34 CIRCULAR NO. 120, BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY. 
been confused with the distortion of the leaves by plant lice, but the 
two malformations are readily distinguished. 
Leaf-cut is in-the nature of an environmental injury, not due to - 
parasitic organisms or to constitutional weakness, but apparently 
connected with exposure to heat and dryness. All varieties of cotton 
are susceptible during the early stages of growth. 
Though leaf-cut is not fatal, it is responsible for much damage by 
retarding the growth of the young plants. The loss of the terminal 
buds interferes with normal habits.of branching, and the plants are 
permanently deformed. Damage from leaf-cut can be avoided or 
reduced by improved cultural methods, and the deformed plants can 
be removed by later thinning. 
[Cir. 120] 
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