixture of molasses and beer. 



2. Mixture of molasses and extract of cotton leaves. 



3. Extract of cotton leaves alone. 



Care was taken to apply each mixture on equally favorable places, or at least on 

 places which appeared to us equally favorable. The result was as follows : A very 

 large number of NoctuidsB was attracted, especially on the first evening, when there 

 was no wind, but Aletia was by no means the most numerous species among them, 

 being the third in rank. 



The places sugared with No. 3 proved decidedly less attractive than the others, 

 and only a few moths of all species were found at them. The probable reason thereof 

 is that the extract evaporates too quickly without addition of a sticky substance. 

 At the places sugared with Nos. 1 and 2, 70 Aletias were captured, 50 on the first, and 

 20 on the second evening. The latter were just equally divided between mixtures 1 

 and 2, but of the 50 Moths on the first evening there was a decided difference in favor 

 of mixture No. 2, 30 Moths being found attracted by the molasses and cotton-leaf ex- 

 tract, and only 20 by molasses and beer. There were 12 jilaces sugared with Nos. 1 

 and 2, six with each mixture. Four of these proved to be not attractive at all to the 

 moths, the remaining being more or less attractive. But one fence-post, sugared 

 with No. 2, proved, by far, more attractive than the rest, and it was this spot alone 

 which made the difference in favor of No. 2, the number of moths collected on the 

 other places being remarkably equal. I have no doubt that had this fence-post been 

 sugared with No. 1 the difference would have been in favor of No. 1. My opinion, 

 therefore, is that the attractiveness of sweets is not increased by the addition of cot- 

 ton-leaf extract, and that such extract alone has, to say the least, not a greater attrac- 

 tive power than other sweets. 



I intended to test the cotton-leaf decoction on one of the next evenings, but the 

 weather continued to be cold until my departure from Selma. 



