The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1902-07-07
FARM CORRESPONDENCE,
COTTON LICE.


II. w. G.. Goshen. I.a.-We are troubled
very much with cotton hce is there any
thing 10 be done to kill them out; If SO.
what is it? How do they first origi-
nate?
Answer-Cotton lice belong to one of the
large number of species of "aphides."
plant lice. As a rule. plant lice winter in
the egg stage. Early i'm spring these eggs
hatch and the young insect is without
wings and usually remains 50. 1t lives by
sucking the juices of plants and soon
begins to bring forth living young. All
these young are without sex: that is,
they are neither males nor sexually de-
Neloped females. As many as eight living
young have been observed on "A specimen
in twenty-four hours. and IT is not uuus-
u3l early in the season to find single
large louise surrounded by a good group
of a dozen to twenty or even more small
lice. These individuals of the first blood
are ready to bring forth young in five or
six days. This method of reproduction
goes on 50 long as food is plentiful and
the weather Is mild. But the lice in
their younger stages are very susceptible
to sudden changes of temperature. and
at almost any time I'm the season n
sudden fall of II or % degrees, accom-
panied by a rain, will destroy a great
many of them At times. after the first
generation. specimens may become wing
ed. ana these fly away To other localities.
forming new colonies wherever suitable
plants may be found. Exactly what de-
terinines the formation Of wings in some
individual line and not in others We do
not know. We do know. however, that
the progeny of a single individual IS va
riablc-some with wings and some with
out. In ether case tn specimens are
without sex and all are viviparous. or
bring forth living young. As summer
advances reproduction is less rapid. The
flow of sap is not SO abundant and their
numerous enemies more abundant. ON
the approach of cold weather n most re-
markable change occurs. II becomes
necessary now to provide for tiding over
the winter and sexual forms are de-
veloped The mates am, Winged ana
usually appear n short time before the
females which are winglcss and usually
smaller than the preceding seXless form.
Pairing takes place almost Immediately.
because the female is scXually mature
when born and very soon eggs are laid,
usually a very small number, maybe only
one egg. These eggs are laid in crevces.
or sheltered places. and in the case of
orchard trees and cotton plants in the
buds or scales. Some species live dur
ing the winter on some hardy plant until
the appropriate plant puts forth in the
spring. Il is generally easy To kill the
lice by spraying with Kerosene emul-
sion. or with whale oil soapsuds, but it is
hardly practicable to treat them in this
OF any other way on cotton plants.
Among the natural enemies Of plant lice.
the most destructive are most of the
several species of the so-called lady
bug more properly. lady bird" These
lady birds. both in their mature ana i'm
mature stages. destroy immense numbers
of plant lice. Ants are found. almost al
ways. when lice are abundant, the
former are attracted by the sweet liquid
exuded from two little tubes that proceed
from the backs of the lice. The ants pet
and take care OF the lice. and milk them
when so inclined. Hence. plant lice are
sometimes called ANTS cows"
Tho above account / have adapted from
Smiths Economic Entomology" a book
of which every reading farmer should
have copy.
To return to the cotton lice: 1t has
been my practice for many years 10 in
crease the vlgor and hasten the growth Of
the young cotton plants by applying
small quantity Of Immediately soluble
fertilizer. such as nitrate Of soda, IN the
seed furrOw. and give prompt cultivation,
with the view TO force the plants forward
10 the stage AT which they can resist or
sustain the attacks Of lice. etc. II Is n
common idea that very hot weather Will
destroy lice. IL is probable that ii Is the
sudden drop I'm the temperature that fire.
Quently follows a rain which destroys
the lice.