41 
question as to the quality of the substance used. The tot of the prep- 
aration at Shreveport utter the experiments had been made proved 
beyond question that some eyanide was in solution, but no qualitative 
test could be made to determine the probable quality of the article 
used. 
There seems to be little, if any choice in the use of beer or vinegar 
with the molasses. Vinegar and molasses are probably more easily ob- 
tainable in the country districts, and hence are the cheapest. Fruit 
vinegar should be used, and a mixture of 4 parts to 1 of molasses is 
quite as effective as the ones used in the experiments. 
For the application a tine spray is not necessary, as it is preferable 
that the liquid should be formed in large drops on the plants. Any of 
the larger spraying' machines in use provided with a coarse nozzle can 
be used for the purpose. 
Plates of the poisoned liquids were left standing upon short pedestals 
among the pea vines, but the moths failed entirely to visit them. Stakes 
which had been set among the vines were sprayed to excess, but formed 
no attraction. In fact, anyone who has closely observed the feeding 
habits of the moth can have no hope for the efficiency of any remedy 
except an actual application upon the food plants themselves. The 
usual methods of utilizing poisoned sweets against this pest are evi- 
dently useless and involve expenditures of time and money which are 
practically an entire loss. This conclusion is based upon the behavior 
of the moths toward the sweets during the egg-laying period. That 
time over, many individuals may be caught, but then their capture has 
no real economic significance. 
Some advise cutting into halves numbers of ripened melons in patches 
adjoining cotton fields and saturating the cut surface with poisoned 
liquids such as have been mentioned. While at Arlington, Tex., a 
union patch was found between rows of pea vines and a large cotton 
field. During the day it was found that where melons had been broken 
open and left Lying during a hot day, Boll Worm moths visited them in 
the afternoon from about 3 o'clock. The moths unquestionably t\n\ upon 
the exudations; but the practice is objectionable, since during the day 
it had been noted that scores of the preying wasps constantly flying 
about cotton fields, honey bees, and some miscellaneous beneficial in- 
sects made visits to the broken melons. All of these would necessarily 
be poisoned and would be a direct loss. To a certain extent the same 
objection can be maintained against liquids applied to eowpeas. On 
these plants, however, the poisoned sweet is not applied until after the 
heat of the day, when beneficial insects are flying about less plentifully. 
Furthermore, the application dries the next day as soon as the dew of 
the night evaporates, which greatly lessens the danger of destroying 
desirable insects. The drying of the poisoned application is. therefore. 
in one sense an advantage, as it partially counterbalances the loss in 
efficacy of the application. 
