31 
not before. Such forms often present small black spots looking like 
small borings, but which are so numerous that they need not be con- 
fused with young Boil- Worm ravages. It must be noted that these 
signs of mechanical injury are not to be attributed to the Thrips. The 
shedding of these bolls is probably due to the fact that the work of the 
Thrips on the essential organs prevents fertilization. This insures the 
dropping of the fruit. 
Mauy other species of the suborder Heteroptera probably puncture the 
pericarp of the very young bolls or their peduncles, in (uther case caus- 
ing the shedding of the fruit. Careful examination will show that the 
injury is a puncture and should not be mistaken. 
Neither of the first four species mentioned are numerous enough to 
cause alarm or extended damage, and are only mentioned to show that 
there is a certain small per cent of injury easily attributed to the Boll 
Worm which does not justly belong to that species. 
REMEDIES. 
TOPPING OF COTTON AND ROTATION OF CROPS. 
These have both been justly pronounced inefficient as a means of 
fighting the Boll Worm (see Fourth Report IT. S. Entomological Com- 
mission). It may be stated, however, that numerous interviews with 
farmers verified the opinion that topping did no harm, and that if " you 
could strike it right" it was an advantage. Experimentation is first 
necessary to show that it is practical and profitable to practice topping 
of cotton as an additional means of cultivation and the proper time to 
do so determined. When this is done it will depend largely upon 
whether that time falls within the period of greatest deposition by the 
moths. If so, no doubt some additional benefit will be derived by the 
destruction of the eggs deposited on the parts cut away in topping. 
But since the moth has been found to have such a wide range of de- 
position and the portion cut off in topping is so small in proportion to 
the whole surface of the plant exposed and suitable for deposition, it is 
not to be recommended to incur the expense of topping when nothing 
more is to be accomplished than the destruction of the few eggs which 
are likely to be found on the parts cut away. The rotation of crops 
can be of no avail against the insect, since it feeds equally well upon the 
corn or cowpeas, which are most likely to be rotated with the cotton. 
FALL PLOWING. 
This is to be urged for several reasons. It has been my experience, 
that where the cells of the Boll Worm pupae are broken up and placed 
in loose, moist earth, which is allowed to be moist continuously and 
possibly to excess, that the pupae die in a majority of cases even with- 
out freezing. It therefore appears that actual contact of the pupa 
