The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1892-10-15

ment has been hindefed by various, pcr=
haps occidental, iinfavorable environ
ments. Furthermore, as previously
stated, the broods from the very first OF
the season overlap. Doubtless, there
fore, great portion of the worms found
during the latter part of September and
later consist also of the lap, so to speak,
of the last brood and should not be
counted as a separate brood, or even 6
partial one.
NATURAL ENEMIES:
The canhibalistic habit of the bon
worm makes it its own greatest enemy,
as will be shown under the head of
remedial measures. All the enemie7
noted in bulletin No, "a of the division
have been observed again. The Same
special stress and Importance must
again be repeated in speaking of the
egg parasite lTrichogramma pretiosa).
Its value can not be over estimated.
Among the birds the sapsucker, crow
blackbird and crows deserve special
mention. Another species of robber fly
was noted catching the images. Obser.
walton upon the habits of ants .(Solen:
opsis germinati) earlier in the
season makes it absolutely GER
tain that at that season they
frequently capture boil worm. They
do so mostly when the worm travels or
comes out of the ear of corn to molt.
They seldom enter an ear of corn for a
deliberate search after their victim.
Later in the season, when there is a
greater diversity of insect life and also
vegetable growth, the ant loses special
interest in the boil worm.
A small Anthocorid (Triphleps insidi-
osus) is found abundantly on corn silks.
II punctures and feeds upon the eggs
of heliothis and probably very young
boil worms. Many beneficial insects.
especially the small scymnid beetles,
are also abundantly found on corn silks.
This subject will, however be treated
more fully in subsequent report.
INSECT RAvAGEs EASILY MISTAKEN FOR
THOSE OF BOIL WORM.
Many Hemipterous insects
puncture very young forms and squares,
or their peduncles, causing the pros
pective fruit to fall. The mark result
ing from the puncture closely resembles
the working of very young boil worms,
and by many planters the latter are
held responsible for the injury To
Hemipterous insects is due much of the
shedding of cotton in August and Sep
TENDER, and their ravages are popularity
called ''sharp-shooter' work. The most
injurious and perhaps also the most
abundant of the sharp-shooters, is a
large leaf-hopper (Aulacizes sp.). Gallo
coris rapidus. Largus cinctus are among
those also which do much damage. The
life history and ravages of these insects
must be reserved for more complete dis
cussion in subsequent report.
REMEDIES.
The great range of food plants of the
boil worm, its habit and method of feed
ing upon special portions of these host
plants, together with the isolation of
individuals which necessarily follow
such food habits, make all insecticidal
measures of any nature of little or no
practical utility. In the regions desig-
mated heretofore, as injured probably
about per cent. or less, the attack by
the boil worm is divided between so
many different crops that the applica-
ton of any insccticide upon one crop
becomes much more expensive for that
crop than the injury done by the worm.
Furthermore, such measures are inade-
quate, unless applied toall the crops att
tackled at any specified time. in any given
locality. For these regions it is evil.
dent, thcrcforc. that insecticidal meas
urcs are entirely impractical. even
though the insecticidc be perfectly
efficient one and can be applied with
the greatest effect. The same can be
said for localities worse infested,
| though the difference in destructive.
ness partly mitigates the excess of ex-
pcnse. In any case, the vast areas of
cotton to be treated, in addition to 9TH
err crops, still make such measures ques-
tionable as to expense, aside from tho
time required during the busy season,
when such remedies must be applied.
| 1t is the opinion, therefore, of your
agent that no insecticidal measures,
even though efficient as such, are to be
recommended, because from the
4
nature of the case they are burdensome
and impracticable. The whole work
must be accomplished by preventive
measures, such as hereinafter dis
cussed, and which have been suggested
| by the food habits of the species in
question, and which, by experiment,
have been found adequate. In this
way it was determined that the boil
worm has a choice food plant among
the long list recorded. and, as it will be
seen, it has been the effort of your
agent to demonstrate the practicability
of manipulating this fool plant so as to
concentrate the attack upon it, first
trapping the worms and then destroy,
ing them.
HERE AND THERE.