Eighth Report of the State Entomologist 243 



to me, — in a curing-barn, near Albany, X. Y., shortly after the 

 hanging up of the plants for curing, the floor beneath was found 

 "nearly covered" with the caterpillars of S. quirifjuemaculata. 

 As illustrating the abundance in which they at times occur, it 

 may be mentioned that a market gardener collected from one 

 acre and a quarter of tomato plants — a favorite food-plant of 

 the species, — four bushels of the caterpillars, in one day {Report 

 of the Entomological Society of Ontario for ls*U, page '27). 



The only sure remedy for the attack of this insect is that 

 which is known among tobacco growers as "worming." The 

 plants must be searched for the worms <:wo or three times a 

 week, or as often as is found necessary, and the worms destroyed. 

 The mornings and evenings and cloudy days are the most favor- 

 able for finding them. 



Poisoning the moths to prevent the laying of the eggs is also 

 resorted to. A gentleman gives this as his method: "In every 

 tenth hill, on the outside of my field, I sow the seed of James- 

 town-weed (Datura stramonium), instead of setting tobacco plants. 

 As the Daturas grow up I pull out all but two to each hill, 

 and when these are in bloom I go around every evening, and, 

 after destroying all but two flowers, pour into these a few drops 

 of common fly poison, mixed with sweetened water and whiskey. 

 The moths sip the poison and die from it, and I find them 

 scattered over the farm for the space of several hundred yards." 

 Another writer gives these directions for the poisoning: " Provide 

 a weak solution of cobalt and a little honey, place it in a bottle 

 having a small quill through the cork, and late each evening 

 go around the jimson weeds and put a few drops of the mixture 

 into the blossoms. The poisoning must be done every day through 

 the fly season, care being taken each evening to pull off the 

 blossoms that were poisoned the day before, as, if left on, they 

 seem to destroy the plants." 



So far to the northward as Massachusetts, the Jamestown-weed 

 might not flower in season for the early coming of the moths, 

 unless the seed should be put in as early as possible. 



Knowing the attractiveness of the petunia for our Sphinx 

 moths, I would suggest, that benefit might be derived from placing 

 a large bed of these flowers in the neighborhood of tobacco fields, 



