12 
Table IV. — Bolls in cotton plant — natural shedding. 
Plant. 
Bolls in 
plant. 
Shedding. 
Total. 
Natural. 
Other 
causes. 
1 
71 
16 
157 
08 
26 
70 
25 
16 
52 
36 
30 
33 
22 
17 
16 
3 
4 
10 
118 
49 
225 
107 
60 
113 
2..., 
3 
4 
5 
6 
Total 
408 
68 
192 
32 
72 
12 
672 
112 
Average per plant . . 
Table V. — Matured oolls in cotton plant. 
Plant. 
Bolls 
matured. 
Plant. 
' Bolls 
matured. 
1 
25 
16 
18 
26 
25 
22 
22 
17 
9 
12 
17 
22 
31 
33 
2 
10..! 
3 
11 
4 
12 
13 
5 
G 
Total 
7 
286 
22 
8 
Average per plant . . 
Table IV shows that when examined September 7 plant 3 had borne 
a total of 225 and plant 4 a total of 107 squares, forms, and bolls; Sep- 
tember 29 plant 3 bore only 98 bolls and forms, and plant 4, 59; Octo- 
ber 10 plant 3 had 96 and plant 4, 51; November 14, plant 3 bore 83 
and plant 4, 44. At this time it was evident that the bolls yet remain- 
ing would mature and open if conditions continued favorable. Hence, 
by natural agencies the original numbers had been reduced to 83 and 
44, respectively, by November 14. The shedding of plant 3 was, there- 
fore, 63.2 ; that of plant 4, 58.9 per cent. Even the figures given in 
Table IV on September 7 show that of a total of 672 bolls and squares 
originally borne by the six plants only 408 were then upon them, a 
shedding of 264 bolls, or 39.3 per cent. The plants examined were 
above the average in growth and vigor. 
These facts should impress the planter reporting damages supposed 
to be due to an insect with the necessity of making a careful examina- 
tion and discovering the real causes operating. If this be done, he 
will often find that much of his loss is'due to perfectly natural causes 
and not to insect depredations. 
The data contained in Table V are based upon average plants which 
had already matured, or at least had set their full crop. It must be 
noted in this connection that the average given applies to good cotton 
only, in such districts as northern Louisiana and Mississippi. In river 
bottoms, where cotton grows much more vigorously, the average per 
Xnant is proportionally greater. In some of the southern and central 
