14 MISCELLANEOUS COTTON INSECTS, 
Past history. — The first account of this insect was published by 
Doctor Riley, a who gives its past histoiy, an account of its depredations, 
its food plants, and life history, and a partial description of the larva. 
Doctor Chittenden has published notes upon the species, b and Dr. 
S. A. Forbes has also given an excellent account of the insect/ 1 
Remedial measures. — Dusting or spraying the affected crops with an 
arsenical will, of course, quickly check the depredations of the pest; 
but as some delay is usually involved in such an operation over a large 
area, considerable injury will have been done before it is completed. 
Preventive measures are more important. Of these the destruction 
of those native weeds upon which the larva feeds is of great impor- 
tance, especially where land is left uncultivated. The thorough culti- 
vation of the land in fall or winter will also probably be of great 
benefit, if the larva passes the winter in the soil, as seems probable. 
On this point, Mr. 8. J. Berryman, of Montalba, a careful observer, 
writes: 
I think the reason that I am not bothered by them is because I have had all of my 
land broken in the winter and harrowed it several times. The blackbirds followed 
my plow all the time, and I think they got most of them. At least, I am not both- 
ered with the insects, and I hear no complaints from those who did the same way. 
In the case of alfalfa a thorough cultivation in late fall or early 
spring would doubtless be of value for the same reason. 
THE WHITE-LINED SPHINX. 
(Deilephila lineata Fab. Fig. 5.) 
The well-known and exceedingly variable larvae of this sphinx moth 
are common inhabitants of the cotton field about the time the } T oung 
plants are being chopped. Usually their injury to the foliage of the 
young plants is noticed by the hands, who can destroy most of the 
caterpillars at this time. Occasionally, however, the} r become over- 
abundant and swarm over all the vegetation much as does the army 
worm, destroying every low-growing plant in their path. Such was 
the case near San Antonio in 1903, when garden crops and cotton 
were seriously injured by immense numbers of these caterpillars. 
On May 30, 1903, caterpillars in almost all stages of growth were 
common on cotton at College Station, and several were kept under 
observation. The first was read} T to pupate June 1, and three entered 
the earth to pupate June 11. June 25 about twenty flies of Winthe- 
mia quadripustidata Fab. emerged from these. Three moths emerged 
on July 3, 1, and 14, respectively. The caterpillars were not subse- 
al885: Rept. Comm. Agric. f. 1885, pp. 265-270. 
& 1902: Bid. 33, n. s., Div. Ent., U. 8. Dept, Agric, pp. 46,47; and 1903: Bui. 43, 
1. c, pp. 39-40, figs. 36 and 37. 
^1900: 21st Rept. State Ent. 111., pp. 108-109, fig. 33. 
