69 



In Series III freshly picked squares were placed with the meal to 

 see which would attract the weevils. Fresh meal, as well as squares, 

 was supplied at frequent intervals. During the 158 "weevil-days" 

 that this test continued not one of the 10 weevils died. The average 

 period of the test was almost 16 da}^s, and after it the weevils were 

 placed in hibernation, but all died before April 15, 1903. In only one 

 instance was a weevil observed feeding upon the meal. From this 

 test it was evident that cotton-seed meal has not the power to attract 

 weevils from squares, even when the latter have been picked for sev- 

 eral days. 



In spite of the complete failure indicated by these results, a series 

 of field tests was made during the late fall of 1902. 



FIELD TESTS. 



In order to settle this question finally, two series of field tests were 

 made, one daring the fall, when weevils were abundant but full-fed 

 and cotton still standing, and the other during the early spring, with 

 the view of attracting weevils as they came from hibernation before 

 cotton began to square. 



Fall of 1902. — Cotton-seed meal fresh from the mill was placed in 

 10 cheese-cloth bags, which were shaken so that the fine dust from the 

 meal covered the outside of each bag. The bags were numbered and 

 then tied to cotton plants in infested fields at about the middle of the 

 plants. The bags were so distributed as to test fields in which the 

 following conditions prevailed: One field entirely black from frost, 

 one nearly black, one about half green, and one still entirely green. 

 The number of weevils on the plant to which the bag was attached 

 was noted each day to ascertain in a general way the number of wee- 

 vils which would be very near the meal and able to reach it in the 

 ordinary course of travel over the plant without having to fly to it. 

 Weevils on adjacent plants would naturally come within the sphere 

 of influence if such existed, but they were disregarded. After the 

 failure of the meal to attract weevils in the field became apparent, 

 weevils were caught and placed upon the bags to see if they would 

 stay there- 

 Altogether 65 observations were made, covering a period from Novem- 

 ber 24 to December 16. The weather was generally cool, averaging 

 about 61° F., mean temperature, and cotton had ceased to grow. 

 Counting each weevil found at each observation, only 5 were found 

 upon the 10 bags of meal. Of these 5, 3 were hidden in the folds of 

 the cloth for shelter and were not feeding. One weevil was counted 

 twice and was the only one found that appeared to be feeding upon the 

 meal. During this period a total of 163 weevils was found upon the 

 top parts of the plants to which the bags were attached. This is con- 



