Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1911-11-12
How to Control the
Cotton Leaf Wor n
From the Department OF Entomology A.:
ansas gricultural Experiment
Stat
By PAUL HAYHURST

Arkansas ieai-Norm has done great |
damage during August and september |
Of 1911. This worm has stripped the |
foliage. leaving the plants bare and !
naked and unable TO mature the small
and medium sized bolls This pest |
Was not the true army worm, and II |
was different from the boil weevn. 1t |
is properly called the cotton leaf |
worm. This worm feeds only or cot. |
ton The tiny eaierpilars of this
species hatch from eggs laid scatter
inely on the under side of the leaves
by the parent moth When they are
full grown. they turn into brownish
pupae tied up i'll the leaves. In this
stage the insect changes into a moth,
which is the adult insect All III
dividuals have 10 pass through the
first three stages in order to become
moths, The adults pair and the fe-
males lay an average Of 800 eggs,
I@after which they die. and the life
/ cycle from egg to moth is thus end
ed. The moths are strong fliers. and
are attracted to lights in vast num-
off all stages Of this pest. The spec
les passes the winter as adult moths
in the far South, and the later genera
tons OF the moths migrate northward
as the season advances, becoming
numerous enough to be a pest in this
state early in August. There are
seven generations in the extreme
h,,t boil
five in Arkansas The eggs, worms
and pnpae are all subject, to parasites
which destroy a great many. There
are many insectivorous birds and ants
that aid in the reduction Of this pest
Those enemies of the insect will
probably destroy SO many this veal
that they will not be such a pest next
year Such has been the usual history
Of similar outbreakes of insect pests
Preventives and Remedies.
1t is appalling to learn how helpless
the cotton farmers have been this
year in controlling the pest In most
cases no attempt was made to stop
the damage. And vet this pest is
controllabEe by those who know how
!. and are prepared to fight it. The
only preventive measure that would
. be Of value consist in planting the
0 cotton far enough apart to allow the
0 sun to reach the ground When the
r worms and pnpae fall on the hot soil,
. they become benumbed and easily
! fall prey TO their numerous enemies.
. The best way to destroy them is with
Q powdered arsena !e of lead applied at
the rate of three or more pounds to
. the acre according to the size of the
plants. If this insecticide cannot be
7 bought. Paris green can be used by
mixing one part of the same with two
parts of flour. The flour makes a
a good sticker for the green but it is
not necessary. II arsenate of lead is
used. Paris green is more apt to
burn the foliage, and it does not set
lie SO we'll into the crevices of the
leaves AS the arSenate of lead.
The arsenical poison should be busted
; on the plants Just as soon as the lit
. tie worms begin to rag the cotton.
This injury is first noticed in the tops
;, of the plants. and only in spots in the
fields. These places should be thor
oughly and forcefully busted at once.
:. At such time it is not necessary to
, dust the whole field. unless the worms
happen to be scattering over it.
a There is some difference of opinion
, as to the best tools to do the busting
n with. The farmers commonly use two
= sacks hung on the ends of pole car
j. ried by man on mule. This dusts
t. two rows at time. and one man
( can thus treat about j acres a day
}. This method undoubtedly does some
d good. and is better than no method
t but modern busting apparatus are now
3 on the market with which the work
g can he done more thoroughly and
g. faster. A convenient hand buster is
o sold, called the champion dust gun"
e There are horse power busters with
i as many as six outlets for the dust.
y which cost SEQ 10 s15. II is stated
that one man With a good team can
dust so acres. with one of these in a
day, The Champion dust gun has
:. given excellent satisfaction in treat
- ing cotton for the bol weevil in the
!. far South. The horse power outfits
could be made very practical for use
II on large scale, All growers who
d have had trouble this year should buy
a a Champion dust gun at least if they
do nothing more extensively and be
a ready TO dust The tops of the plants
8 when next year the worms begin to
|. rag them. The gun would be moro
0 useful Tor this part of the work than
}. The sacks could possibly be. The
a grower should remember that the
arsenical insecticides are poisonous
q >-~>~~->->~->-~>--~--- --~>->-->~->->->~----~
Grinding the grain makes it more
!. digestible. and the more digest'ble the
feed the more milk from given