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During September and October worms wore reported frcn all the cotton 
States except California, and noths wore reported as abundant in the 
Northern States and Canada. The spread was more rapid and in general 
the infestation was more severe than last year. Poisoning was necessary 
as early as the first wock in June in Southern Texas. Control measures 
were, necessary in some fields in all parts of the nain Crtton Belt and 
as far north and west as -Mise-ourj, and Arizona. More prison was used 
for l^af "'eras than for boll wc-yils in the Delta. Unprotected fields 
were generally stripped during th«-- latter part of July and Au east; how- 
ever, the extrnnely dry and hot weather had caused early maturity of the 
cotton and concentration of worms on the younger fields sc that a large 
part of the crop was matured before it was damaged. The general early 
defoliation of the plants stepped the late production of squares and 
•oils and greatly reduced the number of boll weevils entering hiberna- 
tion. Although the leaf worm inf 'station was early and heavy and necess- 
itated the expenditure of largo sums of money for the protection of the 
immature crop, most of the fields the.t needed protection were poisoned 
and the actual damage caused was comparatively small. (U. C. Loftin, 
Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine, U. S. D. A.) 
COTTON PLEA HOPPER 
The peak of the emergence of the cotton flea hopper from over- 
wintered eggs in southern Texas occurred at the end of April in 193&> 
or about 3 weeks later than normally. The total emergence fmm crtton 
plants in hibernation cages was about 20 percent greater this year than 
in 193^ or 1935; however, the field population was much lower than in 
those years, and for the first time in U years did not reach the point 
whore control measures were needed in Hay. The principal factor respons- 
ible for the low field population in this section, where damage is usual- 
ly great, was the excessively heavy rainfall, which killed great numbers 
of the newly hatched nymphs and caused an abundant growth of horsonint 
and other weeds on which the hoppers feed, delaying migration tc the 
cotton fiolds. The light migration and infestation was shown by the 
lowest catch on the trap screens in several years. Although the field 
population increased somewhat during June, it never became high. Rains 
continued during the latter part of June and throughout July, the most 
important fruiting season of the cotton, and the oxcess moisture caused 
abnormal shedding of bolls and squares. The cotton did not react and 
produce a top crop, and the yields per acre and gains from the fl - 
hopper control experiments were very low. In other sections of the 
Cotton Belt the damage caused by flea hoppers was normal, 3xcept in 
the Coastal Plains where damage was somewhat heavier than usual. In 
the Mississippi-Louisiana Delta Lygus pratensis (L.) and Adelphocrris 
rapidus (Say) caused more than average damage and considerably ricre 
than the flea hopper. (U. C. Loftin, Bureau of Entomology and Plant 
Quarantine, U. S. D. A.) 
