77 
Experiment S. — A*newl_y hatched larva was placed on a plant 3 feet 
high July 15. It entered the soil July 28, after destroying one 
square, one flower, and two full-grown bolls. 
Experiment ^. — Larva one-eighth inch long was placed on plant 3 
feet high July 26. It entered the soil August 4, after destroying 
nineteen squares. No bolls or flowers were injured, although two 
large bolls bore evident marks where the larva had tasted them and 
passed on. The daily injury done by this larva ma}^ be of interest: 
First and second day, one square; third day, two small squares; fourth 
day, one small square; fifth da}^, one square; sixth day, two squares; 
seventh day, five squares; eighth day, six squares. 
Experiment S. — A one-eighth inch larva was placed on a plant 3 feet 
high Jul}^ 27. It entered the soil August 7, after destroying four 
squares, two flowers, and two bolls (one-fourth and three-fourths 
grown, respectivel}^). 
Experiment 6. — A one-sixteenth inch larva was placed on a plant 3 
feet high August 10. By August 2(» it had destro3^ed thirteen squares 
and one flower. 
A summary of these six cases shows a total injury of fifty squares, 
eight bolls, and five flowers. This gives an average of eight squares, 
one and two-thirds bolls, and one flower for each developing larva. 
A great individual difference in tastes is at once evident, some 
larvfe preferring squares entirely and others feeding more or less on 
bolls when both are present in sufficient quantities, as they were in 
all these experiments. Squares are invariably chosen by the youngest 
larvae, some of them continuing when older to search out the squares 
and others turning their attention to the bolls. In one case a boll was 
attacked by a rather young larva, which afterward consumed only 
squares and flowers, but this is unusual. On account of their large 
size, a much smaller number of bolls are destroyed than squares. In 
fact, it was seen in one case that two large bolls and one flower served 
to mature a larva, while another, which fed only on squares, required 
nineteen. 
During the experiments each individual plant was covered by a 
large wire-screen cage, 3 feet square at the base and 4 feet high. This 
prevented in great measure the escape of larvae, and kept out any 
.other insects which might interfere with the accuracy of the results. 
The cotton plants each bore from 40 to 60 squares and from 8 to 12 
well-developed bolls, in addition to a varying number of flowers and 
small bolls. Hence it is apparent that it would require only seven 
or eight larvae, feeding at the rate of those observed, to destroy nearly 
all of the fruit on one large plant. 
