The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-07-31
LOOK OUT FOR
 THE COTTON WORM Alabama Experiment Sta
 tion Issues Warning
HOW TO FIGHT WORMS
Are Indications That Cotton Cater pillar" May Seriously ,4njure
 Crop This Year Unless
 Farmers Are Careful
(Press Bulletin No. 45.)

tPresS Bulletin NO. 45.)
 Alabama Experiment Station, Au- burn, July Special There are indications that an outbreak of the "cotton caterpillar or cotton worm" as it Is commonly called, may occur this season and seriously injure the prospect for a good cotton crop. It has been many years since these worms were as abundant at this season as they are at present. They have stripped cotton In many localities in Texas and Mississippi, and reports are coming from various parts of Alabama stat ing that the worms are multiplying rapidly. The cotton is in fine condition for these worms. and their develop ment takes place so rapidly that prompt measures of control must be applied to prevent their stripping the plants and immediately stopping the further set ting of fruit
 The eggs are laid upon the cotton leaves and hatch in about three days. The worms coming from these eggs are rapid feeders and may reach full growth in from one to three weeks probably not more than 10 days would be required under present conditions. When full grown they are from IA to F inches long. When first matched they are pale yellow in color, but soon become more sreenish, and dark spots appear scattered over the body, with alternating narrow white stripes and broader dark stripes running the full length of the body. Sometimes the worms are decidedly darker in color than the usual form. After reaching full growth, the caterpillars draw parts | of leaves together and spin a loose silken cocoon, within which they go through their change to the moth stage. After week or more in these ready to lay eggs for another genera tion. The moths are of medium size and a dull, olive-grey color with two or three "zig-zag" dark lines running across the fore wings. They fly at night, feeding and depositing eggs. There may probably be as many as six generations in Alabama annually. The females may lay as many as 500 eggs each, so the number of individuals in the later genera tions becomes enor- nous, and a field that has shown no signs of these worms during the early part of the summer may be completely stripped within very few days during August or September. Prompt action must be taken to prevent serious dam age to the growing crop at this time
 How to Control Cotton Worms
 Many planters are familiar with the old method of dusting cotton With dry Paris green by means of sacks carried at the ends of a pole. This Is a fairly satisfactory method and the simplest that can be used. Two or three kinds of poison may be applied in this way The most commonly known and easily obtainable probably. is Paris green and an even better material for number of reasons, is powdered arsenate of lead. London purple has also been used but is not nearly as good as either the Paris green or arSenate of lead.
 If general outbreak occurs there Is danger that there may be delay in applying treatment because of the difficulty to securing poison in suffi- cient quantity on short notice. Every planter should see his local dealer to make sure that he carries a supply or would be prepared to furnish what is needed without much delay. Whole sale druggists and insecticide manufac~ turers have been warned of the likeli hood of an outbreak and will be pre- pared to meet the demand for poisons,
 very convenient arrangement for distributing the poison can be easily made as follows: Take a piece of board foot longer than the distance between the rows to be treated, and about four inches wide and one inch thick. At atout six inches from each end, bore a hole about one inch or more in diam . oter. Get two pieces of heavy cloth. like eight ounce duck, and cut about 20 inches in length by 12 inches in width. Tack these securely all around tn the board so as to form a bag on the under side at each end which will be about four or five inches deep and F to 15 inches long, The middle O. the board may be worked down to two inches in diameter and smoothed to make it easier to hold. The poison may then. be easily put into each bag through the hole in the board and the hole closed by some kind of stopper This may be carried by a man on foot or better on the back of "a mule, and two rows treated at time. Be care- full not to wet the bags during the work of poisoning as that will pre- vent the dust passing through. Jar the pole to keep tne aust slItlhg out steadily
 The poison can best be applied early in the morning while the plant is wet with dew This will help 1t to stick and there is also less likelihood of breeze scattering the dust at that time of day. The powdered arsenate of lead sticks to the foliage in spite of rains much better than does Paris green and will therefore protect the plant more thoroughly especially in case of show CTS following the application. If Paris green is used, the treatment should be repeated after rains have washed the poison from the leaves.
 With Paris green there is some dan ger of burning the foliage if it be ap- piled too heavily and the amount to be used lpends largely upon the size of the cotton For cotton about three feet high from two to two and one half pounds per acre should be sui1i- cient With the arsenate of lead there is no danger of injury to the plants and a larger quantity should be useo' say from four to five pounds per acre
 Keep close watch of your cotton TOT this pest. If caterpillars are found ana you are uncertain as to their identity send specimens in a tight tin or wood en box to the address given below be sure to give your own address plalhiy on the outside of the package.
 w. F. HINDS,
 Entomologist Alabama Experiment sta