312 REPORT 4, UNirED STATES ENTOMOLOGICAL COMMISSION. 



necessary to elevate tlie frame, A, olf the ground, and tlirow tlie wliole weight of the 

 apparatus upon the wheels, C. Whenever the frame, A, is thus raised the wings, e 

 and/, will ho swung up to clear the upper expanded parts of the cotton plants. This 

 is done hy connecting the two wings that are hinged to each board, a, with each other 

 by a string, j, which passes over the lever, B, so that in swinging up such lever tho 

 string will be drawn with it to contract or swing up the wing. In the front ends of 

 two horizontal bars, I I, that are longitudinally secured to the upper parts of tbo 

 posts, i, is hung a transverse drum or shaft, D^ from which a series of pointed brushes, 

 E E, are suspended. Brushes, F F, are also rigidly affixed to a cross-bar, m, back of 

 the shaft, D, and to inclined bars, n n, that are secured to the sides of the frame, A. 



" For use, the machine is placed to straddle a row of cotton between the inner wings, 

 e e. The boards, a a, rest in the furrows and the outer wings on the rising sides of the 

 adjoining ridges, all as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The wings rest with their weight 

 on the sides of the ridges. The machine being drawn ahead, the shaft, D, is revolved 

 by its brushes, E. which come in contact with the cotton plants. Also, by subsequent 

 contact with the brushes, F F, the worms are all swept to the ground, on which they 

 are finally crushed and destroyed by the weight of the boards, a, and wings, e f. 



'* Apart from the circumstance that this machiDe straddles only one 

 row of plants, it is extremely doubtful whether all or even a large por- 

 tion of the worms would be crushed by the bottom pieces, considering 

 the uneven nature of the ground.'^ 



The following machines carry a tray, of sheet metal, canvas, or other 

 suitable material, supplied with tar, coal oil, or other stifling substances 

 to catch and kill the insects by strangulation. 



The Uwing Sweeper and Stifler consists essentially of two arms which 

 beat off the worms from the row into a large flat tray drawn beneath 

 charged with tar, &c. This is.'' one of the earliest used machines of 

 this kind. It was inventedby Mr. William Ewing, of Columbia, La., in 

 (No. 99995) 1869. Starting from the observation that the worms drop 

 or throw themselves from the plant upon moderate disturbance of the 

 leaves and branches, Mr. Ewing constructed a very simple machine, of 

 which Fig. 4 is a top view and Eig. 5 a side view in PI. LIX. In these 

 drawings a represents a frame constructed of wood or other suitable ma- 

 terial, c d e the wheels, and/ a yoke or drawing device. Upon the front 

 wheel, e, on either side, are pins, g, which act wpon the lower ends, A, of 

 the arms, i, as the wheel is rotated. These arms are pivoted to plates, j, 

 and extend upward and outward so as to pass along the sides and over 

 the top of the plants. To the upper part of these arms other tubular 

 arms, fc, are affixed, so that the brushes, Z, secured thereto and held in 

 place by eyes or ring, m, may be adjusted to the height of the plants. 

 Between the frame a canvas, 5, is stretched. This latter is smeared with 

 tar or any other material to which the worms will stick or adhere for a 

 reasonable length of time. 



"This machine is intended to be drawn by hand, or by a horse or mule, 

 between two rows of plants, the leaves and branches of which are agi- 

 tated by the arms and brushes. The worms fall upon the smeared sur- 

 face of the canvas, and may easily be gathered up and destroyed. It 

 is evident, however, that only those worms are caught which fall toward 



