30 PROLIFERATION IN CONTROL OF BOLL WEEVIL. 
little doubt that the anthracnose (PI. ITI, fig. 12) was the cause of the 
proliferation. In an examination of 1,800 bolls 71 locks showed pro- 
liferation from anthracnose. Undoubtedly various species of fungi 
find favorable places for attack in the cavities formed by open feed-— 
ing punctures, and these also appeared to incite proliferation in 
many cases, though it is possible that their attack accompanied 
rather than caused the proliferation. In still other cases decay 
seemed to be the inciting agent, but whether by chemical stimulus — 
or in some other way is not known. 
ARTIFICIAL STIMULATION TO PROLIFERATION. 
In order to determine positively whether the formation of prolif- — 
eration was connected specifically with weevil attack, a series of | 
experiments was undertaken to see if it could be produced by artifi-— 
cial stimulation without the intervention of any insect. The experi- 
ments, as originally planned, were much more extensive than is shown 
by the figures which follow, but unfortunately a considerable portion | 
of the records was destroyed in the field through the vandalism of 
some unknown person. The records secured are sufficient, however, — 
to indicate reliable conclusions to be drawn from the work. | 
METHOD OF TREATMENT. 
Punctures of two sizes were made in these tests, the smaller by a_ 
No. 12 needle, which is the smallest size that is commonly used. — 
This needle is not as thick as the proboscis of a weevil, and it made a __ 
small puncture. The hypodermic syringe needle need would make a 
larger puncture than that ordinarily made by the weevil for ovi- | 
positing, but not as large as is often made in feeding. The needles _ 
were sterilized in a flame before starting a series of experiments, but | 
not between the punctures made in the series. | 
The ‘‘sealing”’ referred to in Table X, column 1, was accomplished | 
by using a solution of shellac in alcohol. This was not supposed | 
to resemble in nature the mucous secretion used by the weevil in | 
sealing her egg punctures, but was simply expected to close the | 
punctures coat estena ly as tightly as does the weevil. However, — 
the shellac solution accomplished this object only partially, as in | 
many cases it soon peeled away from the surface of the bud or boll. | 
Only a single puncture was made in each square treated, but in more | 
than one-third of these squares a weevil puncture was present also. 
The effects of a few chemical solutions when injected into buds or 
bolls were tested also in these experiments (Pl. IV, figs. 13, 14). - | 
