37 
Table IA''. — Injury to cotton by hollworm and other causes. 
Date. 
Place. 
Number 
of good 
squares. 
Number 
of squares 
injured 
by boll- 
worm. 
Number 
of squares 
injured 
from all 
other 
causes. 
Remarks. 
July 14 
Julv 16 
Wharton, Tex 
168 
472 
483 
411 
454 
489 
446 
444 
342 
1 
3 
331 
25 
17 
52 
20 
5 
31 
35 
67 
Largely injured by boll 
Morgan Tex 
weevil. 
July 20 
July 24 
July 25 
July 27 
Aug. 4 
Aug. 5 
Aug. 6 
Comanche Tex 
Groesbeck, Tex., field No. 1 .... 
Groesbeck, Tex., field No. 2 ... . 
Gilmer Tex 
37 
26 
6 
23 
21 
91 
Some injured by weevil. 
Mineola, Tex., field No. 1 
Mineola, Tex., field No. 2 
Providence, Tex 
Total 
3,709 
208 
583 
Average per cent injured by boll worm 4. 
Average per cent injured from other causes 12. 
EARLIER INVESTIGATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF 
AGRICULTURE. 
The investigation of the cotton boll worm was one of the first ento- 
mological problems undertaken b}^ the Federal Government. With 
the appointment of Townend Glover as entomologist to the division of 
agriculture of the Patent Office on June 14, 1854, an investigation of 
the insects injurious to the cotton plant was immediately begun. In 
September of that year Mr. Glover visited plantations near Columbia, 
S. C, and made many interesting and important observations on the 
bollworm, as well as on other cotton insects. Many points in the life 
history and habits of this insect were determined, and at this early 
date the striking similarity between the bollworm and corn-ear worm 
was pointed out. But it should be here noted that their identity had 
been practically accepted by Mr. J. W. Boddie, of Jackson, Miss., in 
July , 1850, as a result of his own observations. A brief report on the 
bollworm was made by Mr. Glover in the Patent Office Report for 1854, 
pages 60 and 64.- The same insect is also treated under the caption 
of "The Corn Worm," on page 69 of this report, many of the essen- 
tial points in regard to its habits and injuries to this plant being set 
forth. As bearing on the control of the bollworm on cotton at this time, 
Mr. Glover states that, according to Mr. B. A. Sorsby, of Columbia, 
S. C, when the corn on two or three plantations was carefully 
"wormed," the bollworms did not make their appearance that season 
on cotton, although on neighboring plantations great injury was 
inflicted. Mention is made of a recommendation to light fires in vari- 
ous parts of the plantation at the time when the first moths make their 
appearance, and the statement is made that the moths are attracted to 
lights and will be killed in great numbers. Successful experiments in 
killing moths by attracting them to a mixture of vinegar and molasses 
are reported as made by Colonel Sorsby a year or two previous. 
