j^ BULLETIN 703, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



: 



It is interesting to note that a company which grows each year 

 from 10 to 15 acres of globe artichokes in Plaquemines Parish, 

 Louisiana, has found that the aphids. can be killed successfully by 

 a nicotine-sulphate spray. Mr. E. P. Barrios, county agent of the 

 parish, at whose suggestion the spraying was begun, has furnished 

 the writer with the following information regarding the methods 

 followed. The spray mixture, which is applied with knapsack spray- 

 ers equipped with angled nozzles, is made up as follows : 



Tobacco extract containing 40 per cent nicotine as sulphate_ounces S 



Fish-oil soap pounds— 3 



Water _ gallons— 50 



This mixture contains 1 part of nicotine sulphate to 800 parts of 

 water. As an additional aid in controlling the aphids, the method 

 of planting followed makes it possible to utilize the same ground for 

 artichokes during successive years. The young shoots are trans- 

 planted each fall in rows between the rows of old plants. Since the 

 old rows are placed 8 feet apart there is ample space between rows to 

 make this practical. When the young sets have taken root the old 

 plants are plowed under and, as they are well covered with dirt, the 

 aphids present on them are killed. The aphids on the young plants 

 now may be more readily controlled by spraying, because of the 

 smaller amount of foliage they present. 



It is possible that aphids on globe artichokes could be economi- 

 cally killed by fumigation, especially when only a few are grown, 

 and for this purpose nicotine paper might be utilized, a cover to 

 confine the fumes being placed over each plant as it is fumigated. 



OTHER INSECTS ATTACKING THE GLOBE ARTICHOKE IN 



LOUISIANA. 



The banded leaf-footed plant-bug, Leptoglossus phyllopiis Lin- 

 naeus, feeds on the globe artichoke. Its normal food plant, as has 

 been noted by Chittenden, 1 is the yellow thistle, Carduus spinosissi- 

 mus ( = Cirsium horridulum) . The adults and nymphs are often 

 numerous upon both plants, the adults being especially common on 

 the thistle during late winter and early spring. 



Larvae of the corn earworm (Ckloridea oosol-eta Fabricius) have 

 been found boring into the edible heads, and a plant-bug, Tlxyrco- 

 coris pulicarius Germar, has been observed clustered upon them. 

 Nymphs of Nezara viriduTa Linneaus have been found on the heads, 

 and a scarabaeid beetle. Euphoria sepulchrdlis Fabricius, has been 

 captured under conditions indicating that it was injuring them. 



1 Chittenden, F. H. Some Insects Injurious to Garden and Orchard Crops. U. S. 

 Dept. Agr. Bur. Ent. Bui. 19, n. s., 1899. See p. 47. 



