'. Georgia State Board of Entomology E. LEE WORSHAM. State Entomologist - BULLETIN 41- ~ MARCH, 1915. r SOME OF THE MORE IMPORTANT TR CROP PESTS IN GEORGIA -By- W. V. REED Assistant State Entomologist Atlanta State Capitol Georgia GEORGIA STATE BOARD OF E TOMOLOGY ORGANIZATION. J. D. PRICE, Chairman, Commissioner of Agriculture, Atlanta. Ex-Officio Member. R. C. BERCKMANS, President, State Horticultural Society, Augu tao Ex-Officio Member. JNO. A. COBB, President, State Agricultural Society, Americus. Ex-Officio Member. E. L. WORSHAM, State Entomologist and Secretary of the Board, Atlanta. A. C. LEWIS,. Assistant State Entomologist, Atlanta. W. V. REED, Assistant Entomologist, Atlanta.. W. W. CHASE, Assistant Entomologist, Atlanta. C. S. SPOONER, Assistant Entomologi t. IRA W. WILLIAMS, A istant in Cotton Breeding Atlanta. J. CHESTER BRADLEY, Special Assistant Entomologist. CONTENTS TRODUCTION 5 SECTS I JURIOUS TO VARIOUS TRUCK CROPS Root-Knot 6 Red Spider 8 Harlequin Cabbage Bug 9 Squash Bug 10 Melon Aphis .. 11 Cabbage Aphis 14 Mole Cricket 15 Variegated Cut Worm 16 Black Cut Worm Web Worm .... 17 .. 18 o!'o Pickle Worm Melon Borer o Squash Vine Borer u Tomato Horn Worm .. 20 .. __ .. 23 23 24 )0- Cotton Boll Worm .. 27 K III Cabbage Looper .. 28 Q Imported Cabbage Worm 29 -Z ID ative Cabbage Worm Colorado Potato Beetle 31 31 )0- Striped Cucumber Beetle 32 K ~ Cucumber Flea Beetle 34 .-..K ID ORMULAS AND DIRECTIONS FOR PREPARING SPRAY ... MIXTURES. ~ Lead Arsenate 35 oZ i= z~ Lead Arsenate as a Dust Paris Green Paris Green as a Dust Poisioned Corn Meal Baits , ,'. __35 35 35 36 III Poisioned Bran Mash Baits .:.t. Poisioned Cotton Seed Meal Baits Bordeaux Mixture (fungicide spray) >- III az :;) Black Leaf 40 (nicotine solution) TObacco Decoction Soap Solution Commercial Lime-Sulphur o Kerosene Emulsion III 36 36 36 37 37 .. __ , .37 37 37 ISPRAY PUMPS 38 ACCESSORIES Some of the More Important Truck Crop Pests in Georgia. Truck farming in Georgia is gradually recelvmg more attention each year and is destined to grow in importance. Various sections of the state are admirably adapted to this branch of agriculture, and offer more remunerative returns than does general farming. In fruit and melon production the State's prestige is well established. Likewise, she ranks second in the production of cotton. Summed up as a whole the advantages offered truck farmers in Georgia are manifold, and equally as good as those offered in the production of cotton and other leading crops. The climate is unsurpassed and affords the greatest latitude in the variety of crops that can be grown and marketed profitably. The soil and moisture conditions are unexcelled. Labor and transportation facilities are good. A home garden is recognized as indispensable on a farm and vitally important by citizens of small towns. Even in large cities vegetable growing is an important economic factor. Many vegetables can be grown under crowded city conditions, contributing materially to reducing the cost of living and the pleasure of the parties thus engaged. Only in isolated instances do we find winter gardens even on farms, a thing that should be, by all means most common. It is not generally known that a number of vegetables will stand Our winter climate and can be grown in the open at that season. With a little ingenuity and a small expense in making hotbeds and cold frames, this number can be doubled, making it possible to have one or more home-grown vegetables all during the winter. It is true that insect pests are an important factor to contend with in truck farming. However, with a few exceptions, they can be controlled with comparatively little expense. It is hoped that this bulletin will aid those looking for information regarding the more important truck crop pests. The preventive and remedial measures recommended in most cases have been tested by the State Board of Entomology. Likewise, the life histories of the different pests to a hirge extent have been verified. 6 ROOT-KNOT. Root-knot is very prevalent in central and south Georgia. This trouble is caused by a microscopic, round worm Or "nematode" (Heterodera radicicola). It occurs in the soil in countless numbers and', getting on the roots of plants, causes the characteristic root-knot (Fig. 1). The nematodes migrate through the soil very slowly, estimated at a few feet a year. In artificial ways they may be scattered over large areas and long distances. They may be carried by water flowing through the soil, on the feet of work animals, and by transplanting infested plants. The latter agency is the most prevalent source in causing uninfested localities to become infested. The nematodes can be transmitted any distance in this manner to localities in which they can thrive. Fig. l.-Root-knot or nematode injury on the roots of cotton. Preventatives.-In infested areas the nematodes can be eradicated only by cultural methods, proper rotation of crops. A number of crops are immune to nematodes while an exceedingly large number are not. By planting immune crops in an infested area for a few years,. the nematodes will die of starvation. A partial list of immune and non-immune crops given be- 7 low, will probably be of service to one in arranging a rotation of crops to get rid of the nematodes. Crops Largely or Entrely Immune to Root-Knot: Corn. Bean, velvet. Peanut. Cowpea, Brabham. Cowpea, Iron. Cowpea, Iron hybrids. Wheat. Grasses (nearly all). Oats, winter. Chufas. Beggarweed, Florida. Sorghum. Rye. Millets (nearly all). Milo. Kafir. Plants Less Severely Injured by Root.Knot: Alfalfa. Asparagus. Bean, lima. Bean, ~nap. Cabbage. Clover, sweet. Collard. Cotton. Mulberry. Onion. Pea, garden. Potato, sweet. Radish.. Spinach Strawberry. Sugar cane. Vetch, common Vetch, hairy. Plants and Crops Most Severely Injured by Root-Knot: Bean, soy. Beet. Cantaloupe. Carrot Celery Clover, burr. Clover, crimson. Cowpea (except Brabham, Iron and Ironhybrids). Cucumber. Eggplant. Fig. Lettuce. Okra. Peach. Pecan. Pomegranate. Potato. Salsify. Squash. Tobacco. Tomato. Watermelon. Since nematode-infested seed-beds are the most pernicious source of introducing root-knot into non-infested areas, care should be exercised in buying plants to be transplanted. There are three ways of treating seed-beds to destroy the nematode, namely: 1. By fumigating with carbon bisulphide. Punch nine or ten holes per square yard about a foot deep and pour into each about a tablespoonful of carbon bisulphide, filling the opening quickly and tramping under foot. 8 2. By sterilizing with formalin. Use one part of formalin to one hundred gallons of water. Saturate the soil thoroughly' as deep as the roots will penetrate. 3. By passing live steam for one hour or more through soil that will be used in seed-beds. In buying plants, tomatoes, cabbage, egg-plant, etc., from growers or dealers, one should be sure they are grown in soil free from nematodes. It is only recently that farmers generally have realized the importance of preventing or getting rid of nematodes in their soil. Only light or loamy soils are affected, and by planting immune crops on infested soils root-knot, in the course of three years, can be eradicated. RED SPIDER. (Tetranychus bimaculatus H.) This "troublesome pest (Fig. 2) is fully treated in Georgia Experiment Station Bulletin No. 92. At times it is particularly injurious to a variety of truck crops, as tomatoes, beans, cucumbers, melons, etc. Often in cold beds and hot frames its injury is exceedingly severe. The spider's life history is briefly, as follows: The winter is passed, in the adult stage, on plants that remain green, as violets, goldenrod, poke weed, etc. In early spring eggs are laid fFom which a new generation is produced in the course of two to three weeks. If conditions are favorable, they multiply rapidly and at once make their presence known should they be on plants in hot beds. They appear somewhat later on plants that are grown or have been transplanted to the field. The spiders are usually red in color and quite small, but can readily be detected if a close examination is made. They injure the plants by sucking the juice from the leaves and tender portions of the plant. Since they obtain their sustenance from within the plant, they are classed, from a feeding standpoint, as sucking insects and are only affected by contact poisons. 9 Treatment.-All overwintering plants that furnish food for the spider, should, so far as possible, be destroyed. A little time and effort spent in this direction would entirely prevent an infestation. Should an infestation occur, prepared lime and sulphur at the rate of one part of prepared lime and sulphur to fifty to one hundred par~s of water, has been found a reliable remedy. The plant should be thoroughly sprayed Fig. 2.-Tetranych1lo8 b;- -the under side of the leaves, as well ma/'ulatus, red spider. as the top surface. HARLEQUIN CABBAGE BUG. (Murgantia histrionica Hahn.) The Harlequin cabbage bug (Fig. 3) is black with orange or yellow markings. This variegated color gives the insect its name, Harlequin. It is about three-eighths of an inch long and one-fourth inch wide. It passes the winter, in the adult stage, in protected places. Its principal food plants are collards, cabbage, mustard, radishes, turnips, lettuce, etc. It will attack other plants when its favorite food plants are not to be had. The eggs are usually laid on Fig. 3.-JIw"gantia histrionica Harle- the underside of leaves in double quin cabbage bug: adult, eggs and rows. Twelve is the usual num- nymph. ber deposI.ted. The eggs are bar- rel-shaped and marked by black bands. The young are called nymphs, and resemble the adults except they are smaller, soft- bodied and lack wings. Remedies.-The Harlequin cabbage bug obtains its food by means of a long, slender beak, and is controlled only by contact 10 poisons. Thoroughly cleaning up and burning all trash in and. about a garden or field during the winter will destroy many hibernating adults. Trap Plants.-The adults that pass the winter come out very early in spring and will congregate on mustard, which should be planted early and used as a trap plant. The planting of a few short rows at advantageous points is all that is necessary. As these become badly infested, they should be sprayed with pure kerosene. Warfare of this nature will reduce the number so as to protect later crops in most cases. Should the bugs eventually be found in numbers on growing crops, fifteen per cent kerosene emulsion can be applied Fig. 4.-.dnusu tl';stis, with uccess, especially on the immature quash bug: adult. stages of the inse.ct. Care should be taken that each individual insect is thoroughly sat- urated with the spray, otherwise, those not covered will escape. THE SQUASH BUG (Anusu tristis, DeG.) The squash bug is most common and generally recognized (Fig. 4). Briefly described, they are a little over half an inch long and dark brown above and yellowish be- neath. The mouth parts consist of a long pointed beak. The adult passes the winter in protected places under rubbish and comes forth early in the spring to deposit eggs. The eggs Fig. 5.-Egg rna of the squash bug. are deposited irregularly and are conspicuous brown in color (Fig. 5). The young are called nymphs and molt 11 from time to time until the adult stage is reached, when wings appear. They feed and injure the plants they attack by sucking the juice therefrom by means of their beaks, and in addition cause an irritation by means of poison injected. Remedies.-In a home garden when the squash bug first appears, hand-picking should be resorted to. By getting rid of these hibernating adults, there is less likelihood of their giving trouble later. Trapping by means of early plants is also recommended. They will deposit their eggs and collect on such plants, at which time they should be destroyed. Spraying with 10 per cent. kerosene emulsion or "Black Leaf 40" at the rate of one part to 300 parts of water will kill the soft nymphs. Since bugs obtain their food by sucking, poison sprays are obviously useless when employed .against them. Clean culture should be practiced. Particular care should be taken to gather and burn all rubbish during the fall and winter. This will prevent many adults from passing the winter successfully. PLANT LICE OR APHIDS. Of this group of insects several species are noted as serious pests attacking a great variety of crops, as well as fruit trees and ornamental plants. As all species possess quite similar life histories and are controlled, to a large extent, by the same agencies and remedial measures, treatment in detail of two of th~ principal offenders of this group will serve the purpose of this publication. THE MELO APHIS. (AZJhis fjossYZJii, Glov.) The principal food plants of this insect ~re cucumbers, cante)oupes, cotton and similar plants.. This green-colored aphis (Fig. 6) congregates in great numbers on the underside of the leaves of its host and saps the life of the plant by means of a slender 12 Fig 6.-Aphis goss!lpii: (a) winged female; (b) side view, female; (c) wingl female, greatly enlarged. beak. If the plant is badly infested its growth is at once arrested and even killed. Life History.-The life history of the melon aphis is remarkable. True males and females are produced late in the season. These oviparous females lay eggs which carry the insect through the winter. In return in the spring, these eggs hatch into viviparous females, whose young are born alive. Many generations are thus produced-through the summer and form in colonies that contain no true males or females. This development is known as parthenogenesis, that is, the young are born by the female without the intervention of the male. Both 'winged and wingless forms are produced during the summer, as is shown in Fig. 6, which Fig. 7.-;-(a) Aphides clustered on leaf; (b) aphides clustered on seed-stalk or radISh. (After Glenn W. Herrick and J. W. Hungate). 14 further enables the insect to migrate, should the necessity ari e.. The last brood produced during the season is maqe up of true males and females which have already been mentioned. It should be noted that the winged individuals serve to spread the species, and this accounts for the isolated colonies over a given area during the summer. Each individual gives birth to about fifty young which mature in six to eight days. Were it not for parasites and predacious enemies the resulting . hordes of this pest would inevitably destroy all fields attacked. With these facts in mind we may consider methods of control. Parasites and Predacious Enemies.-As previously stated, this aphis suffers severely from parasitic and predacious enemies. If given ample time their enemies will reduce their number to a minimum. Non-interference with this natural struggle, however, would mean serious injury or loss of valuable crops, and is not advisable. Among the most valuable enemies of the aphis is the lady-beetle and a hymenoptrous parasite. A common belief, which is very much a fallacy, is that ants destroy countless numbers of aphids. This should be corrected. It is true that ants are usually found in numbers where a colony of aphids is located. Their presence, however, is for a specific purpose not in keeping with this general belief, and that is to collect honey dew, which is secreted by the aphids. Instead of being an enemy they are very much the friends of the aphids and look upon them much like a dairyman does his cows, and are called, in fact, by close observers of nature, "ant cows." Remedies.-Spraying with Black Leaf 40, a nicotine tobacco product, is one of the best remedies tested. The solution is very concentrated and gives splendid results even used at the rate of one part of "Black Leaf 40" to four or five hundred parts of water. Soap solution at the rate of one pound to three or four gallons of water is very good. Ten per cent. kerosene emulsion will also control the pest. CABBAGE APHIS. (AIJhis bJ'assicae Linn.) The cabbage aphis (Fig. 7: a and b) may appear in early spring, but its most destructive season is late summer and early 15 fall. This is due to the fact that with the advent of cool weather parasitic and predaceous enemies of the aphis are not so numerous, and consequently do not seriously interfere with the maximum propagation of the pest. During the spring and summer especially parasitic enemies of the aphis are very active and as a rule serve to keep them in check. The life history of cabbage aphis is similar to the life history of the melon aphis. Treatment.-Spray with "Black Leaf 40" at the rate of one part to three or four hundred parts of water. Soap solution at the rate of one pound to four gallons of water is also a reliable remedy. Care should be taken that the spray operation is thorough. The spray should be applied as a mist and with considerable force. THE MOLE CRICKET. ( capterisctls didactylus.) The mole cricket (Fig. 8) is at present the most serious truck crop pest in those counties in the southeastern part of the State, particularly on the coast. It is thought to have been brought to Geor- gia in the ballast of ships, probably from Porto Rico. Few truck crops escape injury from this pest. It feeds on tomatoes, pep- pers, turnips, potatoes, sugarcane and bermuda grass with equal fondness. In the case of tomatoes and plants of like nature, the cricket cuts them off just below the surface of the ground while they are young. Potato plants suffer in a like manner and also from hav- Figra.l .-.lz:Me. ole Cricket, natu- ing the tubers eaten into. For an ex- th . tended and more complete account of e mole cX:1cket, Georgia Experiment Station Bulletin No. 101 hould be consulted. 16 Life History.-Only one brood is produced during the year. The eggs are laid near the surface in earthen cells by the female during the months of April, May and June. The eggs hatch in from 24 to 26 days and from eight to twelve months elapse before the adult stage is reached. Remedies.-Probably the plowing of breeding areas two or three times during the month of April, May and June is the best method of ridding a given area of this pest. The plowing will expose many of the eggs to the sun and other agencies which will kill them. Banding individual plants, as tomatoes, pepper, etc., with paper or tin cylinders affords absolute protection from this pest. Poisoned baits made of cotton seed meal in which arsenate of lead or Paris green has been incorporated has proven very beneficial. CUT WORMS. (Peridroma saucilJ, and AgTos/is ypsi/on.) Few gardens indeed escape from these nocturnal marauders. Their activities are carried on altogether at night. During the day the larvae se- crete themselves in shallow bur- rows in the soil and under boards and rubbish that may be handy. Their injury in cutting off plants just at the sur- face of the ground is too familiar and correctly diagnos- ed by the garden- er to warrant fur- Fig. 9.-Peridroma saucia, variegated cut worm: (a) adult; (b, C, d) larvae; (e) egg, greatly enlarged; (f) egg. (From Bureau of Entomology, U. S. Dept. AgrL). ther description of their nefarious work. There are a number of species variously known as the Variegated, Black 17 cut worm, etc. (Figs. 9 and 10). They all have practically the same habits but differ slightly in appearance. In their control the remedial measures advocated apply to all species. Life History.-The principal damage from cut worms occurs in the spring. The winter is passed by the immature larvae in hibernation especially on sodded ground. In early spring these overwintering larvae come forth naturally with abnormal appetites after their long fast and attack readily almost any growing crop. It should be pointed out just here that grasses are thei)' original food plants. This fact leads to a method of combating them that will be considered later. During June or July the cut worms reach maturity. They then burrow into the ground and form a silk-lined cocoon in which they pupate. In about three weeks the adult moth appears. Eggs are soon deposited on a great variety of tender vegetation on which the young larvae feed after hatching until winter drives them into hibernation. Only one brood occurs dur- ing the year. Remedial and Preventive Measures.-Preventive measures are one of the chief aids in the control of cutworms. Since grass is their natural food it follows that we are liable to have them in abundance when truck crops are planted on land that has been lJ ig. IO.-Agrostis ypsilon, black cut- wornl: (a) larvae; (b) head of arne; (c) adult. (From Bureau of Entomology, U. S. Dept. Agri.). in sod. Even in gardens that are in constant cultivation and are kept free from weeds, enough cut worms wander in from grass lands to be more or less injurious every year. Garden and sod land especially that is to be planted in truck should be plowed and thoroughly pulverized during the inter before planting. In turning over the soil the pupae arf: disturbed in their earthen cells and exposed to cold and various agencies that destroy them. 18 The habits of the larvae in hiding during the day makes trapping them quite beneficial. Boards may be placed conveniently under which they will crawl, or otherwise holes may be punched in the soil near each plant by means of a stick. The larvae will usually crawl into these holes or under the boards during the day, at which time they can be destroyed. Poisoned baits can be used with marked success. The best results from poisoned baits can probably be obtained by raking off all the vegetation on a plot of ground before it is planted, or before the seeds come up. Thus getting rid of the cutworms' food supply, they will attack with avidity poisoned baits ma~e of the following: Corn meal forty pounds, Paris green one pound; mix and moisten with water to make a rather stiff mash; af"er which sweeten with two quarts of common molasses. Apply this bait broadcast late in the afternoon over the field. The less available their natural food, the more likely the poison baits will be eaten. Another poisoned bait recommended is made by cutting up succulent clover or grass and dipping in a barrel of water containing one pound of Paris green. This should always be used fresh and in the same manner as corn meal baits. No animals should be allowed to run at large that would be tempted by the baits for a few weeks after the bait has been applied. Otherwise they will surely be poisoned. WEB WORM. (He/hila undalis, Fab.) The web worm is comparatively a new pest in Georgia. Its presence was first noticed in 1898 near Augusta, Ga. Since then from time to time at different places in the state, it has been reported as doing considerable damage to turnips, cabbage and beets, its principal food plants. During 1914 it was abundant in and near Fayetteville, Gao The webworm feeds in the crown or at the base of the leaves of the turnip and cabbage planOts (Fig. 11) 0 For protection, the larvae enclose themselves in a web-like construction during the day from which they come forth at night to feed. On turnips they prefer feeding on the buds and stems of the large leaves. 19 Frequently they burrow into the crown of the plants. In most cases they multiply rapidly, and if not controlled, the plants they attack will be ruined in a few days. The presence of webworms is indicated by means of the webs they spin at the base of the leaves, and later by the dwarfed and unhealthy condition of the plants. The worms can usually be found beneath the webs. Fig. 1l.-Hell1t1a undcdis, web worm: (a) adult moth; (b) larva; (c) pupa. Turnip, howing characteri tic injury to leaf tern. The eggs are laid singly or in masses. One female will deposit ~ge nU~ber of eggs. In three or four days they hatch. The ae attaIn, when full grown, a length of about a half inch. 20 They are grayish yellow in appearance and marked with longitudinal brownish stripes. The pupae are shiny brown in color and are to be found enclosed tightly in cocoons in the folds of the leaves or at the base of the leaves in the crown of turnips and beets. They pass the winter in this stage and an excellent opportunity thereby is presented to reduce their number by destroying all litter and by practicing clean culture. The adult flies at night and has a wing expanse of about three-fourths of an inch. The fore-wings are gray marked with lighter colored stripes. Remedies.-Spraying with arsenate of lead at the rate of two pounds to fifty gallons of water is effective, especially when the webworms first appear. The spray should be directed with considerable force into the crown of the plants to insure placing the poison where the webworms will be sure to feed on it at once. Delay in spraying will likely make the operation less successful, owing to the webs preventing the complete covering of all parts of the plant with the spray. Clean culture is indispensable in rendering a recurrence of the pest unlikely. If all rubbish in an infested field is destroyed during fall and winter most of the over-wintering pupae will be destroyed. PICKLE WORM. (D'iC/1Jhania nitidalis, C,am.) The pickle worms, together with the melon borer, a closely related species which will be eonsidered later, are among the few extremely annoying truck pests that are sometimes difficult to control satisfactorily. The pickle worm injury to cucumbers and canteloupes by boring into them is too familiar to growers to need further description (Fig. 12). All fruit attacked is rendered absolutely worthless for table use or for the market. Life History.-The eggs of the parent moth are most often laid in masses in the bloom or on the buds of its food plants. When deposited they are white, but change to ye~low green 21 Fig. 12.-Diaphania n'itidalia, pickle worm: adult moth, larvae and melon showing injury. before hatching into a small whitish worm. When fully grown the larvae measure about three-fourths of an inch in length. The larvae spin silken cocoons in the folds of the leaves of its food plants or on nearby weeds, in which the pupae are formed, that later change to the adult moth. The moth has a wing ex- ' panse of about an inch and is yellowish brown in color. The body is terminated by a brush-like tuft Or scales similar to the melon worm moth. Observations made in the life cycle of the worm at Tifton, Ga., varied from three to four weeks. It is generally known among truckers that early plantings of cucumbers and melons will escape serious injury from this pest. This is due to the fact that winter is passed in cocoons in the pupal state and the adult never emerges early in the spring. The cocoons are placed on weeds or under rubbish, etc., above ground and clean culture enables the gardener to destroy great numbers. Remedial Measures.-Quaintance found that the blooms of the squash were preferred by the moth in depositing her eggs, an? obtained good results by using the squash as a trap plant. ThIS method employed at Fitzgerald last season gave perfect protection. The squashes were badly infested and the cantaloupes a 22 Fig. 12. antaloupe field howing trap row of qua h. few feet away were free from the pest until the crop had been practically gathered. Seed of the squash should be planted at regular intervals in the cucumber or melon field every two or three weeks so as to have a continuous supply of the worms' preferred food (Fig. 13). As has been stated, the moth deposits her eggs principally in the bloom, and here the young larvae feed for a few days thereafter. By collecting and destroying these blooms once a week the worm is largely controlled. Dusting the main and trap crops with arsenate of lead mixed with air-slaked lime at the rate of one pound of arsenate of lead to five pounds of lime should be employed as a further protection. When pickle worms are found in fields in numbers it is hardly possible to control them that season. The infested fruit should be fed to hogs or destroyed. As soon as the crop is removed rake up and burn the vines along with other rubbish. Plow the field thoroughly with a view for their control another year. 23 MELO BORER. (Diaphania hyalinata, Lin.) The work of the pickle worm and melon borer are often confused. In fact, their injury is distinguished by no well marked characteristic feature. The melon borer (Fig. 14) causes much damage by boring into cantaloupes, squash, etc. It eats more freely of the foliage than does the pickle worm, and in consequence thereof is more vulnerable to poison sprays. Pig. 14.-Diaphania Life History.-The life history of the melon hyalinata, melon borer is very nearly the same as that of the a borer: adult moth. pickle worm. The parent moth is a very beautiful creature with pearly iridescent wings marked with border of brownish black. The body of the moth is terminated with a large brush or tuft of elongated scales. The eggs are placed singly on the under surface of the leaves. The larvae when full grown are greenish yellow in color and are slightly longer than the pickle worm. The melon borer is apt to be more injurious during rainy seasons. Remedies.-The habit of the melon worm in feeding more or Ie s on the foliage makes spraying or dusting the plants with poison quite beneficial in its control. The poisoned dust should be applied in the same proportion as for the pickle worm. When used as a spray, one and a half pounds of arsenate of lead should be used to fifty gallons of water. In general the same remedial measures as advocated for the pickle worm should be employed with the exception of planting squash: as a trap plant. SQUASH VI E BORER. (Melittia satyrini'formis, Hbn.) Usually considerable damage occurs each year from the uash vine borer. The larvae burrow into stalks and vines of he squash causing death or loss of vitality of the plants attacked 24 (Fig. 15). Their presence can first be detected in plants by the yellowish excrement cast out by the larvae around the base of the plant. Life History.-There are two generations in Georgia a year. The winter is passed in the cocoon stage. The cocoons are usually placed below the surface of the ground near the base of the plant they attack. R. 1. Smith, former State Entomologist, found thaL the second brood emerges along the last of June. The second generation of larvae enter the cocoon stage in the fall and do not emerge as adults until the following spring. ... ature of Their Injury.-The larvae burrow into and tunnel the vines of their food plants. Squash, pumpkins and sometimes cucumbers are attacked. Treatment.-When the borers are detected working in a plant they should be removed. This can be done without much l'.d ditional injury by means of a sharp knife. When plants are found infested beyond recoy- ~ ~ -~~_ ._ L:- --.- ery they should at once be pulled up and destroyed. Likewise, after the crop is gath- ered all plants should be pulied up and destroyed. Fall plow- d =- - Fig. 15.-Melittia satyriniformis, quash vine borer: (a) adult moth; (b) larvae; (c) pupal cell; (d) larvae in squa h vine. ing is also essential to aid further in destroying those that have entered the cocoon stage. A prompt and thorough appli- cation of the measures suggested will keep the pest reduced to an insignificant number. TOMATO HORN WORM. (PhlogolhontiWi soxla.) Ordinarily the tomato horn worm is kept in control by parasites. Only in isolated instances does its ravages assume serious 25 proportions. At Tifton in the spring of 1910 they were extremely numerous. The foliage as well as a large per cent. of the fruit ere destroyed over several acres. As high as ten larvae were frequently counted on one plant. Pig. 16.-PhlegethontiWl sexta, tomato horn worm: (a) adult; (b) egg (enl~rged); (c) larvae; (d) pupae (slightly enlarged). (After Z. P. Metcalf, . C. Department Agri.). Description.-The parent moth of the tomato horn worm (Fig. 16) belongs to what is commonly known as the Hawkmoth 26 family. They are usually beautifully colored and can be seen late in the afternoon during the summer sucking nectar from nightblooming plants. Life History.-The eggs are usually deposited on the under surface of tomato leaves and are green in color. The larvae hatching from the eggs is also green in color, with oblique whitish lines on the side of its body. When fully grown they measure three or more inches in length. The pupal stage is passed below the surface of the ground. The insect gets its name, horn worm, from a horn-like apend age on the posterior end of the larva: The pupae are known a., pitchers by having at one end a construction resembling somewhat the handle of a pitcher. Nature of Injury.-The larvae are voracious feeders and strip bare with the exception of the stems and main ribs of the leaves, the foliage of the plants they attack. Besides tomatoes, tobacco, egg plant, peppers, etc., are some of cultivated plants attacked. Jimson weed probably ranks first of its wild food plants. atural Enemies.-Domestic fowls are very fond of the worms. The larvae are subject to a bacterial disease which causes the larvae to turn black, shrivel up and die. A small para- site whose cocoons are very conspicuous and fre- quently observed on the body of the larvae, plays 9.n important part in hold- ing the pest in check. The parasite lays its egg=< upon the horn worm and the larvae live in the in- Fig. 11.-Para itised tomato worm. terior of its host until grown. When mature they come to the surface, spinning the white conspicuous cocoon mentioned (Fig. 17). , Remedies.-Dusting with arsenate of lead at the rate of one pound of arsenate of lead to five pounds of air-slaked lime or flour, is a very economic and effective remedy. Spraying with 27 nate of lead is likewise effective, but is somewhat more costly in applying than is dusting. In addition the spray adheres tenaciou ly to the fruit and makes washing Or wiping the fruit neces- before shipping. Deep fall and winter plowing is a valuable adjunct in the control of the tomato horn worm. In turning the soil many pupae are disturbed and exposed to the cold, thus killing them. THE COTTON BOLL WOR I. (Heliothia obaoleta.) The cotton boll worm (Fig. 18) has the distinction of being known by a number of names, depending upon its food plant. It feeds on tomatoes, corn and beans, in addition to cotton, and hen found on these plants it is known respectively as the to- mato worm and corn ear worm, and so on. The cotton boll worm's favorite food is corn. The eggs are deposited particularly on the silk. The larvae are dark brown and greenish in color, and when grown measure about an inch and a quarter in length. Four or five generations are produced during a season. The worms injure tomatoes by boring into the fruit as they do cotton. When on corn it is found in the end of he roasting ears. The insect passes the winter in the pupal stage below the surface of the ground. [rhe adult emerges in the spring. Treatment. - Winter r b plowing to destroy the pupae and planting early varieties of corn as a trap plant are recommended. I~ should be remembered that the overwintering pupae are to be found in d ig. I .-Heliathia abaoleta boll-worm tomato lao~ Corn ear worm: ("a and b) egg (en- rltt'c1; (c) larvae; (d) pupa; (e and f) IJIOth. (F.rom Bureau of Entomology, U. S. pt. Agn). fields planted in peas, cotton, or very late corn, and such fields especially should be plowed. Corn, when used as a trap 28 plant, should be planted at irregular intervals through the field. It is necessary to inspect the corn plants from time to time and destroy the eggs and larvae found thereon before they reach the adult stage and enter the ground to pupate. Direct remedies, as spraying, have not proven successful with this pest. CABBAGE WORMS. There are three principal offenders known as cabbage worms. The imported cabbage worm, the native cabbage worm, and the cabbage looper. The larvae are greenish or grayish in color and feed on cabbage and related plants by eating holes in the leaves or stripping them bare, leaving only midrib and large veins. Few gardens escape injury from one or all of these pests. It is not an uncommon sight to see fields and gardens alike in which every plant has ragged leaves due to one or all of the above worms. THE CABBAGE LOOPER. (A.'Utographa brassicae, Riley.) The cabbage looper is a pale green worm, more or less distinctly striped. When crawling it has a looping motion similar to the measuring worm. When full grown the larvae measure about an inch and a half in length. The adult moth is dull gray in color with a wing expanse of about one and a half inches (Fig. 19). The moth is not conspicuous and only flies late in the afternoon. 29 J:.ife History.-Eggs are laid by the parent moth on the leaves of its host plants. The worms coming from the eggs are very greedy. All plants of the cabbage fam- ily are attacked, including cabbage, collards, turnips, cauliflower, lettuce, etc. When the worm or larva is full grown it spins more or less a cocoon in which it pupates. These frail co- coons containing the pupae 19. 19.-Autographa braasicae, cabbage looper: (a) adult moth; (b) egg (two iews); (c) larvae; (d) pupa in cocoon: (From Bureau of Entomology, U. S. Dept. of AgrL). are usually found in folds on the underside of the leaves. The moth emerges from the pupa after a few eeks. A number of generations are produced during a sea- son. The last brood of worms in the fall change to pupae and live over the winter as such. These pupae emerge as adults in early spring. Remedies.-The remedies recommended for the imported and native cabbage worms are applitable to the cabbage looper. It al 0 pays to destroy the rubbish and litter left on the field after removing a crop. Many pupae are thus destroyed for instance, hat would pass the winter on withered leaves and emerge as adults in the spring. Il\IPORTED CABBAGE WORM. (Pontia mpae, Linn.) This insect, as its name indicates, is not a native of this eountry. It was introduced into Canada from England about .60, probably on some ship carrying cabbage in the supplies. Ight years later it had been introduced into New York, and in e years more had spread to most all the Eastern States. 30 Life History.-The winter is passed in the pupal stage and the adult butterflies appear very early in the spring. (Fig. 20). The eggs, yellow in color, are laid on cabbage and related plants, and hatch into a green, velvety looking worm very much the same color as the cabbage leaves. When grown the larvae measure about an inch in length and then they change to the pu- paloI' chrysalis stage. Later the adult butterflies emerge from these pupae. The chrysalis is not enclosed in a cocoon, but us- ually hangs suspended by a thread from the leaves of cab- bage or other objects. There are several broods during a year, and the last generation of worms in the fall produce the pupae that live over the winter, from which the adults emerge in the spring. c Enernies.-Several small para- sites have been introduced from Fig. 20.-Pontia mpae, imported cab- Europe that have given a good bage worm: (a) male; (b) female; account of themselves, even con- (c) larvae. t1I'0l'mg the pest"m mst ances. The nests of dirt daubers usually contain a generous supply of all species of cabbage worms. Rernedies.-Dusting cabbage plants with arsenate of lead or Paris green mixed with air-slaked lime has proven very satisfactory in killing the worms. The arsenate of lead should be used at the rate of one pound to five pounds of air-slaked lime, and the Paris green at the rate of one ounce to one pound of lime. The dust is best applied by means of a thin cloth sack, which when gently shaken over the plants, will coat the leaves uniformly with the poison dust. Until the cabbage begins to head the dust caD 31 be used with impunity and even later. Rain will wash the poison from the plants and additional applications should be made if required. THE NATIVE CABBAGE WORM. (Pontia protoc/ice, Bel.) The native cabbage worm is quite similar to the imported cabbage worm. The adults (Fig. 21) differ in color and mark- ings as is shown by comparing Fig. 20 and Fig. 21. It is not so common or destructive as its imported relative. The native cabbage worm is found in all parts of North Amer- ica, but is probably more abund- ant in the Mississippi Valley than elsewhere. The worms feed on the leaves just as the im- ported cabbage worm. In fact, the life history is also similar. \\ ......~.......~~ \:\ ", ", \ Fig. 21.-Pontia pr~todice, native cab- bage WOJ:lll: (a) female; (b) male. The remedial pleasures suggested for the imported cabbage worm apply equally as well to the native cabbage worm. COLORADO POTATO BEETLE. (Liptiontat'sa lO-li'll.eata Say.) Few insects are more general or uniformly Injurious each year than the Colorado potato beetle. Its native home was Colorado, hence the name, Colorado potato beetle. The beetle's original fOOd plant was wild thistle, a plant closely akin to the potato. In settling the territory, Irish potatoes, of course, were grown and the native food plant more or less destroyed by cultivation. The beetle readily adapted itself to changed conditions and attacked ~sh potatoes and even preferred Irish potato plants to its na- tIve food. In a few years the beetle spread naturally from this ~1lrce to all parts of the United States where the Irish potato I grown. 32 Description.-The adult beetle is yellow in color, with longitudinal black stripes on its wing covers. (Fig. 22). The winter is passed by the adult in protected places, and makes its appearance very early in the spring. Eggs.-The eggs are conspicuous orange colored and are deposited on the underside of leaves in clusters. Several hundred eggs are deposited by each female. Larvae.-The larvae are soft-bodied objects resem- bling somewhat the adult. They feed voraciously and soon strip bare the foliage of potato plants. The pupal stage is passed below the surface of the ground in an 1fL.~~!z"I'~tL-....a earthen cell. There are four genera- tions or more in sections of the State. Fig. 22.-CoJorado potato beetle. Remedies.-Arsenical poi- sons used as a spray or dust are absolutely reliable as a remedy. Either Paris green or arsenate of lead can be used. Arsenate of lead is to be preferred in that it is less liable to burn the foliage. Paris green should be used at the rate of one pound to one hun- dred gallons of water. In addition three pounds of lime should be added to prevent burning of the foliage. Arsenate of lead should be used at the rate of one pound to five pounds of air-slacked lime when used as a dust and one pound to twenty-five gallons of water when used as a spray. STRIPED CUCUMBER BEETLE. (Diabrotica vittata, Fab.) The striped cucumber beetle is an extremely annoying pest of cucumbers and related plants. It is somewhat difficult to con- 33 trol. The adult is about two-fifths of an inch long, yellow in color and marked with long black stripes on the wing covers (Fig. 23). They hibernate during the winter and emerge very early in the spring. They are voracious feeders and cause much damage to young plants. Remedies.-Protecting plants by covering until they have obtained considerable size is advisable. Cheese cloth or cheap netting can be employed and is both economical and satisfactory. small twig can be so shaped by sticking the ends in the ground on each side of the plant as to make an excellent frame on which to place the netting. The edge of the netting may be firmly held to the ground by covering with earth. In a few weeks the plants will have attained enough growth to withstand serious injury from this pest. Spraying with arsenical Bordeaux also gives good results. The Bordeaux mixture controls fungus dis,~ases and with the added arsenate of lead poi~ sons the beetles that feed on the fo- Pig. 28.-Diabrotica 'Vittata, liage. Itriped cucumber beetle (en- Paris green mixed with air-slacked larged). lime or cheap flour at the rate of one POund of Paris green to ten or fifteen pounds of lime or flour and used as a dust will poison many beetles and also act as a repellant. Clean culture is advisable. By burning the rubbish that is ually present in and around a garden during the winter many adult beetles will be destroyed that are hibernating therein. FLEA BEETLES. Several species of flea beetles occur at times and affect a t variety of plants. They are particularly injurious to young ts and the adults very often collect in numbers on tender ts at the surface of the ground, as cucumbers and cante- pes, and injure them seriously. 34 CUCUMBER FLEA BEETLE. (Epitrix cucum.eris, Harr.) The cucumber flea beetle (Fig. 24) is one of the most common species found. The adult is a small black beetle and is capable of jumping a remarkable distance. This jumping ability gives the insect its popular name, flea beetle. Remedies.-Poison and repellant sprays are . usually employed to control flea beetles. Pro- Fig. 24.-Epitrix cu- tective covers or dusting with powders as cunuJ!'is, flea beetle . . . , (greatly enlarged), aIr-slacked hme, road dust or tobacco dust, may be employed with success. Spraying with arsenical Bor- deaux is a very ef,fective remedy, and at the same time a pre- ventive for fungus diseases. 35 - '...ULAS A D DIRECTIONS FOR PREPARI G SPRAY MIXTURES. FOR BITI G I SECTS. Lead Arsenate: (Paste) 3 lbs., or (Dry) 1 1-2 lbs. Fifty gallons water. Spray on foliage. May be combjned with Bordeaux mixture when both fungicidal and insecticidal spray is desired. Lead Arsenate as a Dust: (Dry), lIb. Dry slacked lime or cheap flour, 5 Ibs. Mix thoroughly and dust on plants by means of an ordinary flour sack. Green: 1 lb. Paris green. 31bs. Lime. 100 gals. water. Can be used as a substitute for lead arsenate spray. combined also with Bordeaux as lead arsenate. May be . Green as a Dust: Paris green, i lb. Air-slacked lime, road dust or cheap flour, 15 lbs. Mix thoroughly together and dust on plants by means of an ordinary flour sack. 36 Poisoned Corn Meal Baits: Corn meal, 40 lbs. Paris green, 1 lb. Cheap molasses, 2 qts. Mix the Paris green and corn meal and moisten with water to make a stiff mash, after which sweeten with the molasses. Apply broadcast on areas it is proposed to poison cut worms. Poisoned Bran Mash Baits: 25 lbs. wheat bran. 1 lb. powdered lead arsenate. 2 qts. cheap molasses. Mix thoroughly and scatter around in garden or field for cut worms. Poisoned Cotton Seed Meal Baits: Lead arsenate, 2 lbs. Cotton seed meal, 50 lbs. Cheap molasses, 2 qts. Dissolve lead arsenate in enough water to make the cotton seed meal into a stiff paste. Add the molasses and mix the whole thoroughly. Scatter broadcast or place under boards for mole cricket, etc. FOR A FUNGICIDE. Bordeaux Mixture: Bluestone (copper sulphate), 4 lbs. Lime, unslacked, 4 lbs. Water, 50 gals. Dissolve bluestone in hot water Or by suspending in a coarse sack in 25 gallons of cold water. Slack the lime in another receptacle and dilute to 25 gallons. Pour the two solutions simultaneously into the spray barrel. 37 FOR SUCKING I SECTS. icotine Solution: (Black Leaf 40), etc. 1 pint to 50 gals. of water. Excellent for plant lice, etc. Obacco Decoction: Tobacco leaves or stems, 2 lbs. Water, 4 gallons. Boil for two hours and use at full strength. Not as reliable as nicotine solution but can be substituted when nicotine solutions cannot be had readily. Soap Solution: Laundry or potash soap, 1 lb. Water, 4 gals. Dissolve the soap by cutting it up in a small amount of boil.- ing water. Dilute to four gallons. Used for plant lice and soft-bodied sucking insects in general. Commercial Lime-sulphur: 1 part Lime-sulphur. 50 parts water. Excellent for red spiders. &CnJI!lelne Emulsion: 2 gals. kerosene. 1-2 lb. common soap. 1 gal. water. Dissolve soap in hot water, add the kerosene and churn to- gether, pumping back and forth until it emulsifies; that is, when the oil will not separate from the mixture after standing for some time. The mixture when properly made will have a thick creamy appearance. Dilute with water nine times before using. 38 SPRAY PUMPS. Fig. 26.-Spray pump suitable for Fig. 25.-Spray pump uitable for home gar- mall acreage. (Courtesy Gould dening. (Courte y Bateman Mfg. 0.). ~Hg. 0.). Fig. 21.- pray pump suitable for a large aCl"eage. (Courte. y Bateman ~1fg. Co.). A great variety of spray pumps are on the market. It r('sts with the prospective purchaser to determine the one adaJ)table and most economical for his use. Too often pray pumps are bought that are unsuitable for the work at hand. Keep in mnd your needs and investigate the types of spray pumps that will likely be most economical in every particular. The types of pumps illustrated in Figs. 25 26 and 27 will 39 ~ e some idea of their adaptability for various uses. The spraying cene (Fig. 28) shows the spray pump illustrated in Fig. 27 in operation. ACCESSORIES. g. 2. praying cene, ame as on cover page. (Courtesy Bateman Mfg. Co.). Proper accessories are equally as important as a satisfactory ray pump. They are sometimes included in the purchase price of a pump. The term, accessorie , includes nozzles, rubber hose, extension rod, stop-cock, nozzle connections, hose mender, wash- clamps, etc. The nozzle is of prime importance and there are three general types, namely: Bordeaux, Vermoral and Whirlpool (Fig. 29). Th(! Bordeaux nozzle makes a coarse driving spray; the Vermoral a conical shaped 1 fine spray, and the Whirlpool a conical shaped fine spray with an acute angle. Unless force is desired the two last named types of nozzles will give better 4 satisfaction for truck work. Where it is Ir 29.-Types of nozzle: mort; (I) Bordeaux; (2) Ver(2 and 4) WhirlPOO (4 angle whirlpool). desirable to cover all parts of the plants I. t is neces ary that the nozzIe be set at an angle. A beginner in spraying should make a special study of spray pump accessories, or have some one fully acquainted with his needs d.thoroughly familiar with the details of spraying, make a seon for him. Johnson-Dallis Co.. Printers. Atlanta. Ga. Georgia State Board of Entomology E. LEE WORSHAM, State Entomologist BULLETIN 42 JANUARY, 1915 Annual Report OF THE Atlanta State Capitol Georgia Georgia State Board of Entomology E. LEE WORSHAM, State Entomologist BULLETIN 42 JANUARY, 1915 Annual Report OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST For 1914 Atlanta State Capitol Georgia GEORGIA TATE BOARD OF E TOMOLOGY ORGANIZATION. J. D. PRICE, Chairman, Atlanta. J O. T. WILLIAMS,* Round Oak, Ga. 1. C. WADE/* Cornelia, Ga. E. LEE WORSHAM, Secretary, Atlanta. STAFF. E. LEE WORSHAM, State Entomologi t. A. C. LEWIS. Assistant State Entomologist. W. V. REED. A sistant Entomologist. W. W. CHA E, A sistant Entomologist. C. S. SPOO ER, Assistant Entomologi t. J. CHESTER BRADLEY, Special Assistant Entomologist. IRA W. WILLIAMS, Assi tant in Cotton Breeding. ucceeded in 1915 by Hon. Jno. A. Cobb, Americus, Ga. ucceeded in 1915 by Hon. R. C. Berckmans, Augu ta, Ga. GEORGIA STATE BOARD OF E TOMOLOGY ATLA TA, GA. LETTER OF TRA SMITTAL. Atlanta, Jan. 1, 1915. Sir: We transmit herewith the report of the State Entomologi t on the work of the State Board of Entomology for 1914. Respectfully, J. D. PRICE, Chairman, JNO. T. WILLIAMS, 1. C. WADE. HO . J O. M. LATO Governor of Georgia Atlanta, Ga. REPORT OF STATE ENTOMOLOGIST For 1914 Atlanta Georgia, January 1, 1915, To the Honorable Members, tate Board of Entomology, Atlanta, Georg'a. Sir: I have the honor to ubmit the report of -the work of the State Board of Entomology for 1914. During 1914 insects and plant di ea es did their u ual amount of damage to the farm orchard and garden where no effort wa made to check their ravage, It i gratifying to note the increa ed amount of intere t displayed in the control of pests attacking different crop. The owner of the farm, the orchard and the garden has learned that this department can be of real ervice and he does not he itate to call for the assistance we are able to render him. Throughout the entire year we were frequently called upon to make special inspections of. trees and plants for the purpose of giving pecial aid in control of seriou pest. Thi i a most important phase of our work and we would expre sly urge partie who are intere ted in our work to take advantage of the assistance to be rendered in thi way 0 that timely advice can be given. RESEARCH WORK. The most important part of our work consists of experimental work for the control of seriously injurious insects and diseases that can not be controlled by ordinary methods. Many of the old pe ts have become more seriou , and better and more economic remedies are required and many are investigated for the fir t time. WORK 0 COTTO WILT 1914. Mr. A. C. Lewis, Assistant State Entomologist, has had charge of the cotton work. Mr. Ira W. Williams has assisted in the field work by spending most of his time visiting the farmers and instructing them in seed selection. 6 The work on cotton wilt has been conducted on a larger cale than la t year. The demand for the wilt resistant seed was greater than ever before. We could not supply the demand, though we sent out 5000 bu hel of wilt re i tant seed in different ections of south Georgia. We also distributed 500 bushels of the Iron and Brabham cowpeas resistant to wilt and nematode. Three variety tests were conducted on wilt infected land. At each place the results were very striking and gratifying, as shown by the following tables: V RIETY TEST-AM ERIC ,GA. 1914. Lbs. seed Variety Cotton per acre Webber ______________ 374 King ---------------- 374 Russell -------------- 663 Wilt resistant: 8-6-6 ---------------- 1309 B-28 Imp. Dixie ------ 1326 "Lewis 63" ---------- 1326 Per cent of Lint 32.5 36 34.5 35 37 37.5 Lbs. Lint per acre 121.55 134.64 228.73 Per cnt Healthy Stalks 10 10 15 458.15 95 490.62 96 497.25 96 VARIETY TEST-VIEN A, GA., 1914. Variety Lb . Seed Cotton per acre Columbia ------------ 341 King ---------------- 434 Half and Half ________ 775 Wilt resistant: Dixie --------------- 1798 B-28 Imp. Dixie ______ 1829 "Lewis 63" ---------- 1829 Per Cent of Lint 32.5 36 40 37 37 37.5 Lbs. Lint per acre 110.82 154.24 310.00 665.26 676.73 685.87 Per ent Healthy Stalks 10 15 15 95 97 97 The e tests how that under certain conditions where the wilt i severe, resistant trains may yield three to four times as much per acre as the non-wilt resistant strains. The appearance of the variety test at Americus i well shown in Fig. 1. Three variety te ts were made to determine how the yield of the re i tant stra;n of cotton compared with other varieties where the land was not infected with wilt. At Carrollton the following result were secured: Cleveland yielded per acre 599.26 lb . lint. Triumph yielded per acre 578.25 lbs. lint. Half and Half yielded per acre 546 lbs. lint 7 Of the resistant strains the yield were as follows: "Lewi 63" yielded per acre 511.87 lb . lint. Modella y:elded per acre 461.76 lbs. lint. Dix-Afifi (Long staple) yielded per acre 371.52 Its. lint. THE BOLL WEEVIL A D THE WILT DISEASE. That dreaded enemy of cotton, the Mexican Cotton Boll Weevil, i not in Georgia yet, but will be before the year is over, as last fall it wa found within two miles of the State line. In the wilt affectEd sect'on of South Georgia the cotton growers will then have this in ect and the wilt disease to fight. The best way to fight the boll weevil i by certain cultural methods and the planting of early maturing varieties of cotton. Our variety tests all how that the early trains of cotton, such as King and Triumph, die very badly from the wilt di ease. Knowing this, five years ago work was begun on developing an early wilt resistant strain of cotton. We are pleased to report that we now have a strain of wilt resistant cotton that has been developed by crossing and individual selections, that can, we believe, be grown with profit under boll weevil conditions. While this train is not as early a the King, some stalks of it, the eed of which was planted April 7th, had as high a 24 bolls set by July first. Our observations have led us to conclude that strains of cotton like the King have too short a fruiting period to do well in the sandy soils of South Georgia. The early resistant cotton mentioned above begin fruiting early, and continues to grow and fruit until fro t. Thi cotton, in the variety te ts, is marked "S-6-6," but i now named "DeSoto." PROFIT TO FARMERS. Each year since the work on wilt was inaugurated it ha been the policy of the Board of Entomology to di tribute, free of charge to the farmers. eed of wilt resistant strains of cotton. At fir t only a few bushels of seed were distributed each year. ~ the demand for the eed increased the legislature very wi ely Increased the appropriation for the work. This growth can best be hown with a few figures. Thu. in 1908 only 50 bU3hel of b'i1t resistant seed were di tributed, and last year about 5,000 u hels were distributed. We also sent out about 500 bushels of the Iron and Brabham cowpeas. A few years ago it was e timated that the annual loss to the farmers in Georgia from wilt wa at least $1,000,000. It is now 8 safe to say that the annual 10 s from wilt in the State is Hot over 50 per cent. of what it was five years ago. In other words the farmer are now being benefited each year by the State Board of Entomology by the work on wilt at least $500 000.00. Many of the farmer do not fully realize the value and importance of improved seed. To educate them along this line we are visiting those interested and instructing them in the latest cientific methods of improving their cotton eed. We now have thirty farmer who are making individual elections under our directions. To begin with, we furnish them orne of our best eed. In this way they may keep the cotton up to the high standard which it has at the time we distribute it, and thus in a few year have pedigreed seed to sell to their neighbor . In the work on cotton wilt we have had the active co-operation of the . S. Bureau of Plant Industry. WORK 0 COTTON A THRAC OSE. Two experiments were conducted on anthracno e with eeJ from the arne source, one in orth Georgia and one at Brunswick, in South Georgia. In the e experiments 15 varieties were teo ted. In each experiment every other row was planted with badly itlfected seed, the other varieties were planted between the e row . At Brun wick in the rows from the infected eed, 43 per cent. of the boll had anthracnose. At Villa Rica only 5 per cent. of the bolls had anthracnose from the infected eed. At Brunswick the results were a follows: Russell, 18 per cent.; Cook, 17 per cent.; King, 16 per cent.; Modella, 12 5-10 per cent.; "Lewis 63," 10 per cent. At Villa Rica these varieties all had less than 5 per cent. of anthracnose. These results show that the two greatest factors in controlling anthracnose are the climate and seed, and that where the weather i favorable for the development of the di ease, infected seed should not be planted. SEED SELECTIO AND THE BOLL WEEVIL. The territory that will be infested by the boll weevil and the time of infestation are well known. The e fact are tated elsewhere in this report. The vital que tion to the farmers in territc ry not yet infested is how much damage will the weevil do when he appears, and what can the farmers do to get ready to make a profitable crop under heavy infestation. Probably the mo t important question for the Georgja farmer at the present time i what can he do to "get ready" for the coming of the weevil in order that the profits from his farm may not be reduced when he appears. In some territory infested by the weevil some farmers make a good crop, while the crops of other farmers are almo t totally de troyed. The Georgia people will find that certain terri- 9 tory will make cotton some years while other years "it will not, and there will be failures in certain places even in good years and the people will jump at numerous conclusions in regard to reasons for thi. It is a well known fact that wet year are worse for the weevil than dry years, and with low land, or anywhere that cotton grow rank, thereby maintaining surface moisture, the crop of cotton i damaged more than in lands where the cotton does not grow rank, and the surface is dry. Growing cotton under boll weevil conditions convinces me that the best method of fighting is good farming. In other word out ide of the work that the good farmers should do, there is nothing else he can do that has proved as beneficial, provided good farming includes the proper method of seed selection for producing cotton with the weevil. In regard to getting ready for the weevil in order to make a profitable crop of cotton when he appears, experimental work for the past two years with pedigreed seed proves that the crop i increased several times even under heavy infestation by the u e of this seed. Seed election, as we recommend it, would pay for all the trouble if there were no weevil , and i nothing more than good farming. In order to elect seed properly it i necessary to know the kind of cotton that we wish to develop. It is also nece sary to know thoroughly the disease affecting the cotton plant, and know how to make the proper selections to eliminate and eradicate di eases, for the reason that diseases such as wilt and anthracnose in combination with the weevils, would certainly he de tructive to the cotton crop. Both wilt and anthracno e can be eradicated by proper eed election. To select the cotton plant that will produce cotton under boll weevil conditions it i nece ary- 1 t. That the plant should fruit early and rapidly. 2nd. Cotton hould be frEe from all di eases. If the land wilts it hould have a productive w'lt resistant cotton. 3rd. It hould have a high per cent. of lint. Thi is important, for if we have only a small number of boll , these should give u the maximum amount of lint. 4th. It should be pedigreed cotton; that is, the field ought to be planted from cotton coming every year from a single stalk. The plant will not only be productive, but every stalk in the field \,:,ill be producing cotton and every stalk producing at the same bme. With gin run seed, or with cotton which has not been elected from one talk for a long period of time, there is great \ ariation in the difference of the fruiting of the different stalk . The early stalk will fruit and the square will become infested 10 and will hatch out in time for the new brood to infest the stalk fruiting three to four weeks later. The weevil cannot do any damage until the squares begin to form. A field destroyed by the weevil never blooms. on-productive stalks are a great disadvantage, in that they shade the ground and aid in the reproducing of the weevil, as the sun can not kill the young weevils in protected or shaded squares. By the experimental tests which we carried on last year in co-operation with the U. S. Department of Agriculture, under heavy weevil infe tation at Vicksburg, we found that the pedigreed seed produces more cotton. even though it was a long-staple variety, than a good variety of short staple cotton which was not of the pedigreed strain. This pedigreed cotton was worth eventeen and one-half cent a pound, while the Simpkins cotton, which it surpassed in production, was worth thirteen cents a pound. If Georgia will improve her cotton seed, and, where there is wilt, plant wilt resistant seed, she will not only produce a much cotton a at the present time, but will be able to produce her food supplie as well. The only "getting ready" that a farmer can do to produce cotton is to get ready to plant hi crop with a good pedigreed seed, one adapted to his soil and climate, and if he has wilt, to be sure to have a wilt resistant seed. The State Board of Entomology is now carrying on the work of developing the varieties free from disease and that will be a productive as po ible with the weevil. This embodies the principles above. EXPERIME TS FOR CO TROL OF FRUIT I SECTS A D DISEASES. Experiments in the control of economically important in ects and diseases of the apple and peach industries were located, in the spring and ummel' of 1914. at Cornelia. Thi phase of the Department's activitie was under the charge and direction of Mr. W. W. Chase, and was largely devoted to a continuation and expansion of work carried out in 1913 at Adairsville and the two preceding years, 1911 and 1912, at Cornelia. In particular, the operations related to the further trial, in a strictly experimental way. of the summer treatment of peaches by the Dry or Dust Method. The location of the work at Cornelia was thought. and subsequently proved, to be peculiarly well chosen. In that vicinity are situated the largest commercial plantings of the State's two principal horticultural industries, peaches and apples, and, by having a local representative on the ground, the Department was better 11 enabled to serve the fruit growers more directly and efficiently in problems affecting the control of orchard pests. A great deal of work of this nature was requested and advice and material assi tance given, on the outside of experimental work. PEACH D STING TESTS. In 1913 the Department planned a series of co-operative tests with the Union Sulphur Company, of New York, of a product of that Company called sulphur-arsenate of lead dust, a mixture prepared for purposes of trial in the control of peach curculio, scab and brown rot as well as for codling moth, scab, curculio and bitter rot of the apple. In the co-operative agreement, th~ Company was to supply the material for the experiments and the special outfit designed to apply it, while the Department was to select the site for the work, make the applications under supervi ion of one of its agents and to collect and compile the data bearing on results secured. The composition of the dust material was of finely ground sulphur and powdered arsenate of lead in the proportion of five per cent. arsenate of lead and ninety-five per cent. sulphur du t. Another formula, which was made to determine if additional lead would injure peach foliage, carried ten per cent. arser.ate of lead. Phy ically, the ingredients were perfectly mixed and so finely ground that all the mixture would go through a wire gauze of 200 meshes to the inch, and much of it was even finer. The machine for the application of the dust (see F;g. 2) coni ted of a hopper to hold the dust mixture and a gasoline engine to furnish motive power. The operation of the outfit requires two men, one to drive and the other to operate the spout and direct the dust on the trees. Fig. 3 shows the duster in action and the manner in which the trees and their fruit are sprayed. The amount of dust which the machine feeds may be regulated by a valve at the bottom of the hopper. This valve allows the requisite amount of material to drop through the neck of the hopper on to a rapidly revolving fan which blows it out through the pout (shown in the cut) as an extremely fine dust. DUSTING VS. LIQUID SPRAYING The principal idea behind the dust method is to provide a way of treating the fruit so as efficiently to protect it against its fhara ite at a smaller cost, term of efficiency being equal, than at of the tandard liquid spray treatments. A proper and com- 12 petent power outfit (Fig. 4), while possessing a greater capacity for work and a higher order of results over the ordmary barrel outfit, requires a complement of three men to operate, with all the delays attendant on loading, mixing and straining of spray material, leaky hose, clogged nozzles, etc. Under best conditions trees require from one minute to ten or fifteen minutes to spray, dependent upon size, whereas with the dust method, no tree, irrespective of size, requires more than a few seconds. The saving in time alone is very great. In addition, only two men are required to operate the outfit, against three for the liquid spray outfit, an! sometimes more to assist in supplying material. The cost of material, though greater for the dust, would be more than offset by the saving in time and labor. These were known factors in which the method had its inception, and the one thing remaining to be determined was the relative efficiency of liquid and dust sprayings under identical conditions of soil. cultivation, fertilizing, etc. It wa to make this comparative test that the experiment was undertaken. HE LTS Following the second application at Adairsv;]le in 1913, the experimental plats were visited by a severe hailstorm which practically destroyed the whole crop of peaches. Those remaining on the trees were so badly battered that it was considered inadvisable to continue the treatment as the records would have been valueless. The work was resumed this year (1914) at Cornelia, and a plat of several acres was divided into two equal parts and du ted three and four times, respectively, with a five per cent. lead mixture only. Records of a number of selected trees in each plat were kept throughout the season, the windfalls being gathered and classified as they fell from time to time, and the crop harvested from these trees at maturity and the records completed. In addition, a check plat (unsprayed) was also recorded in the same manner. Curculios were so scarce duripg the season that the check pIaL yielded less than one per cent. of infestation. by count, hence the results in the du ted plats, with respect to this important insect were lost. But very decided comparison was obtained with reference to scab and brown rot. In both the dusted plats there wa somewhat less than five per cent. of either of these disease, whereas, in the check plat both were conspicuously and de tructivel;v prevalent. The coloring of the dusted fruit was high also, and its m'3Ykef value enhanced because of it. 13 COMPARATIVE RESULTS Along ide the two dusted plat a block of about fifteen hundred tree wa treated with the standard summer sprays as follow : Atomic sulphur, self-boiled lime and sulphur and pa te ulphur. the la t a mixture of sulphur ground fine like that in the du t mixture in combinat:on with a srrall amount of glue. All of the"e prays were combined with smail amount of arsenate of lead, in quantity to corre~pond with that in the du t material. Records were made in the same way as that de cribed for the duo t plat. wh:ch enabled one to know precisely what each material and treatment accomplished. Brief!.. the results in control of cab and brown rot were practically alike. PROPOSED CO TIN ATIO OF THE TEST o encouraging was the showing of the dusting experiment in 1914. that the Department will continue the same line of work in 1915. enlarging the scope of the work to the scale of a field demon tration in a large commercial orchard. Data will be kept, not only as to the re ults secured, but as to cost, etc. The e data will be published in a circular or bulletin form at their conclusion, and di tributed to the peach and apple growers of the State. APPLE INSECTS AN D DISEASES. In addition to the work outlined above experimental and demonstration work was done at Cornelia at the same time with the older and better known spray solutions in conjunction with the newer and unproved proprietary compounds. Records were taken on control of codling moth, cab, bitter rot, aphis and leaf pot, and these will be compiled and published by the Department as Occa ion demands. It is proposed also, to employ the dust method on a considerable acreage in 1915 to determine its etTIciency as compared to the already proven merit of the liquid sprays and to show its relative cost and worth. PECAN INSECTS AND DISEASES. This work has been conducted in South Georgia for the past th~ee years by Mr. C. S. Spooner and is still in progress. The object of the work has been to study the various insects and disea ~ which affect the pecan and to determine methods of controlling them. A large amount of life history work has been undertaken and a study of the natural enemies or parasites of the 14 various insect enemies is being made. Experiments in control have also been made and good success has been realized with most of them. Further such experiments are under way and others planned. The pecan industry is attaining great prominence in the south. ern section of the State. and with the growth in the number and size of the groves an increase in the number and seriousness of the enemies is bound to come. The surest way of meeting the difficulty is to study all the insects which may become pests so that remedies may be at hand when they become serious. At present the enemies of the pecan are comparatively few, and those few are readily controlled. Other insects of minor jmportance may become serious in the future, but it is planned to be ready for them with a means of control when they fu'st appear in injurious numbers. There follows a short discussion of several of the most serious pests of pecans with suggestions for their control. PECA SHUCK WORM Enarmon;(, caryana. This insect does considerable damage to pecans. The larva in the spring attacks the young nuts, often boring into them ar.d causing them to fall. Later the larvae tunnel into the green shuck surrounding the nut. As a result the nut fails to mature if the infestation is severe, or if light, the nut is stained wit' an ugly dark spot which lowers its market value. There are two generations a season. The first one, while not so numerous, does more serious damage, as they attack the nuts while young and prevent their maturing. The stained and spotted nuts mostly come from the second generation larvae. The larvae spend the winter in the old shucks on the ground. Gathering and destroying these old shucks is therefore a very effective means of control. Late fall plowing is also effective to a somewhat lesser degree. There are also a number of natural enemies of this pe t. so that between these enemies and the cleaning up of the old shuck, the pest is readily controlled and need not be feared by the pecan grower. PECA TWIG GIRDLER Oncideras cingtdata. This pest is only occasionally destructive to any great degree. Nurseries and young groves planted near woods containing hi~k 15 ory and persimmons are often very seriously damaged, especially the rows adjoining the woods. The adult is a large greyish beetle, with very long antennae or feelers. In the fall the female cuts small slits in pecan tWIg usually just below the buds; in these slits the egg are laid. The beetle then chews around the twig until it is entirely or nearly evered. The twig then falls to the ground. The eggs hatch in a few weeks and the larva lives and burrows in the dead twig. The winter i passed by the larva in the twigs on the ground. Pupation also occurs in these twigs. The control of this pest, therefore, rests with the gathering and burning of the fallen twigs. The late fall is the time to make the collection, after all the infested twigs have fallen. As has been tated the insects also attack hickory and persimmon, and if these trees occur near the pecan grove they should also be watched and the twigs destroyed. THE FALL WEBWORM Hypl1cmtria Cttn6a Drury. This pest is readily recognized because of the fact that the larvae or caterpillars spin a large web over the leaves at the end of the branches. Quite a colony of caterpillars live in this nest, and it i enlarged from time to time as fresh leaves are needed for food and the caterpillars increase in size. When fully grown the caterpillars crawl away and hide in various cracks and crevices where they pupate. Later the moths emerge and lay their eggs on the leaves. The eggs hatch the cat erpillars and these repeat the proce s of nest making. There are at least two and probably more generations a year in South Georgia. The insects can be controlled by burning the nests with a torch, twisting the ne ts out with a forked stick and crushing the caterpillars or by pruning the nests off and burning them. SHOT-HOLE AND PI -HOLE BORERS. . Several species of bark beetles belonging to the family Scoly!Jdae are found attacking pecan trees. The most common species In this section is Sinoxylon basilare Say. As a rule, these borers attack only dead or dying trees. In neglected groves or in groves surrounded by forests containing much dead timber. the infestation often becomes so heavy that thhe insects attack healthy trees. They obtain entrance to these ealthy trees through cracks and scars in the bark. 16 In avoiding or combating these insects, the first step is to cut and burn all dead tree and limb and so far as possible to clean the surrounding woods of dead timber. If the insects have become established in numbers, the bodies of all the trees should be whitewashed in the early pring. A thick wa h containmg a mall amount of table salt has been found to be as effective a' those of more complicated formula. For a full discu sian of this see Bulletin 264 of the Ohio Experiment Station. PECA CA E BEARER In many section of Georgia this is the most seriou enemy of the pecan. The adult is a greyi h moth with a wing spread of three-fourths of an inch. The pest gets its common name from the fact that the larva makes a tough ca e of silk and exuvla in which it spend its entire life, the case increasing in size with the larva. The insect pends the winter as a tiny larva within its case, which is at thi time very small, rounded in shape and brown in color. The case are located at the ba e of the bud , often as many as three or four cases to the bud. In the pring, a soon as the buds swell they are attacked by the larva, and large numbers of the buds are killed. Later when the trees have leafed out, the larvae are found out at the ends of the leaves; two or three of the leaflets are fastened together with ilk forming a shield for the insect. At this time the larvae are about threefourths of an inch long and dark brown in color. The ca e i about an inch long and grey in color. The larvae pupate in the e cases and the moths emerge the latter part of June. Egg are laid on the leaves, and the larvae on hatching form a small S-shaped case attached to the leaves, where they remain and feed until the leaves are about ready to fall, when they migrate to the twigs and seek winter quarters near the buds. It ha been found that these insects may be controlled by a spray of arsenate of lead, 1 1-2 lbs. (powdered) to 50 gallons of water. The spray should be applied any time between the middle of August to the middle of September. As this insect not only has a very severe pruning effect on the tree, but also destroys many of the fruit buds, growers should spray for this insect if they are at all numerous. Small trees may be sprayed with a barrel pump; larger trees may readily be prayed with a good power outfit (Fig. 9). As there are at least four weeks in which spraying is effective, several growers could unite in purchasing an outfit, thus reducing the cost. Fig. 1.-Va riety test Americus, Ga., 1914. Two rows on left "Lewis 63"; in center Russell; on right Dixie. Yield, lbs. of seed cotton per acre: "Lewis 6B," 1326; Russell 663; Dixie 1326. Fig. 2.-Power outfit for du ting. (ee page 10.) Fig. 5.-P can .ltllckworm (EIICtnnonict clwyCtna). Fig. 6.-P can twig gir'dJer and it work. (Oncideras cingulat1ts.) e page 14.) Fig. 7.-Pecan ca e bearer. Upp r figur hows larva, pupa and ca es as they appear in early umIII r. Lower figure how larvae on leaf in arly fall. (See page 16.) Fig. .-Pecan scab (F'usicladimn effusu1Jl). (See page 17) Fig. 9.-Spraying pecan trees with ga oline power prayer. Fig. lO.-Melon field howing trap row of qua h. Fig. ll.-Para iti ed tomato worm. (Se page 1 .) Fig l2.-Potato howing powdery scab ( lJongoslJora subterranea) injury. ( ee page 1 .) 17 PECA CAB ]i'usicladiu11l effll.lIm. The fungu dj ease of pecan known as scab occurs on both nut and leaves. It appear as mall black raised pots on both. The pot are u ually numerou enough to give a very freckled appearance to both the leaves and nut. The injury. e pecially to the nut, may be very severe. Like all fungus disea es, it is much wor e in wet season than in dry. When weather condition favor the rapid spread of the disease. every nut on a tree may be attacked and fall off. In lighter cases mo t of the nuts mature, but are much undersized, while in orne ca es a few scab pots may appear on the nuts without appreciable injury. Fortunately, scab is confined to a few varieties of pecans. Most varieties are either immune or 0 nearly so that the disease i~ not at all serious. It is, of course, advisable not to piant the varietie ubject to scab. In regard to the treatment of grown trees which scab badly, many growers top-work the trees to non-scabbing varieties in order to escape the necessity of spraying. The disease may. however, be controlled by praying with Bordeaux mixture, 3-3-50. A number of sprays are nece sary. The nuts should be kept coated with this mixture throughout the growing sea on, especially in wet sea ons. During a long dry pell the trees may be left un prayed but a spray should be applied just before ram come. TRUCK CROP PESTS. Thi work has been in charge of Mr. W. V. Reed. During the year of 1914 remedial measures for the control of a number of truck crop insects were conducted in different sections of the tate. The work included a study of the life history and experiment with the most likely preventive or remedial measures. It !s evident that with the great development in truck farming that IS at hand the work on truck crop insects will become more important. Root-Knot or Nematode Injury.-Where soils are badly infested with nematodes it is out of the question for one to hope to succeed in truck farming, as most truck crops are attacked. Cultural methods, proper rotation of crops will eliminate the nematodes in the course of three years. It is the aim of the department to conduct rotation experiments when a location and ~onditions are found favorable, in connectjon with truck farmIng. 18 Grasshoppers.-Every year in localized areas considerable damage is caused from grasshoppers. With one exception the injury has been done in mid or late summer, and was confined to hay crops, in which case the remedy was usually at hand by cutting the hay. The exceptional outbreak occurred the latter part of April during a somewhat lengthy drought and an exten ive field of watermelons was threatened with destruction. Spraying with arsenate of lead at the rate of one pound of lead and three pounds of lime to 50 gallons of water proved entirely successful. As an experiment poi oned bran very successfully used in Kanas, was tested. The poisoned bran was prepared in the following manner: Corn meal Arsenate of lead Syrup 1 lb. 1 oz. 3 oz. LWeamtoenr --------------------------------Y-i of a2frputsi.t The poisoned baits were irregularly distr'buted over a smail area. It was found the baits attracted the "hoppers," but also ants in large numbers in this particular instance so as to drive the "hoppers" away. Melon Borers.-There are two species of melon borers that are notably injurious-Diapllllia Ilitida/is and Diapllllia by/il1ala. The first named species, commonly known as the pickle worm, is by far the most plentiful and causes the greatest injury. Spraying experiments with poisons and repellants have been carefully tested, but the results obtained can not be classed as sati facto!"). Squash planted as a trap plant affords almost absolute protection to early cantaloupes. Experiments with trap crops on later plantings of cantaloupes will be conducted. The squash should be planted in rows about twenty-five yards apart through the melon field at the same time the cantaloupes are planted. (Fig. 10). It will be found that the rows planted to squash can be used as a wagon road and facilitate the gathering of the melons. Tomato Horn Worm.-Experiments conducted at Tifton, Ga.. established the fact that dusting with arsenate of lead mixed with flour or air-slacked lime, was the most economical treatment, everything considered, for tomato horn worm. An ordinary flour sack was employed and the dust applied to the plantf: by shaking over each plant. Nearly matured tomatoes are not stained as is the case where spraying is employed, thereby doing away with the necessity of wiping each tomato before shipping. Parasites usually control the tomato horn worm. Fig. 11 shows the cocoons of one species attached to the body of horn 19 worm. The larva of the parasite lives within the body of its host, eating out its vitals, and when mature, makes its way to the surface and spins cocoons as illustrated. The larvae thus attacked never live to transform into pupae and adult moths. The Cabbage Web-worm (Hel/lI/a I/Ilda/is).-This is comparatively a new pest in Georgia. The first record we have of it in the State occurred in 1898 at Augusta, Ga. Since then it has been reported from other localities and particularly from Fayetteville, Ga., in 1914. Life history work and experiments looking to its controi are under way. From results gathered so far it appears that spraying with arsenate of lead when the plants are first attacked will control the web-worm. Their habit in working principally in the crown of plants attacked and in addition spinning a web over themselves makes treatment all the more necessary when they first attack plants. If spraying is postponed the chances are it will be difficult to place the poison where they will get it readily. Insects on Pimento Peppers.-A serious handicap was experienced by a grower of this crop by the stoppage of growth in hi plants just as they begun to bear. Observations will be made thi season to ascertain if the trouble is due to insects. Spraying experiments will be conducted to control the most likely offender . Work in General on Truck Crop Insects.-Treatment, in a demonstrative way for red spider, plant lice, cabbage worms, potato beetle, and other well known garden pests are constantly bein~ made when the occasion arises. A special effort is being put forth to acquaint farmers with the habits of such insects as cut-worms, cotton boll worm, tomato horn worm, etc., that spend the winter in the immature stage below the ground, and such pe t a the harlequin cabbage bug, squash bug etc., that hibernate during the winter in rubbish above ground. By understanding the life cycle of these insects cultural methods during the winter can be employed that will largely control them. It frequently happens that attention is called to insect troubles too late to employ remedial measures successfully. Corn Stalk Borers.-Considerable injury is caused each year ?y. corn-stalk borers. At least three species contribute to this InJury. namely: Common stalk-borer (papaipellla Iliti/a) ; small cornstalk-borer (E/aslllopa/p/ls ligllosc/ll/s) and large cornstalkborer (Diatraca saccharalis) The last named species causes the most injury. Injury is caused by the larva of each species burrowing into the stalk. There is no remedy after they have en 20 tered the stalk. Cultural methods during the fall and winter i. the principal afeguard against them. The Cotton Caterpillar (Alabamo argillacae) .-The cotton cat erpillar made its appearance in two localitie in the State the past ea on in outhwest Georgia in the vicinity of Bainbridge, and in ortheast Georgia in and around Lavonia. Prompt measurer; were taken at both places to control the pest with very go:>d ucce s. Du ting with arsenate of lead according to instructions in Bulletin 36 of this department were followed. The Army Worm (Laphygllla frugipcrda). Some injury was caused by the army worm, but of a minor nature during 1914. The previous year it had been especially abundant. The sam~ remedy. dusting with ar enate of lead, as employed against tht! cotton caterpillar, will control the army worm. Detailed information and remedial mea ures concerning both the cotton caterpillar and the army worm have been published in Bulletin 36 of thi department. The Corn-bill Bug (phcllophorlls lIIaidis). Every year exten ive injury is caused by the corn-bill bug. Where an infe tation occurs it ha been on land not previou ly under cultivation. Preventive measures are the only safeguard against injury from this pest. ew land hould never be planted in corn in localitie where the bill-bug occurs. At least fall and winter plowing' should be made previous to planting in corn in the spring to destroy their natural food plants. Potato Powdery Scab (Pollgospora sltbtcrrallca).- Probably the most threatening disease introduction into the State at present is the powdery scab of potatoes. This is a foreign disea e originally. but it has gained a foothold in orne of the potato growing areas of the ew England States. Since a majority of our seed Irish potatoes come from that section, caution should be exercised by growers in buying seed potatoes. The name, powdery scab, indicates the appearance of the disea~e (Fig. 12). The disease is not readily distinguished by the average grower, and a safe rule to follow in buying would be to demand perfectly smooth, large or average size potatoes for seed. URSERY I SPECTIO . It is the duty of the Department to inspect all trees and plant in the nurseries of the State once each year and issue certificate for sale of same. The following nurseries qualified for the season of 1914-15: 21 GEORGIA URSERIES. The Anderson ursery, Wm. Ander on, Prop. Temple, RFD. Appalachian Apple Orchard Co. Tallulah Falls Apple Valley Orch'd. & ur ery Co. Clayton, RFD. Ashford Park urseries, H. C. Caldwell, Mgr. P. J. Berckman Co. Cros Key Augusta Bremen Nursery, J. T. Anderson, Pro~. Bremen Britton s Greenhou es, C. A. Britton, Prop. Atlanta J. F'. Brown hitesburK RFD. S. M. Buchanan, Prop. Ro edale urscries South Atlanta Mrs. J. C. Bucher, Prep. Juanita Rose Gardens Bullard Pecan urseries G. M. Bacon Pecan Co. Decatur Albany DeWitt The Baconton Nurseries, R. F. Cowan, Prop. Baconton Barnesville Nursery Co., tafford & Howard. Props. Cannon, H. G. Barnesville Cairo Capital City ursery. V. E. Lambert, Prop. Atlanta Carroll Co. ursery, Chas. P. Turner, Prop. J. F. Cathey Carrollton Mountain City Clayton Nursery, Reynold & Queen, Prop. Clayton Ccncord urserie Co., mith Bra ., Props. Concord Dixie Wholesale ur ery H. 1. Dover Marietta Ellijay Dyer & Sons Sharpe Edwards & Patterson Milledgeville Ellijay ursery, J. A. Winthrop, Prop._. Ellijay Jesse T. Ellis Griffin E!1telprise ursery. A. J. Durham, Prop. Carl Excel ior urserie3, G. H. Miller & Son, Prop. Rome airview ursery, A. Campbell, Mgr._. aylor O. H. Farr - .Leesburg 22 Fayetteville Nursery B. Thornton, Prop. Fayetteville Mrs. A. M. Flanigan C. N. Fitts Jefferson Dahlonega F. K. Freeman, Prop. Freeman's Pecan Nursery W. T. Gaulden Athens Quitman Georgia Experiment Station Georgia Nursery Co. Experiment Concord Georgia Seed Co., Jno. Williams, Prop. J. H. Gheesling J. P. Gill Hogansville Greensboro Baconton Glousier Pecan Co. Hardaway urseries Hastings Seed Co. Baconton Putney Atlanta High Point Farm & ursery, A. E. Cole, Prop. Buckhead Hogansville ursery Co., Jno. Williams, Prop. B. W. Hunt Hogansville Eatonton Idle Hour Nurseries, D. C. Horgan, Prop. Macon Ingleside ursery, A. E. Bell E. V. Jordan Cairo Eatonton Judson Orchard Co. Cairo LeConte Nursery, O. L. Thomp on LaFayette Nursery, A. J. Caldwell, Prop. Smithville LaFayette Magnolia Nursery, Jones & Wight, Prop. C. W. Morrill, 1005 Walnut St. W. H. Moulthrop J. R. Murphy W. K. Nelson Cairo Macon Cairo Fayetteville Augusta, RFD. A. C. Oelschig & Sons C. D. Ouzts Savannah Thoma ville, RFD. Chas. E. Oxford, Prop. Rosedale Farm C. S. Parker Williamson, RFD. 2 Thomasville J. B. Payne Orchard & ursery Co. _Blue Ridge The Pecan ut & Orchard Co., O. P. Mears Baconton S. W. Peek Hartwell Pike Co. Nursery, A. A. McElveen, Prop. Concord 23 F. B. Pinkston Parrott ~ueen Tyra VIountain City Mrs. F. D. Ramsey Leesburg A. W. Richardson, Florist .Savannah Rood Pecan Grove Nurseries Albany R. T. Rouse, Magnolia Hill ursery P. B. Simmons J. L. Sims Meigs Gainesville, RFD. Hapeville Frank Singleton J. C. H. Sneed Clayton Morrow A. Clark Snedeker Waycross Southern Nut Tree & Nursery Stubbs' Nursery O. L. Tanner Thomasville Augusta Milledgeville Thomasville Nurseries, :'td., P. J. Hjort, Mgr. G. H. Tomlinson Tuck Bros. Thomasville Putney Thomasville Upson Nurseries, A. D. Williams, Prop. Yatesville Wachendorff Bros. Atlanta J. L. Westbrook Temple, RFD. H. C. White .:. Putney J. B. Wight, Pecan Grove ursery Cairo o stock can be offered for sale in the State until official certificate of inspection has been filed with the State Board of Entomology and an agreement to fumigate stock with hydrocyanic acid ha been properly signed and filed. The nurserieS out of the State which are authorized to offer tock for sale within the State are as follows: Alvin ursery Co. Inc. Grand Bay, Ala. The American Rose & Plant Co. Springfield, Ohio. Andorra Nurseries, Wm. W. Harper, Chestnut Hill, Proprietor Philadelphia, Pa. Mi sElla V. Baines Springfield, Ohio. Bechtel Pecan Nurseries Ocean Springs, Miss. Beckworth Bros. Nursery Co. Smithville Tenn. Big Four Nursery Co. Smithville, Tenn., R 1. Biloxi Nursery, Jas. Brodie, Prop. Biloxi Miss. Biltmore Nurseries Biltmore, N. C. Bobbink & Atkins Rutherford, N. J. F. W. Brow Nursery Co. Rose Hill, N. Y. Cedar Hill & Orchard Co. Winchester, Tenn. Chase ursery Co. . _Chase, Ala. Chattanooga Nurseries Chattanooga, Tenn. 24 Jno. Lewis Childs Floral Park, N. Y. Commercial Nursery Co. Winchester, Tenn. Continental Plant Co. Kittrell, . C. Cumberland ur erie Winchester, Tenn. W. H. Davis & Son Smithville, Tenn. Henry A. Dreer, Inc., ur eries at Riverton, . J. 714 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, Pa. Eagle Pecan Co. . Pittsview, Ala. Easterly ursery Co. Cleveland, Tenn. Ellwanger & Barry Rochester, . Y. }lorida urseries, W. W. Ba sett, Prop. Monticello, Fla. Fore t ursery & Seed Co. McMinville. Tenn., R. 2. Franklin Davis ursery Co. Baltimore, Md. Fraser ursery Co. Huntsville, Ala. Gainesville Nurseries Gainesville, Fla. German Nurseries & Seed Hou e Glen Bros., Inc. Beatrice eb. Rochester, N. Y. Glen St. Mary Nurseries The Globe urseries Glen St. Mary, Fla. Bristol, Tenn. The Good & Ree e Co. Springfield, Ohio. The Great Western Plant Co. Green's ursery Co. Springfield, Ohio. Rochester . Y. Greenville Nursery o. Griffin Bros. Greenville, S. C. MacClenny. Fla. The Griffing Bros. R. B. Griffith Port Arthur. Tex. Fredonia, . Y. J. C. Hale ursery Co. Winche ter, Tenn. J. G. Harrison & Sons. Berlin. Md. Peter Hendel' on & Co. Jersey City, . J. The D. Hill Nursery Co.. Inc. Dundee, Ill. Hoopes Bro. & Thoma Co. West Chester, P::t. The Howard ursery Co. Howell urseries Stovall, . C. Knoxville, Tenn. T. S. Hubbard Co. Fredonia, . Y. Huntsville Wholesale urseries Increase Pecan Nursery Huntsville. Ala. Lamont, Fla. Jackson & Perkins Co. Newark, N. Y. Jefferson Co. Pecan & Live Stock Co. __ Monticello, Fla. The Josselyn ursery Co. Fredonia, N. Y. Kelley Bros. Dansville, . Y. Killian ursery ewton. N. C. La seter ur ery Co. . , . 'IcLeod Smithville, Tenn. Aucilla, Fla. Thos. Meehan & Sons Dresher, Pa. Thos. Meehan & Sons Germantown Pa. 25 Monticello urserie, Standard Pecan Co. .Monticello, Fla. Monticello Pecan Orch. & ursery Co. __ \1onticello, Fla. The Wm. H. Moon Co. . V1orrisville, Pa. Mt. Arbor urseries, E. . Welch, Prop. Shenandoah, Iowa. The Munson ur eries Denison Tex. A. W. Newson, Oakhaven Nursery Hunt ville, Ab. Oakland urseries, W. Y. C. Grant, Prop. Columbia, Tenn. Old Dominion Nurseries, W. T. Heard & Co., Prop. Richmond, Va. Perry ursery Co. Rochester, . Y. F. R. Pier on Tarrytown, . Y W. P. Ramsey Ocean Springs, Miss. The Wm. J. Riley urseries Dansville, . Y. The Richland Nul' erie Roche tel', . Y. Rock Hill Nurseries, T. B. Hawkins Wellborn, Fla. Lewi Roe ch Fredonia. . Y. W. . Scarff New Carlisle, Ohio. The F. E. Schifferli Nurseries Fredonia, . Y. Seven Springs ursery R. G. Cantrell, Prop. Smithville, Tenn. Joe hadow ur ery Co. Winchester, Tenn. henandbah ur erie Shenandoah, Iowa. Simp on ursery Co. Monticello, Fla. Southern Nursery Co. Winchester, Tenn. Smithville Nursery Smithville, Tenn. Stark Bro. urseries & Orchard Co. __Louisiana, Mo. Wm. P. Stark urserie Stark City, Mo. The 1. Steckler Seed Co. ew Orleans, La. The Storrs Harrison Co. Painesville, Ohio. Sugg & Syler Nursery Co. Meridianville, Ala. Swain-Nelson & Sons Co. Glenview, Ill. H. . Taylor & Co. Rochester, . Y. Tennessee ur ery Co. .Cleveland, Tenn. Texa ursery Co. Sherman, Tex. W. W. Thomas Anna, Ill. Turkey Creek Nursery C. L. Barber, Prop. MacClenny, Fla. nited States ursery Co. Ro eacres, Mis. Valdesian Nurseries Bostic N. C. The Van Dusen urseries Geneva, N. Y. J. Van Lindley Nursery Co. Pomona, N. C. F. W. Wat on Co. Topeka, Kansas. 26 Western . C. Nursery Co., J. M. Edwards, Prop. Westminster ursery Wild Bros. ursery Co. Frank Wild Floral Co. Willett & Wheelock Wills Valley Nursery Co. Winchester Nursery Co. Stecoah . C. Westminster, Md. Sarcoxie, Mo. ..Sarcoxie, Mo. orth Collins, N. Y. Ft. Payne Ala. Winchester, Tenn. FOREIG R ERY STOCK. In view of the pre ence of brown-tail and gypsy moth and other serious pe ts in Europe, and in view of the inefficiency of the inspection system in many foreign countrie . it is now necessary to in. pect each shipment of foreign stock coming into Georgia. During the past few years many erious pests have been checked through careful inspection of these shipments, and millions of dollar have been saved for the State through this phase of our work. The following is a list of foreign nul' eries for the year 1914-1915 : Ad D'Haene Co. Arthur De Meyer Bier & Ankersmit Ghent, Belgium Horticultural Amandis P. & L. Van Acker Bros. C. Petrick Van Dillewyn & Thiel Geeup & Ploeger F. J. Grootendorst & Son Jac Smit & Co. The Holland ur eries Ottolander & Hooftman -Schaum & Van Tol G. Van del' Stam & Co. Van Zonneveld & Philli V. Zonneveld Bros. & Phillippo -Charle Detriche L. Lerou's Nursery Vincent Lebreton's ur ery Vincent Lebreton' ur ery L. Boehmer & Co. L. Boehmer & Co. Ghent, Belgium. Ghent, Belgium, Mont St. Amand. Melle, Belgium. Ghent, Belgium. Ghent, Belgium. Loochristy, Belg. Ghent, Belgium. Meirelbeke, Belg. Bo koop, Holland Boskoop, Holland. Holland. Boskoop, Holland. Bo koop, Holland. Bo lwop, Holland. Bo koop, Holland. Somergem, Holland. Sassenheim, Holland. ..Angers, France. Angers, France. LaPyramide-Trelaze. France. Angers. France. Japan. Nagana, Ken. Oshima-gun, Kagoshima Ken, Japan. 27 The Yokohama ur ery Co. Erne t Benary chultheis Bros. R. H. Bath, Ltd. Yokohama, Japan. Erfurt, Germany. Steinfurth, Germany. Wi beck, England. The past sea on 147,134 plants were exam:ned. The following firm received hipments and the countries from which they came are al 0 given: C. A. Dahl Co. The Atlanta Floral Co. The Westview Florist Wachendorff Bros. Ashford Park Nursery H. G. Hastings & Co. McMillan Bros. Seed Co. P. J. Berckmans Co. Stubb' ursery Pike Co. ur erie~ Columbus R. R. Co. D. C. Horgan, Idlehour ur ery Chas. . Woodruff 'l. M. Duckworth G. H. Miller & Son John Taylor Holland Belgium Holland BelgIUm Holland :Belgium Holland Belgium Holland Belgium Japan Japan Holland France Germany Japan Belgium . Holland France Belgium Belgium England Holland Holland Germany Holland France Belgium Atlanta Atlanta Atlanta Atlanta Atlanta Atlanta Atlanta Augusta Augusta Concord Columbu Macon Macon Macon Rome Rome 28 A. C. Oelschig & Son A. W. Richardson W. A. Steven on & Co. John Wolf P. J. Hjort Bdgium Belgium Belgium Belgium Japan Savannah Savannah Savannah Savannah T h o m a s v ille The largest number of shipments came from Belgium and the next largest from Holland, 1< rance, Japan, Germany and England in the order named. Owing to the irregularity in the arrival of these shipments considerable expense i involved in making the inspections. Doubtless thi matter will be simplified in the near future. The past ea on a few plant were found diseased or infested with an insect, but not of a erious nature. Since this inspection has been in force great improvement has been made by foreign grower in ending tock free from in ect and plant diseases. THE UB- TATIO AT THOMASVILLE. In successfully conducting the investigations on pecan insect and disea es, cotton insects and disea es, and in view of the approach of the boll weevil from Alabama, the Board deemed it advisable to locate a station at some point in Southwest Georgia where experiments could be conducted from year to year until certain problems could be satisfactorily olved at the least po sible co t. An excellent location was found at Thomasville, ju t out of the city limits, consisting of a handsome two-story building and about ten acre of land. On this place there is a large number of bearing pecan trees, and it is al 0 diagonally acros the road from the beautiful pecan grove of Mr. Parker who gladly con ented for us to conduct experimental work on his trees. Thi place was leased at $480.00 per annum and Mr. C. S. Spooner placed in charge, and from time to time the State Entomologist and Messrs. Williams and Lewis were at the station looking after different phases of the work. A large breeding cage was constructed for life history work on insects and a little more than five acres of the land was planted to cotton, corn and different varieties of cowpeas. Eleven different varieties of cotton were planted to test and demonstrate resistance to disease. Two rows of each variety were planted and repeated across a field of five acres. The wilt was present over most of the field and we had a splendid demon- 29 stration of the wilt resisting qualities of the varieties propagated by the Board. Several varieties displayed great resistance to anthracnose or boll rot. The citizens of Thomas County who were familiar with this piece of land were of the opinion that it would not produce cotton on account of wilt. The yield of the different varieties were as follows: VARIETY TEST-THOMASVILLE, GA.-1914. Variety Lbs. Seed Cotton Per Acre Bank Account 1514.75 (S-6-6) DeSoto RusseH 2177.59 1788.5 Half & Half 991.34 Sunbeam 1721.34 Modella 1995.09 "Lewi 63" 1861.50 B-28 (Dixie Imp.) __ 2372.50 Expre 2244.75 toney 1843.25 Toole 2117 Per Cent. Lint 35.5 35 34.5 40 36 37 37.5 37 31 38 38 Lbs. Lint Per Acre 533.11 762.15 616.93 396.53 619.68 738.18 697.96 877.82 695.87 700.43 828.46 Rank in Yield 10 3 9 11 8 4 6 1 7 5 2 A mall area was planted in corn with the idea of producing a weevil resi tant variety and promising result were obtained. A mall area was al 0 planted in different varieties of cowpeas to test their resistance to nematode and cowpea wilt. The Iron and Brabham peas gave the best yields and were the only ones displaying resistance to disease. The tation i a plendid proposition from every standpoint. In addition to the excellent opportunity afforded for experimentrd work. we are able to make demonstration of re ults already ohtained which i invaluahle to the people of that section of the tate. We are also able to economize to a considerable extent in re ponse to call for help in South Georgia. During the growing ea on there are numerous calls for orne member of the staff to come quickly and as ist in combating orne insects or diseases a~tacking the crops. We have been able to render far more effiCIent ervice in outh Georgia than ever before by ending a man from Thomasville rather than from Atlanta. As the boll weevil advances into Georgia the calls for help will become more numerou . 30 We will have the co-operation of the U. S. Bureau of Ento. mology during 1915. One of their men who has been in charge of boll weevil work in Loui iana will be located at the tation. They have agreed to pay one-half the rent, thus reducing the co t of operation for the Board. EDUCATIO TAL WORK. The Board has conducted its usual amount of educational work relating to the control of seriously inj urious insects and disease.. Different members of the staff have lectured at farmer' meetings in different section of the State. These lectures were on cotton wilt nematodes, boll weevil, grain weevils, pests attacking truck crops, melon and fruit crops in general. Some of the e lectures have been given at pecial meetings called by the Board for the purpose of giving information in regard to pests in certain localities in which farmers were particularly interested. In addition to this, we have complied with all reque ts for speaker at agricultural meeting held by other agencies and co-operated actively with all the forces in the State working in behalf of the farmer. APPROPRIATIO There is no appropriation which mean 0 much to the farmers a the appropriation made to the State Board of Entomology. The work of the Board is of direct practical value and i indipen able to the farmer. With Georgia's great diversity of crop~ every ingle section is directly benefited by the work and many comparatively small area in different sections have saved each year through our work con iderably more than the appropriation to this department. The cotton growers alone have saved more than $500,000, to say nothing of the saving to fruit grower , truck grower and the growers of other agricultural crops. With the coming of the boll weevil, which i now at the Georgia line, our work is far more important than ever before. The Georgia farmer will never cea e to grow cotton, and it is not advisable for him to do so. We want a reduction in acreage, but a greater yield per acre. Georgia could easily produce the same amount of cotton as she does at present with half the acreage. The acreage mu t be reduced in order to make room for food crop. The succe ful cotton grower of the future mu t grow varieties free from disea e and that will produce as much lint as po sible per acre at the mallest pos ihle cost. Our appropriation for 1914 was $33,000, and of this amount $32,363.86 was expended. Thi amount is really inadequate for 31 the work that ought to be done, but in view of present financial condition in the State we cannot expect very much increase, but we do hope the present appropriation can be continued. PUBLICATION. The following bulletin and new letters concerning the work of the Board were issued in 1914: Bulletin o. 39 February, 1914: "The Mexican Cotton Boll Weevil." Circular No. 14, July, 1914: "Regulations concerning the Mexican Cotion Boll Weevil, etc." March 28. To no papers a two-column story entitled "Spraying Fruit." This included all varieties of fruit and methods of spraying. Sept. 12, To 174 newspapers: 1. t. "Cotton Seed Selection Important to the Farmers." 2nd. "Plant Wheat Late to Avoid Seriou Damage." :1rd. "How to Destroy Corn or Rice Weevil." The following bulletins have been prepared and will be issued early in 1915: "Report on Cotton Wilt in Georgia." " orne Important Truck Crop Pe ts." MEXICA COTTO BOLL WEEVIL. The peculiar climatic conditions in 1913 and 1914 prevented the boll weevil from getting into the State. The accompanying map hows that in Jorthern Alabama an average advance was made, but toward the southeast the advance was less, being only about 2 to 4 miles nearer the Georgia line than in 1913. Th~ failure to make an average advance was due to cold weather in 1913 and 1914, which forced the weevil to recede, and the long drought in South Alabama operated against its advance in early ummel', and following thi the heavy top crop of cotton provided so much food that there was no incentive to travel. He camped right at the Georgia line oppo ite Early County, as indicated on the map. Under normal conditions it will cover ev- 32 eral counties in the southwestern part of the State by the end of the pre ent season. With the appropriations that have been made for cotton wilt and boll weevil we have been able to render mo t valuable aid to the farmers of this particular section, and a a consequence, they are better prepared for the coming of the weevil than the farmers of any ection of the outh have been up until the pre ent time. Respectfully, Eo LEE WORSHAM, State Entomologist. JOllNSON-DALLlS COo, PIlIX1.EIlS. TI.ANlo... Geo(rgla State Board of Entomology E. LEE WORSHAM. State Entomologist BULLETIN 43 MARCH,1916 THE PRINCIPAL PARASITES OF THE PEACH BY W. W. CHASE Assistant State Entomologist , y OCT 14 l~L., UNIVERSITY OF G~ORG CARE AND MANAGEM ENT OF PEACH ORCHARDS BY R. C. BERCKMANS President, State Horticultural Society STATE CAPITOL ATLANTA, GA. Georgia State Board of Entomology E. LEE WORSHAM, State Entomologist BULLETIN 43 MARCH, 1916 THE PRINCIPAL PARASITES OF THE PEACH BY W. W. CHASE Assistant State Entomologist CARE AND MANAGEMENT OF PEACH ORCHARDS BY R. C. BERCKMANS President State Horticultural Society STATE CAPITOL ATLANTA, GA. GEORGIA STATE BOARD OF ENTOMOLOGY ORGANIZATION J. D. PRICE Chairman, Commis ioner of Agriculture Ex-Officio Membe1'. tlanta. Pre ident R. . BERCKM S, tate Horticultural ociety, Augu tao Ex-Officio Member. Pre ident mo. A. COBB, tate gricultural ociety, Americu . Ex-Officio Member. E. LEE WOR HAM, tate Entomologi t and ecretal'Y o~ the Board, . tlanta. . C.' LEWIS, As i tant State Entomologi t, Atlanta. W. Y. REED, i tant Entomoloai t, Atlanta. W. W. CHA E, svi tant Entomologist, Atlanta. \\. F. T RNER, A i tant Entomologist, Thoma yill . IRA . WILLIAMS, A istant in Cotton Br ding, tlanta. ./ , . C. A. McLE DO , Expert in- otton Breeding, Atlanta. FOREWORD. In point of quantity, Georgia's production of peaches is as great, if not greater, than that of any other State. In point of quality, her production is easily the best and the best known. She has originated and introduced some of the finest commercial varieties. The average annual yield is approximately 5,000 cars, or 2,500,000 crates, with a gross estimated value (on a conservative basis of $1.25 per crate) of $3,125,000. The industry is on a sounder footing than at any time in its history. With the passing of the old order, when peach trees were planted on land regarded as too poor to raise anything else and thereafter left to their fate, and the coming of the new, which means scientific orchard management, scientific spraying and the elimination of hitor-miss marketing, the business is upon a safe, profitable plane. It is great and growing. As an investment for the man who is willing to mix brains with money, who goes into the game with a determination to make it pay, a Georgia peach orchard presents splendid opportunities. It has never been so promising of profit as it is today. At a time when national preparedness is the slogan and the public mind is in a receptive attitude towards it preachings, it is pertinent to point out some of the benefits of horticultural preparedness. It is the purpose of this publication to discuss the several worst enemies of the peach industry, with recommendations for defense against invasion of orchards by them. The various subjects are grouped under the broad title Peach Parasites. An attempt has been made to take them up in the order of their relative importance, though it is realized that they have a variable significance,. -due to nu merous factors. What, to one grower, is a vital problem is, to another, of no consequence. The rating as given, however, is generally applicable to Georgia orchards. The recommendations are based, for the most part, upon methods that have been tested and proven by the author. Statistical tabulation of data on results of experiments has been omitted as far as possible. The Department is pleased to supplement the bulletin with an article on "Care and Management of Peach Orchards" by Mr. R. C. Berckmans. Mr. Berckmans is joint owner of one of the largest, finest and most profitable orchards in the State. He is thoroughly conversant with his subject, and his suggestions are certain to be of interest and value to peach orchardists, especially to beginners. 8 CO DE SED SPRAY SCHEDULE FOR PEACHES. Winter, or Dormant" Spraying., For San Jose scale and leaf curl, spray with lime-sulphur solution after the trees become dormant, preferably within the last three or four weeks before the bloom btids begin to open. Dilute the concentrate with water in pr'oportion to the trength of the, solution (See page 37). It is important to know what the strength actually is, in order to avoid over-dilution, which would weaken the effectiveness of the spray. Badly infested trees should be sprayed twice, once in the fall and again in early spring. Spray thoroughly under high pressure and with a medium-fine mist. For San Jose scale, a nozzle throwing . he spray at an acute angle has more penetration than wide-angle nozzles. The Summer Spray Schedule. 1st. For curculio, spray just as the shucks are shedding (Plate XII) with %,-pound powdered arsenate of .lead (1% lbs. paste) to 50 gallons watel' and milk-of lime solution made from three pounds lump lime. Use a wide-angle nozzle throwing a fine mist and cover the foliage and fruit lightly but thoroughly. Do not drench the trees. 2nd. For brown rot, curculio and scab, spray four weeks after the petals drop (about three weeks after the first spraying) with self-cooked lime-sulphur and powdered arsenate of lead 8-8-%-50. Or with atomic sulphur according to directions on the container. If paste lead is used, the amount would' be one pound. Spray lightly, but thoroughly, so that the peaches will be pebbled on all sides with the spray. 3rd. For curculio, brown rot and scab. One month before the ripening period, spray with same materials and 'same formula as for second summer spraying. This time the disc opening of the nozzle should be larger, so as to give a coarser spray and a heavier coating to the fruit. If curculio is under good control omit the arsenate of lead from this treatment. It usually pays to add the lead. .r The above summer spraying schedule is for all varieties tipening in mid~season. Early maturing varieties should receive only two applications and fall-ripening varieties four. It is important to use the right" types of nozzles, as resuIts are greatly influenced by this factor. 4 THE PRINCIPAL PARASITES OF THE PEACH By W. W. CHASE THE PEACH TREE BORER. (Sanninoidea exitiosa, Say) On the debit page of commercial peach growing, the borer should be entered as the largest natural liability. It is the greatest single cause, directly or indirectly, of the mortality among peach trees. This statement is made advisedly, and is based upon ten years' experience and observation. All the other enemies of the industry are of secondary importance because their antidotes are generally known and successfully applied. And the reason it is the premier insect pest is not because of the insect's inherent immunity to repressive measures, but mainly the result of the many misconceptions that exist as to its life history and habits. Control measures, being based on these misconceptions, are, therefore, inadequate and abortive. It is true that many growers use the right processes, but at the wrong time to attain maximum effectiveness. The peach tree borer problem, if intelligently met, is easy of solution. The high development of spray chemicals and the art of spraying, and their effective application to fruit growing" have shorn San Jose scale, brown rot, cu:-culio, etc., of their one-time terror. The Delilah that sheared these Samsons was comprehensive knowledge and application of control mea ure -the how and when and what to spray. So soon a orchardists gra p the principles and practices of peach borer control as thoroughly as they have those of brown rot, for instance, it will entirely cease to be the menace that it is at present. Description. In common with most all borers, the destruction is wrought by the larval or grub stage of the insect. Every one posse sing even casual knowledge of peach growing is familiar with this stage and its work. The winged form, 5 also, because of its abundance in the fall of the year and its characteristic color markings, is fairly familiar. There are four entirely distinct periods in the transformation of the insect-the egg, the larva, the pupa and (he adult. These four stages are separately de cribed in the following paragraphs: The Adult. . The fully-grown insect is a moth about one inch long and perhaps an inch and a half acros the outtretched wing. The body and fore-wings are very dark blue in color, with a broad orange belt encircling the midection of the abdomen. (See Plate IV, fig. 3). The hind-wing are transparent, heavily fringed and delicately veined. Her general appearance resembles that of a mudbuilding wa p. The male, on the other hand, is smaller than the female, lenderer, and suggestive of the "yellow jacket." Its basic coloring is blue, ringed with ellow at the intersections of the abdominal segments. These narrow banding , together with other yellow marking of the body, help to create the impression of a yellow insect. Both pair of wings are tran parent, with a heavy fringe about the edges and transversely dividing the fore-wings. The Egg. The eggs, owing to their very small size and brown color, are exceedingly difficult to find upon the bark of the tree. It is doubtful if a single orchardist in the entire State has ever detected them, even when active depo ition is going on. The Larva. This stage embodies the insect's economical importance. The size varies, of course, according to age and feeding, the largest being more than an inch in length. At first white, the body changes with growth to muddywhite. The head is dark brown, terminating in a pair of powerful and devastating jaws. There are eight pairs of legs, seemingly a superfluou number for a larva that takes almost a year to cover a space mea ured in inche . The Pupa. A pupa case, showing a protruded and empty pupa skin i illustrated on Plate IV, fig. 2. The case itself i a d~rk brown, tough composition of fine-ground wood filings, frass and gum, lined with a silky facing of the larva's weaving. Even in the pupal stage the pronounced difference in size and shape that characterizes the adult male and female is di cernible. The male ca ing is horter than that of the female, and smaller in diameter. The size of the cocoons is variable, ranging from threequarters of an inch to one and three-quarters inches, with an average of lightly more than an inch. Within is the 6 pupa, which eventually forces its way nearly its full length through the anterior end of cocoon, as shown in the cut, the skin i ruptured and the moth emerges. Life History. A the uccess of borer control is contingent upon a cor- rect knowledge of the insect' life hi tory, the transforma- tion , as they occur in Georgia, will be described some- what in detail. . Although a few precocious moths may appear in June or July-or e en earlier-they are only scouts, so to speak, and their numbers are negligible. The main army begin to arrive the last week in August, and reache it greate t numerical trength in September, during which between eighty and ninety per cent. emerge. Just as there is an advance guard during early and mid summer, so there is a rear guard in October, but it also is very small. Mating and egg-laying follow immediately upon the ar- rival of the borers at the adult stage. The female is a prolific egg-layer, averaging approximately five hundred eggs, which are laid singly or in small, irregular clusters. These are attached to the bark of the trunk near the ground, or under the first lateral limbs if the latter are close to the ground. ormally, the female will oviposit within less than two feet of the ground, but if inhibited by artificial conditions, such as mounding or whitewashing, will ascend higher and lay her eggs upon unprotected bark. She may be intimidated by hostile conditions from taking her natural choice of the place, but not at all from egg-laying itself. ~othing short of death will prevent her from fulfilling that function, which fact has a most important bearing on its attempted prevention by mounding, wrapping, or painting the trees with protective washes. Attempts to curb the adult female must inevitably result in failure. It is not against her or her egg-laying activities that the fight must be directed, for it is the larval and not the adult form that is vulnerable to attack. The adult moths live only about a week, during which their sole concern is the propagation of the species. Egg laying over in a week or ten days, the females die. The oval-shaped egg hatches in about a week or less and the larva is ues forth. For various reasons, only a small percentage of the total number of eggs survives as larvae. The newly hatched grub are very mall and frail, and readily succumb to adver e conditions, which accounts for the heavy mortality among them. Wherever hatched, the larva's fir t effort i to reach the surface of the ground, 7 either by crawling down the trunk or by suspending itself from a silken thread which it spins for the purpose. Having reached the ground it at once begins its entry into the tree. If all things are favorable, the larva works its way beneath the bark within a short time. Thenceforth, during the larval stage, the channels are enlarged and extended, followed by large jelly-like exudations from the tree, mixed with frass. The jelly-like mass around the trunk at 'the surface of the ground is a characteristic mark of infestation. On contact with the air it hardens to a gummy consistency. Quite a large percentage of the larvae does not at once effect an entrance, but remain upon the outer bark, covered by the gummy excretion, until late fall. While so situated they are comparatively easy of removal. This, also, is an important fact. The larva, once under cover, continues to feed on the ap-wood and bark until winter. It lies dormant and inactive during the coldest winter weather, but renews active feeding very early in the pring. There is great variation in the size and development of the larvae during the spring and summer, due partly to the difference in age, and partly to the fact that ome had easy, quick entrance to the tree while that of others was slow and difficult. A small percentage never enters the tree at all, but establish themselves at the base of the tree in chamber made of gum, dirt and castings (see Plate IV, fig. 1) and feed on the bark from the outside. Practically the whole life of the peach borer is passed in the larval stage. The great majority completes this stage during the month of August and the first week of September, leaves the channels and constructs cocoons at or near the base of the tree. The pupa stage last about four weeks, though there i a slight variation both ways. With the exception noted above, pupation occurs in August and September-mostly in August. By removing the top soil from the base of infested trees during the latter month, one may readily find the cocoons. As an illustration, the author took seven, on Augu t 31, 1915, from around the base of a two-year plum tree in an abandoned section of a nursery. The bark of this tree below the ground had been completely eaten away by the larvae, and the tree was in a dying condition. At the end o:fi pupal period the pupa works its way through the end of the cocoon, breaks its skin and emerges, a winged moth. Thus, out of the year required to complete the insect's full life cycle, more than ten months are lived as a larva. 8 Control. From the foregoing it will be seen that no appreciable good results are to be had from washing the trunk with any of the numerous so-called protective compounds that have been, and are (even yet) u ed with the object either of preventing egg-laying or the entrance of the borer into the tree. Neither re ult is attained. Likewise, the a.plication of some of the stronger of these preparations i liable to injure or kill the tree it elf, while not strong enough to affect in the least the borer under bark or gum. ncovering the crown and main roots during the wintel to expose the hibernating larvae to freezing temperatures is equally to no purpo e so far as the borer is concerned, but may winter-kill the trees 0 . exposed. Wrapping the trees with paper also has a questionable value from an economical standpoint. Experience has demonstrated that uccessful control IS to be realized only by mechanical means-(l) mounding and (2) worming. Both these measures are co-ordinating, and their succe sful practice is absolutely dependent upon their being done at the right time. It has been shown that nearly all the larvae pupate in August and emerge as moths in September, at once laying egg from which the next generation of worms is hatched. It follows, then, that mounding up the trees to a height of ten or twelve inches, from August 10th-20th, accompli hes a double purpose. The first result is the prevention of the e cape of a large number of the pupae from the earth. The second is that the moths that do ucceed in working their way from the bottom of the mound and escaping, are forced to lay their eggs higher upon the tree. In turn, the larvae that hatch from these egg are forced to enter the tree at the top of the mound instead of at the ground level or below, as they would in the absence of the mound. After all egg are laid and hatched, which is early in October, the mound should be removed, and the trees craped and wormed. The leveling of the mound leaves the young larvae high upon the trunk, where they are accessible, instead of around the crown and roots, where it is difficult to locate and remove them. The latter part of October finds mo t of the worm on the out ide of the tree, under gum and other protection, whence they are easily removed by scraping 9 with a worming hook, such as is illustrated in the accompanying figure. The worming of the trees, if done at the right time (the latter part of October) is in reality more of a scraping process. Some few larvae may have worked under the outer bark, nece sitating removal with the point of the hook. Mo t of them, however, are very small at that time and can be scraped off without injury to the tree. Spring worming, while better than none, is, for obviou reason, the wrong time to do the work. The worms have fed and fattened within the tree all fall and spring, and their removal or destruc tion with knife, wire or hook is inevitably hurtful' to the tree. Little actual cutting or mutilation of the tree is necessary if worming is done in the fall. Tree Protectors. A patented device* for the protection of peach trees from borers is pictured on Plate III. It consi ts of a heavy circular piece of tarred building paper cut in several izes to accommodate trees of various trunk diameters. The protector is placed about the base of the tree on a little conical mount of dirt, and sealed about the trunk and along the line of the overlapping edges with a heavy tar preparation. This device has a minimum effective life e timated at three years. The Department is testing its merits, but owing to the fact that the te t has been operative only one season, result are inconclusive. It gives fair promise, however, of insuring prevention of borer infestation to a degree hitherto unattained. Apparently it is superior to, and perhaps cheaper, than mounding alone, or mounding and wrapping. Recommendations. Between the tenth and twentieth of August mound the trees ten or twelve inches high. Use a shovel, throw- cott Tree Protector Co., Baltimore. Md. 10 ing the dirt to the trees in a cone-shaped mound with a broad base. Pack the dirt down with the shovel. Do not make the mound carele sly or too hurriedly. If properly made, the mounds will prevent the escape of all but a few of the moths. The latter part of October level off the mounds, following immediately with the scraping and worming of the tree crape the trunk clean of gum and dead bark, being certain to throw all the gum several feet away from the tree. If this operation is carefully carried out, a econd worming in the pring will be saved. These two essential things should be done thoroughly, and on schedule time. THE SAN JOSE (pronounced San-Ho-zay) SCALE. (Aspidiotus pe1'niciosus, Comstock.) The literature of economic entomology has made this important and destructive insect the theme of comprehensive, almost exhaustive, description and discussion. Fully ninety per cent. of our commercial fruit growers are personally acquainted both with the insect itself and its history, and to them it needs no formal introduction. Only a few ections of the entire State are free of its pre ence and influence, and the e few are becoming annually fewer and fewer. Like the poor, it is always and everywhere with us. Until recent years San Jo e cale was the most pernicious in ect pest with which the growers of deciduous fruits had to contend. Many of the growers came to believe that an orchard, once infested with it, was beyond salvage. This attitude and belief were the outcome of inadequate means of control, particularly in praying equipment. With the arrival of more efficient insecticides and the perfection of mechanical means of applying them, scale has been brought under easy subjugation, and is now relatively of less importance. History. As is generally known, San Jose scale is an imported introduction from the Orient. The records disclose the fact that its entrance to our country was made through the medium of infested nursery stock, shipped into California, about thirty or forty years ago, from China. Ac- 11 cording to authentic information, the first official knowledge of its presence was gained through the devastating spread of the introduced pest among the fruit trees at San Jose, California. From this fact the insect derived its common name, San Jose cale, which oft-mispronounced and non-de criptive title it bears to this day. From California the scale sub equently spread to every state in the Union. atural Enemies. Following the establishment of the scale in the United States, agents of the United States Bureau of Entomology made a thorough study of it in its native habitat. There they found that it was kept under control by a predacious ladybird beetle (Chilocorus similis), a very cIo ely related ~pecies of our own twice-stabbed ladybird (bivulnerus sp). Acting on this infO! mation, the Government made prompt efforts to introduce this natural enemy of the scale into this country on the theory and with the hope that it would readily acclimatize it elf, become a naturalized citizen, and resume its ceaseless and effective warfare upon the ancient enemy that had preceded it to our shores. These worthy efforts resulted in failure. The ladybird was not sufficiently hardy or adaptable to survive the rigors of our variegated climate, 0 that now we have the evil without its attendant natural antidote. We were then compelled to re ort to artificial means of controlling the insect, and the e were uccessfully evolved only in the fullness of time and after pain taking study and experimentation, marked by many failures. In addition to the common twice- tabbed ladybird, which preys upon the scale in Georgia, but which is not sufficiently numerous to accomplish a noticeable repression, we have two fungi which are fairly well distributed, one of which, under certain favorable conditions, is partially effective. These are the red-headed fungus ( phaero tilbe coccophila) , and the black fungu (My?iangium du?iaei). This Department experimented a number of year ago on the artificial inoculation of cale-infe ted peach orchards with the spores of the red-headed fungu , and succeeded, in orne instance , in para itising a small percentage of the scales on the treated trees. This fungus, however, proved so weakly reproductive that the infestations were materially unchecked. The black fungus is much more generally scattered over the State. It is commonly found in neglected orchards where spraying is not practiced, reproduce itself freely and, in the presence of a sufficient 12 upply of it host, has occa ionally been observed almost to rid the infested tree of cale. The growth, reproduction and spread of these two fungi are so greatly dependent upon certain known conditions of climate and moisture, as to make them of little or no value where such conditions do not obtain. Our Georgia climate is so hot and dry during a greater part of the year that, lacking the requisite quantities of rainfall and humidity, they survive with difficulty and are in no wise dependable to control an Joe scale. ot 0 many years ago inoculations of the black fungus were sold to a number of credulous peach orchardists at different places in the tate. The eloquent salesman peruaded these orchardists that cheap and permanent emancipation from the lavery of spraying could be obtained only by buying and applying their panacea. Needless to say, these growers paid through the nose for their faith, not only in the purchase price of! the material, but also in the resultant multiplication of scale and scale injury. in the first place, the life of any fungus parasite is predicated on availability and abundance of it food supply, in the in tance under discus ion, scale insect. The reproduction of even a small initial colony of scale i oftentime o rapid, and the re ultant inj ury so quick and deadly that, before the fungus can become established, under the advel' e conditions prevailing in our peach belt, the tree is either killed or greatly injured. In the second place, these beneficial fungi are subject to destruction by spraying, just as are injurious fungi (brown rot and scab, for instances). U we wish to foster our cale-de troying fungi we must, perforce, abandon all spraying of our trees with fungicides. Any orchardist having even a rudimentary knowledge of the production of edible or merchantable peaches knows this can not be done. 0 that we mu t relinqui h all hope of the beneficent and gratuitous aid of in ects and fungi in controlling an Jose scale, and turn to other and dependa'ble methods. Descriptive and Life History. For tho e having no knowledge of the appearance or life cycle of the scale, they will be briefly described. Plate IV, fig. 4, illustrates the half-grown stage in which the insect passes the winter. Most of the old scales are killed during the winter month , the younger ones surviving, and the e latter are clearly illustrated on the peach twigs shown in the cut. They are about 1-32 of an inch in diameter, black in color, and crowned at the apex by a nipple. These 13 scales enlarge and mature in the early spring, the male insects emerging as a very small winged fly. In about three weeks after impregnation the females begin to bring forth young. The insect is viviparous, that is, it reproduces without the egg stage common to most all other insects. It requires about three weeks for the female to complete this function, which involves the birth of several hundred young scales. At the end of this period she dies. There are five or six generations a year in this State. The young are provided with legs, and the first hours of their lives are devoted to crawling about over the limbs and twigs seeking a suitable place to locate. This found, they insert a long hair-like sucking tube into the host, and settle down (except in the ca e of the males) permanently. A scale covering then begins to form over them, at first white and later grey or black. It is in the crawling stage that they are carried about locally from tree to tree and place to place. Birds alighting momentarily on limbs infested with crawling young frequently carry off the latter on feet or legs to their next stopping place, which may be far distant, ~nd there deposit them This is only one agent of the many that are responsiblQ for the spread of scale. The increase in the number of scales on an infested tree in a single season, when unchecked by artificial means, environment or natural conditions, is imply amazing. One favorable eason is enough to over-run and destroy young trees that were only lightly infested at the opening of the breeding season. Yet, at the same time, it is an insect that succumbs easily to control measures. Typical Injury Produced by the Scale. To anyone not familiar with the appearance of the scale and the injury it produces, a minor infestation is likely to go unobserved. But to the most unobservant and unfamiliar, the characteristic a h-colored encru tation of a heavy infestation is unmistakable. When reproduction is active during the summer, the young also can readily be seen by the unaided eye as they crawl about-slow moving points of yellow-on limbs and twigs and leaves. As has been explained, San Jose scale is a sucking insect, remaining permanently in one position (except as noted) all its life. It sucks the juice from the bark by means of a minutely fine hair-like probo cis. The immediate effect of this operation upon the bark and sap wood is to produce a reddish-purple discoloration which affects, even 14 in the case of a single feeding insect, the bark and sap wood for a considerable area around the point of incision and down to the wood itself. This is accompanied or followed by a depression or indenture of the bark just under the insect, and secondarily by a swelling of the bark around the depressed area, producing a pitted effect. The swelling is apparently an effort, on the part of the tree, to overcome the abnormal condition at that point. Both the discoloration and the swelling are strongly indicative of a chemical reaction between the sap cells and a poisonous secretion of unknown composition injected by the insects into the incision when feeding. This secretion-if present-is probably for the better assimilation and digestion of the plant juices, and doubtless is comparable to that injected into a person or animal by a feeding mosquito in order to make its food assimilable. The reaction in the latter case is well known to be caused by a poison. The commonly accepted belief that the San Jose scale saps a tree to death by depriving its host of its juices is not sufficient to account for the discoloration and swelling mentioned above. The mere mechanical abstraction of the sap by a pumping or sucking action on such a minute scale is not sufficient to account for the phenomena that follow upon even a single isolated feeding operation. The theory that the writer advocates is that the host succumbs more to the effects of toxins set up in the sap supply rather than from impaired physiological functions caused solely by the loss of such small amounts of sap as are required to sustain the life of the scale insects. Control. After a long period of experimentation with many compounds of many natures, the concentrated lime-sulphur solution has been accepted as the best "all-'round" treatment for San Jose scale. Because of its caustic nature this can be applied in a highly concentrated form only in the dormant season, when the trees are bare of leaves. Sometimes, in exceptional cases, it is found necessary to apply measures to check multiplication of scale during the summer, but such measures should never include concentrated. lime-sulphur spray. Even in weakly dilute proportions it is deadly to peach foliage. P1'epa'red Liquid Lime-Sulphur. Lime-sulphur combinations are the best treatments to use because they are effective, when thoroughly applied at the right strength, in reducing scale infestation to negligible quantities, and 15 because other and almost equally important benefits accrue incidentally or directly. The compounds are highly efficient fungicides, and they either minimize or entirely destroy fungi of various kinds that live upon the tree itself during the winter months. The subject of lime-sulphur sprays is treated more fully in another section of the bulletin. oluble Sulphu1' P1epamtions. In the last few years a number of powdered sulphur compounds have been manufactured and placed upon the market by various insecticide companies. The principal arguments .for their adoption by the public were ba ed on economy. It is obvious that a powdered preparation which would compare favorably in price with the commercially prepared liquid solutions, tenns of efficiency being equal, would ave the grower much money in freight and hauling. With a view to determining the relative efficiency of soluble sulphur and liquid lime-sulphur preparations against San Jose scale, the writer tested four brands of the former alongside of a standard make of the latter in L. H. Gibbs' apple orchard, at Cornelia, in ~rch and early April, 1915. The result are briefly set forth in Table 1. TABLE I. Condensed Results of Soluble Sulphur Experiments. NamE' of ;\IanufachIrers. Thomsen Chemical Co. fodoc hemical Co. Xiagal'a Sprayer Co. herwinWilliams Co. Thorn. en Chemical Co. Trade name of. and test plat no. of material. Ibs. to 50 gals. ,Yater. .. 1 "R. T. 16. 2 "Spra 10. Sulphur" 3 oluble ulphur 12 .' 4 .01uble Sulphul' - Prepared LimeSulphur 6 Check 12'h. 1 gal. L.to 9 gals. water. ~- ........... \\"I1('n spr'ay d. RE LTS March 3 Mal'"h 3 and 2~. :\larch 4 ~arch 4 and 23. ;'.larch 23 April 2 March 3 March 3 and 23. March 3 Marrh 3 anr1 2~. Excellent. :\'1alerial adheres well. Very good, a rew li\ing scales. YeJ'Y poor. no appar- I ent benefit. Scale unde, good control. Living scale scarte. trees rather ligh t1) I i n f est e d when sprayed. Scale appears almost entirely ):!e cale in many re peets and requires different means of control, it i deemed advisable to describe and illustrate the pecie~, with recommendations for combatting it. Description and Life History. The "terrapin," or "turtle-back" scale, is a soft scale. The winter tage, pictured on Plate IX, fig, 1, is a giant compared to San Jose. Ten or a dozen of them, laid side by ide and touching, would cover an inch. As will be ~en in the cut, the back is hemispherical in conformatIon, and somewhat ridged or currugated. Its general ap- 31 pearance at once suggests a turtle or terrapin, proving how happily chosen is its popular name. In color it is a mottleCl brown, with radiating black lines, and surmounted at the apex with a touch of orange-red. The female hibernates in a partially mature stage of development, reaching maturity the followi:lg spring. Eggs are then deposited under the skin, thE: whole body literally converting itself into an egg mass, houE-=d by a dermal covering which was the skin of the mother. The hatching of the eggs occurs in late API il or early May, depending upon latitude and temperature, and the larvae crawl from beneath the scale to the lea es, where they temporarily affix thems.elves and begin to feed by sucking the sap. As larvae the insects are pale green in color, oval in outline and flat. After a temporary residence of four to eight weeks on the leaves, the semi-d~veloped females of this new brood are fertilized by the T!lales and return to the woody growth of the tree proper, where they continue to grow and develop until winter, reaching full maturity the next spring. This ability to remove themselves at will from one point to another, again differentiates the species from San Jose scale, which loses the power of locomotion after it once settles down and begins feeding. Lecanium pe?-sicae. Another species of soft scale, Lecanium persicae, occasionally appears to an injurious extent in the middle and lower sections of the State. In appearance and life history it is closely similar to terrapin scale. and is controlled by the same means. Typical Injury. When present in large numbers the insects unquestionably damage the tree itself by retarding leaf and twig development. However, the greater injury is done to the fruit itself, not directly as a result of the feeding of the scales, but incidentally by the secretion in large quantities of honey-dew which films over the fruit, twigs and leaves, furnishing food for a parasitic soot-fungus. This fungus lives upon the honey-dew and blacken leaves and fruit, stultifying the growth and development of the tree, and rer.dering the fruit unsalable. Control. There are several predatory and parasitic insect that prey upon terrapin scale, but, from the standpoint of con- 32 trol, are of slight importance. As with an Jose cale, we must rely upon spraying. Experiments have demon tl'ated that lime-sulphur is an impotent remedy. The scales literally seem to thrive upon a lime-sulphur diet. The soluble oil preparations, on the other hand, are highly effective and dependable. Of the proprietary soluble oils, Scalecide may be mentioned as among the be t. This material is a mixture of vegetable and mineral oil with naphthalene. Applied in the spring just befo1'e the buds open at a dilution of 1 to 15, it will de troy well over ninety per cent. of the infestation. Do not apply it in the fall when the trees have recently entered dormancy, but in the spring, just before they emerge therefrom. The use of oil preparations on peach trees is not to be recommended as a general thing, either in theory or practice. The possibility of injury to the trees from it, however, is minimized in the spring application, and its insecticidal value is greater. PEACH LEAF CURL. (Exoa GUs deformans, (B) Fuckel.) evere vi itations of this di ease are of occasional occurrence in all peach orchards where preventive measures are not practiced. It does not appear annually, ometime not for several successive years, for its propagation and pread are dependent upon favorable conditions of temperature and moisture, factors which are not always present at the time trees are leafing out. When the spring i cold, with abundance of moisture, the disea e is likely to reach serious proportion. On the other hand, dry, sunhiny weather at that season effectually insures the bud ding leaves again t infection. Characteri tic Appearance. Every ob ervant peach grower knows this disease, if not by nam~ at least by ight. Frequently his sight i' aided by the lessons of experience-and between them he learn. The young leaf is attacked in the bud or just after emergence from the bud. and the symptoms are conspic~ou.. The leaf (Plate X) quickly becomes turgid foUow~ng mfection, and thickened along the mid-rib, causing It to pucker and twist into a distorted mass hardly re- 33 embling a leaf. It is then a pale yellow color, shot with red. When the whole leaf is finally involved and the assimilative functions cease, it falls to the ground. In thi way, in particularly severe cases, the tree is practically defoliated. New leaves are usually formed, however, but at the expense of the fruit, and oftentimes at the cost of the formatioD! of the next crop of fruit buds. As the disea e appears early in the pring and as all affected leaves eventually fall from the tree, the active damage is done before midsummer. Cause. Leaf curl is e sentially a foliage disease and is caused by a fungus, the mycelium of which grows within the leaf itself, ramifying throughout the whole tissue of the blade and producing spores, or seeds, on the outside ,Surfaces, generally the upper. The growth of the mycelium, which may be likened to the fine feeding roots of a plant, together with the production of the spores, causes the bloating and curling of the leaves described above. The spores, when ripe, give the stricken leaf a dusty appearance, and these innumerable seeds are distributed by various agencies. However, no new infections are produced until the following year, and perhaps not then if not favored by weather conditions. These spores find resting places upon the buds and bark of the tree, remaining there to germinate the following spring and to reproduce themselves after the manner of their kind. Prevention. Fortunately the malady has a sure prevention. Peach foliage can be immunized from attack by a single th01ough dormant season spraying. Any fungicide of merit, be it Bordeaux mixture, lime-sulphur, or of any other composition or name, will effectually qualify. It is only a matter of spraying thoroughly and at the right time. Whenever the control of San Joe scale i an item for consideration in spraying operations, the best remedy for peach leaf curl is lime-sulphur solution. Kill your two birds with one stone. Most authorities agree that the surest prevention of leaf curl demands that the treatment be applied within the last three or four week before the leaf bud unfold. This is not e sential to ucce ,however. Another imperative demand and infallible guarantee of success (which applies also to the scale problem) i thoroughness. All the buds, 34 twigs and limbs-the whole tree, in fact- hould be carefully covered. In this way the seeds of the disease will be destroyed and not a single leaf will be lost becau e of it. If San Jose scale is present in the orchard apply limeulphur at the strength recommended on page 37. If not present, the curl itself is just as perfectly prevented by a weaker dilution, say 1 to 15 or 1 to 20, according to the strength of the concentrate as determined by a hydrometer reading. (Se page 37.) A 3-4-50 formula of Bordeaux mixture is also effective, but the lime-sulphur solution is preferable because of its insecticidal value. THE EMATODE WORM. (Hete1"ode'ra radicicola, (Greff.) Mul.) The microscopic nematode worm, which attacks the roots of a large number and variety of plants, is commonly found upon and is very injurious to the peach. An infested tree is shown on Plate XI. The feeding of the nematodes cause the formation of the galls or root knots, thereby stunting the growth of the tree. In severe attacks the trees are killed outright. ematode worms infest a number of cultivated plants and a few weeds. Among the former class commonly infested are cotton, watermelon, cucumber, cantaloupe, sugarcane, soy-bean, okra, cabbage, collards, potato, tomato, tobacco and cow-peas, except the Brabham, the Iron, and Iron hybrids. The worms, once in the soil of a field, live there and multiply enormously, if supplied with quantities of any of their food plants. Therefore, one should avoid planting a peach orchard on cultivated land known to be infested, or owing usceptible cover-or shade-crops in an establi hed orchard. If peas are used as an orchard crop, none but the Brabham, or Iron, or Iron-hybrids should be planted. These varieties are entirely immune and many be grown without subjecting the trees to infestation. oil infested with the worms cannot be freed of them except by a rotation of crops immune to attaCk. LIME-SULPHUR CO CE TRATES. For dormant season spraying against San Jose scale, etc., the use of the "old-fashion" home-made, lime-sulphur solu- 35 tion has been gen~rally, if not entirely, supplanted either by the commercially prepared lime-sulphur or the homemade concentrate. Outfits for the manufacture for the lat- ter have lately been installed at several points in Georgia, and it seems probable , that the manufacture of the home-made article will become general. Equipment for preparing the solution is comparatively inexpensive, and the purchase price and cost of installation are soon absorbed by the difference between the cost of producing the concentrate at home and buying it readymade. From the standpoint of an investment, the small initial outlay for equipment yields handsome returns. Lime-Sulphu1' Concent'rate Venus LimeSulphu1' Wash: The commercial lime-sulphur solution grew out of the wide-spread aversion, on the part of orchardists, to cooking the old compound, and the demand for an effective substitute that would eliminate the trouble of preparation and the delay and annoyance incidental to application. As the old compound carried large amounts of free lime and was often improperly strained, it caused constant trouble and delay in the field on account of clogged spray-nozzle, and in other ways. In discussing home-made concentrate, therefore, it may properly be asked, "What is to be gained by going back to something that proved unsatisfactory and for which there is an acceptable substitute." The answer is that the old-lime-sulphur wash and the home-made concentrate are entirely different compounds, chemically and physically. The home-made concentrate, with the exception of some finely-divided, light residue, is a clear concoction. Containing no objectionable forms or amounts of solid matter, it is free-flow in and does not clog the nozzles. While the old wash had to be used :t renared, the concentrate can be kept inflefinitelv without deterioration. Whereas fifty gallons of the wash made by the old formula makes only fifty gallon of dilute spray, fifty gallons of the concentrate is equivalent to from 300 to 450 gallons when diluted according to density. 36 Compared to the commercial product for quality, the home-made concentrate is very variable in chemIcal composition and specific gravity, or density. Becau e of its (usually) lower specific gravity, less dilution i permis ible in order to in ure an effective praying strength. The pecific gravity of standard brands of prepared lime-sulphur solution is nearly a constant quantity-32 to 33 deg. The density of the home-made article ranges from 20 deg. or less, to 30 deg. or more, averaging about 26 deg. The fact that a home-made concentrate registering, say, 26 deg. i diluted to a given spraying strength .with 2%, gallons Ie s water than are rpquired for a density of 32 deg., means that there i les actual difference in cost between them than at first appears. There is, how~ver, a sub tantial money- aving in the home-made goods, with no 10 s in efficiency. Dilution of Lime-Sulphur Concentrate. The density of lime- ulphur concentrate is so variable that its specific gravity should be determined before dilutIOn by means of a hydrometer, or specific gravity spindle. This instrument, which costs only 75 cents at druggist or supply hou e ,i illu trated in the cut appearing on preceding page. After drawing off a sample of the clear olution in a uitable vessel, the spindle is immersed therein. The reading is then taken at the surface in degree Baume. The dilution of the concentrate should be ba ed on thi reading, according to the scale in the following table: TABLE IV.. Dilution for Winter Spraying with Lime Sulphur Concen, trate. Hydrometer r ading (DeIn"e l' on Raum~ 1'pindle) No. ",allon water to 1 gallon concentrate (For San Jos~ scale) 9 8~ 8 'h 8 7 7 v'h... 6 3f. 6 'h Hydl'ometer r ading (Degrees on Ballm~ pindle) 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 '0. gallons wa- t I' to 1 gallon COD entrate (For . an Jos~ scale) 6 5~ 5 ';4 5 4 4 'vh... 3~ 3 'h The readings do not determine the chemical composition of the olution, but merely indicate it weight. For all ~ractical purposes tl)ey are reliable guide for the dilution of the concentrate. Materials and F01'mula f01' Making: The proportion of ulphur and lime in the solution are two to one-IOO tatjon) Bull tin. 37 pounds sulphur and 50 pounds lime-eooked in 50 gallons water. To avoid having a large volume of sediment and to facilitate chemical union between the lime and the sulphur, only the best grade of lump lime (or hydrated lime) should be used. The efficiency of the solution is dependent upon the quality of the lime used, and the purchaser hould satisfy himself beforehand that the lime contains not less than 90 per cent. calcium oxide, and not more than five per cent. magnesium oxide. In addition to this guarantee, the lime should also be in lumps (not slaked), and free of grit and rock. If hydrated lime is used the formula would be: sulphur, 100 lbs.; hydrated lime, 67 lbs.; water, 50 gallons, as approximately onethird the weight of the hydrated lime is water. Ground limestone is worthless for making the concentrate. Too much tress cannqt be laid on the necessity of using a lime that measures fully up to the above specification . Analyses of their products should be required of the producers. Commercial ground sulphur answers the requirements as well as the refined grades, and is much cheaper. In bags, the commercial brimstone costs from $1.75 to $2.25 per hundred pounds. Equipment: Since the formula calls for 50 gallons of water to make, a cooking vessel of about 75 gallon i~ necessary. A jacketed kettle can be had of supply house' for about $15.00, or a mall steam-boiler for $35.00 or $40.00. Or the outfits can be on a larger and more elaborate scale to meet requirements. The small steam-boiler equipment answers the purposes of ordinary usage. It can be easily and readily connected up by piping with two or more barrels at any convenient place, a single "batch," or cooking, being divided between two 50-gallon barrels. This type is light and easily portable. Methods of Making: Place about ten gallons of water in the cooking ves el and heat it. Then add the lump lime. and, when it begins to slake, add the ulphur, which should previously be sifted. Stir together while slaking ig in progress to break up the sulphur. Then dilute to 50 gallons and boil steadily not less than fifty minutes nor more than one hour. Add water as necessary to replace that . which evaporates, always keeping 50 gallons in the vesse1. Storage: The concentrate may be kept indefinitely in tight barrels. If not at once used, it should be strained into air-tight barrels and kept tightly corked. It under- 38 goes chemical decompo ition if exposed to the air for any considerable period. For the sake of convenience, the density of the clear concentrate of each barrel, as determined by the hydrometer, may be marked on the barrels as stored. ACK OWLEDGME T . Thanks are hereby tendered to the several orchard owners who, by their interest and co-operation, have aided the Department through the appropriation of orchards for experimental purposes, and been of material assistance in the contribution of labor, teams, etc. Also to the Thomsen Chemical Co., the Corona Chemical Co. and the Scott Tree Protector Co. for material. Acknowledgments are also made to Mr. Reynolds Clark, of the tate Department of Chemi try, for analyses. 39 CARE A D MA AGEMENT OF PEACH ORCHARDS. By R. C. Berckmans, Pre . State Horticultural ociety. There seem to be no definite record of the introduction of the peach into America. The paniards are said to have planted them at St. Augu tine about 1565, and the growing of peache has increa ed ever since, and today Georgia is credited with being one of the largest peach growing tates in the Union. Large amounts of capital are invested in commercial peach growing, which has proven most profitable where conducted along intelligent and cientific lines. Location and Site. The location of an orchard should be carefully considered from the following points: Transportation facilitie , markets, climatic conditions, or in other words its local geography. The site relate to soil, lay of land, atmospheric drainage, and other natural factors which affect the suitability of the area for peach growing. All these conditions hould be most carefully considered before selecting the orchard site. Soil. It i the general opinion that the peach should be planted on sandy or the lighter type of soil. It is true that mo t excellent re ults have been obtained on these types of oil, but it is equally true that peache do well on a wide range of soils, including even the ordinary heavy red clay land. But whatever type of soil is selected must be well drained, for peaches will not succeed on poorly drained land or on heavy red clay which is so hard that it will not permit the moisture to penetrate. Such soils will also bake and should never be selected. A oil should be fairly fertile. One very rich in nitrogen is not very desirable a it i likely to induce a heavy, dense growth of foliage not de irable. On the other hand the very common impression that poor soil is good enough is mo t erroneou , and often results in failure. Location with Reference to Elevation. A a general propo ition it i best to select a site that i elevated considerably above the surrounding country. It 40 is a well known fact that this is often overlooked in selecting an orchard site. that cold air settles in the lower level , and it is often that the air in the low positions is much colder than on the higher elevations in the same locality, and this is what is referred to as atmospheric drainage. Frost forms in the low places when there is none on the higher places. Buds are winter killed or blossoms are injured by fro t in spring in these low places, when nearby or adjoining orchard located on the higher elevations escape uninjured. ections where severe spring frosts occur from year to year over a given area should never be elected for peach growing. Preparation of the Land. We will consider two important points settled, the location and site for the orchard have been selected, therefore a proper preparation of the land should be the first point considered. If the land is fresh and has just been cleared, it should be cultivated at least two years in cotton, corn or some other crop adapted to the locality, and especially one that requires frequent workings that will remove the roots and stumps. hould this new land be too fertile for peaches, its fertility can be reduced by planting in corn or some other exhaustive crops for a year or two. However, if it is old or worn out, it should be restored to a state of fertility by planting in Brabham or Iron cow peas, velvet beans or some other crops that are soil builders, and these crops plowed under. The land hould be plowed to the proper depth with a two hor e plow, and sub-soiled if necessary. Excellent results have been derived from the following treatment: After the land ha received the proper plowing and harrowing, broadca t or drill in cow peas in May, June or July (all depending on your locality) using one to one and a half bushels per acre. One hundred and fifty to two hundred pounds of good fertilizer per acre will materially inc.rea e the growth. If the peas are inoculated with nitrogen b~cteria this will add very materially to the growth and gIve a larger quantity of humus to turn under, and at the safme time increase the nitrogen, a most essential plant ood to all of our soils. Velvet bean are great producers of plant food, and should be planted more generally, and more especially on our thin sandy soils. Their growing season is a long one, and in 41 some sections growth is only checked by frost. Planting can begin in early April and continue through June. These cover .crops should be turned under in fall with a good two horse plow, land put in good condition by harrowing, then follow with crimson clover, and this, like all leguminous crops, can be improved by inoculation. This crop should be plowed under in spring and followed with peas, velvet beans, or some other leguminous crop. After having treated the proposed orchard land in the above manner you have supplied the necessary plant food, in humus and nitrogen, in a most economical way, and it will be of lasting benefit for a long period. ot only have you provided for these element of food for the trees but you have put the soil in a most excellent condition by these repeated plowings and harrowings and at the same time removed all stumps and roots, thus giving opportunity to use labor-saving implement in subsequent culture. Now having put the orchard site in good condition, we are ready for the next step. Planting. Check off land at the proper distance-18'x18, or 20'x20' is the usual distance that trees are planted. Thi give 132 and 105 trees per acre. This checking should be done with a two horse turn plow, and followed with a sub oil plow. At the inter ections dig a hole of sufficient depth. This hole should be anywhere from one to two feet quare, all dependent on character of soil. Throw the top soil to one side, use a liberal amount of well decomposed stable manure to each hole, have this thoroughly incorporated with the soil. If stable manure is not available, then use from one to two pounds of bone meal, or the same quantity of a mixture of two parts acid phosphate to one part cotton seed meal. When using commercial fertilizer, the best results are obtained by first setting the tree in the hole, fill up the hole one-half the depth, and then apply the fertilizer, but mixing it thoroughly with the top soil previously put a ide in digging the hole, firm the earth well about the roots of the tree, and level off. Pruning. Unless one understands why he is pruning he is not likely to do it very intelligently. The main objects may be classed as follows: 1. To keep the tree in proper shape. 2. To make the tree stocky. 3. To admit air and sun hine. 42 4. To remove unnecessary branches. 5. To remove dead wood. 6. To thin fruit. 7. To admit of thorough spraying. 8. To assist in harvesting. Upon the proper and intelligent pruning will depend in a great measure the success of the orchard, therefore, the pruning that a tree receives during the first two or three years after being planted has much to do with its future. Mistakes made in giving the proper head or shape to the tree, or neglect during the first years, are irreparable. In this latitude trees should be headed low when set out. Cut tree back to single stem of good live eyes from 12"-18" above bud. After trees have started growth rub off all but three eyes, have these evenly distributed so that they are well balanced. This is known as the Tripod System. ow that the tree has been set to three limbs, cut off 1-2 to 1-3 of the growth in June, all pruning being done so that it will permit the tree making a broad open head, thus permitting light and air. Summer pruning should not be done later than July (in middle Georgia), other sections according to season. Late summer pruning forces a late growth that cannot mature before frost, and is frequently killed, which is injurious to the tree. Other pruning should be done when the tree i dormant, and can be done in some sections of the State early in November. Pruning should be done annually and great care must be exerci ed in leaving the proper quantity of fruiting wood. Frequently crops are materially reduced by ignorant cutting away of too many fruit bud. The proportion of fruit buds on a tree . hould determine the extent of cutting back. Usually it i safe to cut back 1-2 to 1-3 of the previous season's ~rowth. Heavy pruning generally induces a correspondin~ large amount of new wood. Too much attention can not be given to the proper pruning of peach, and should only be done by the most intelligent class of labor. Fertilization. For the fir t two years the growth of the orchard should. be stimulated as much as possible by an abundant supply of phosphoric acid and nitrogen, but care should be exercised not to give an exce s of nitrogen. Thi is readily distinguishable by the vigorous growth and the dark green color of the leaves. An excess of nitrogen will cause exudation of sap and immature ripening of the twigs, which are frequently winter killed. When the 43 tree shows a pale color it indicates a lack of nitrogen, and in such cases an application of 2 to 3 pounds of the following fertilizer will be most beneficial: 1200 lbs. Acid Phosphate, 400 lbs. Cotton Seed Meal, 400 lbs. Muriate or Sulphate of Potash. Apply broacast about 3 or 4 feet from the tree on opposite sides. As the tree increases in, size the distance should be greater. When the bearmg period is reached the amount of potash should be increased and the nitrogen decreased, but all dependent on character of soil. Fertilizers should be applied in February, or just before active root growth begins. Hardwood ashes are a most economical source of potash, and is most beneficial to orchards. A good method of applying fertilizers is to use a broadcast guano distributor or a grain drill, using the guano side ~et to the proper proportions. If orchards are given too much phosphoric acid and nitrogen the growth will be excessive, the fruit watery, and lacking in color; fruit will also have poor carrying qualities, and be more susceptible to brown rot. In such case use a large amount of potash, which gives color and carrying qualities to the fruit, also induces strong, well matured wood. Cultivation. The question is often asked: How often should an orchard be cultivated? The answer is whenever needed, that is, when weeds or grass show, or when the ground has a crust on it. Frequently an orchard is gone over with the harrow or weeder as many as twenty times during a season. One good plowing with a turning plow during winter is sufficient for breaking, but be careful not to plow too close to the trees, so that roots are turned up. This space next to the tree should be plowed with an orchard harrow. All sub equent cultivation should be done with orchard harrows. Keep the orchard cultivated and all trees free from weeds and grass. This is frequently done by hoeing. Under no consideration neglect this important feature that means success or failure, but keep orchards clean. The early rubbing off of all surplus young growth on the tree can not be too thoroughly emphasized. It is a great saving of time to do this rubbing off before the young growth becomes too tough and it is not such a severe strain or shock to the tree. Trees should be gone over several times during the growing season. If these growths are allowed to make some 44 growth it is necessary to use the pruning knife, a necessarily slower and more expensive operation. The first few years, orchards can be intercropped to some crop that does not injure the trees, such as truck, melons or peas, but in no cases should they be planted too near trees-not closer than six feet, but never plant corn. That shades trees too much, and will not be beneficial. Never inter-crop after orchards begin to bear, and more especially don't plant before the crop is harvested. Mter harvest time cow peas can be planted and plowed under. 45 CO TENTS FOREWORD Page 3 CONDENSED SPRAY SCHEDULE FOR PEACHES 4 THE PEACH TREE BORER Description Life History Control __-Tree Protectors Recommendations 5 5 7 ~_____ 9 10 __ __ 10 THE SAN JOSE SCALE 11 History --______ 11 Natural Enemies 12 Description and Life History 13 Typical Injury 14 Control __--_________________________________________ 15 Prepared Lime-Sulphur Solution 15 Soluble Sulphur Preparations 16 Recommendations 1 THE PLUM CURCULIO 1 Life History --______________________________ 18 How May Wormy Peaches Be Prevented Spray Schedule ~___ 20 21 BROWN ROT -- --_______________ 22 Description _ Prevention Spray Schedule __ 22 23 25 How to Make Self-Cooked Lime-Sulphur 25 THE SHOT-HOLE BORER BEETLE Description and Life History Control 26 27 ._ __ _ 28 PEACH CROWN GALL Description Remedies PEACH SCAB Symptoms and Cause Prevention THE TERRAPIN SCALE Description and Life History Typical Injury Control PEACH LEAF CURL Characteristic Appearance Cause Prevention Page 2!) ... _ 29 29 30 ~_____________ 30 31 31 31 32 32 33 33 --____________ 34 34 THE NEMATODE WORM 35 LIME-SULPHUR CONCE TRATES 35 Lime-Sulphur Concentrates vs. Lime-Sulphur Wash____ 36 Dilution of Lime-Sulphur Concentrates 37 Materials and Formula 37 Equipment 3 Methods of Making 3 Storage -- --_____ 38 A K OWLEDGMENTS 39 THE CARE AND MANAGEMENT OF PEACH ORCHARDS__ 40 Location and Site 40 Soil 40 Location with Reference to Elevation 40 Preparation of the Land 41 Planting --__________________________________ 42 Pruning 42 Fertilization 43 Cultivation --__________________ 41 .. lItlNTI". aT . JOHNSON' D"LLlI CO",,"'" ULANTA E. LEE WORSHAM, State Entomologist Atlanta, Ga. BULLETIN 44 MARCH, 1916 THE MEXICAN COTTON BOLL WEEVIL GEORGIA STATE BOARD OF ENTOMOLOGY ORGANIZAnON J. D. PRICE, Chairman, Commis ioner of Agriculture Atlanta. Ex-Officio Jltlembe'f. R. C. BEIWKMAN , President State Horticultural ociety, Augu tao Ex-Officio Member. JNO. A. COBB, President State Agricultural Society, Americus. Ex-Officio Member. E. LEE WaR HAM, .tate Entomologist and 'ecr:eta!y of the Board, Atlanta. A. C. LEWIS, Assi tant tate Entomologist, Atlanta. ~. "\. REED, Assi tant Entomologist, Atlanta. W. W. CHASE, Assistant Entomologist Atlanta. W. F. TURNER, .\R i tant Entomologist, Thoma ville. IRA W. WILLIAMS, As istant in Cotton Breedino', Atlanta. C. A. McLENDO , Expert in Cotton Breeding, Atlanta. C. G. CRITTENDEN, A i tant Entomol0 i t and Pathologi t. J. D. SMITH, i tant Entomologi t. , Georgia State Board of Entomology E. LEE WORSHAM, State Entomologist BULLETIN 44 MARCH, 1916 THE MEXICAN COTTON BOLL WEEVIL (Anthonomus grandis BOh) The boll weevil entered Georgia in 1915 for the first time. On August 25th, the first specimen was taken at Thomasville, and a careful examination showed that the boll weevil had made a decided advance in Georgia, Florida and Alabama. In Georgia it was found as far east as Brooks County and as far north as Haralson County. Before the first killing frost which occurred November 16th, 1915, it appeared in about forty counties, and in most of them it was quite abundant. The weevils were so plenti- ful, in fact, that, with normal winter temperature, 1916 wm be equivalent to about a third year infestation. The unusual advance was due undoubtedly to the high winds of the tropical storm which occurred a few days before the first weevil was taken at 'rhomasville, It occurs in the following coun- ties: Polk, Paulding, Haralson, Carroll, Douglas, Campbell, Heard, Coweta, Troup, Meriwether, Pike, Harris, upson, Talbot, Muscogee, Marion, Chattahoochee, Taylor, Schley Stewart, Webster, Sumter, Lee, Terrell, Randolph, Clay, Cal- houn, Dougherty, Worth, Turner, Tift, Berrien, Colquitt, Mitchell, Baker, Early, Miller, Decatur, Grady Thomas Brooks, Lowndes, !fchols, and Clinch, which is about one-fourth of the cotton grow- mg area of the State. It is impossible to make any prediction as t? how much time will be required for the weevil to cover the eh- tIre State. The chances are rather in favor of a rapid advance o~ovemr aGkeeoargdieafiannidte South Carolir:a, but estimate as to how it is impossible for anyone rapidly it will travel. There IS no d.oub~, however, of the fact that it .is but a question of time jhen It WIll cover the whole State and remain with us just as I.onn~g89a2s, we continue to and the records grow show cotton. The that it did as weevil entered Texas much damage in 1915 :ahsbToInuhteaenl.}IygehwyteYta-eSr~IsXriinttcohreoyiutsscaofnvirdesrtseqdapubpayreeartmhaneUceews..eeavcicloirndin1g91t5o amounts estimate to of e Umted States Bureau of Entomology. There was oonsidera- ~ ble advance in Northwest Texas as well as in Georgia. Map Fig. 1, shows the territory now covered by the weevil. It is to point out the methods necessary to grow cotton in spite of the weevil that this bulletin is published. If these methods are employed universally we may avoid severe losses, panic and depreciation of land values. In order to understand ;fully the problem which confronts the .growers; a knowledge of the lift history and habits of this insect is necessary. Much of the data in this bulletin have been furnished bv Messrs. W. D. Hunter and W. D. Pierce, of the Bureau of Entomology, and Dr. W. E. Hinds, State Entomologist of Alaba,ma. HISTORY. The first official record.of the injury to cotton by boll weevil wa in 1885, when specimens were sent to Dr. C. V. Riley, Entomologist of the Department of Agriculture. These specimen were from northern Mexico. It appeared at Brownsville, Texa , in 1892. Since that time it has advanced steadily into our territory northward and eastward at the rate of about sixty-five miles per year. The weevil is now found in the following states: Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Arizona, Alabama Georgia, Tennessee and Florida. The man on Page 2 shows the portion of these states infested at the end of the season of 1915. It is also found through the cotton growing region' of Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica and the western part of Cuba. ANNUAL LOSS FROM THE BOLL WEEVIL. Many estimates have been made of the loss to cotton grower' caused by the boll weevil. We give a few of these estimates in the following paragraphs: Before the boll weevil came the yield per acre in Texas wa ~ 0.413 bale; from 1908-1912 it was 0.369, in 1913, 0.313, in 1914, 0.384 bale. The normal yield of Louisiana was 0.512 bale; while from 1908- 1912 it was 0.317. 19130.356 and 1914. 0.334 bale. The normal yield of Arkansas was 0.539 bale; while from 190 - 1912 it was 0.386, in 1913 0.428, 1914 0.402. The normal yield in Mississippi was 0.424 bale, while from 1908-1912 it was 0.384, in 1913 0.427 and in 19140.398. An estimate of the loss in productivitv of the acreage in cotton made by Mr. Pierce indic~tes that from 1895 to 1914 this amount ed to over 700 million dollars. Although some of the infested states have greatly increac:ed the not farm value of their products vet overcome the loss in vield and on t heevierncoofttocnotatocnretahgeeywhb~1VCh~ is due to boll weevil attack. The financial gains they have made 4 are due to increased cotton acreage and to irtc,:reased production of other crops. In 1905 Prof. E. D. Sanderson made" a careful study of the damage done by the boll weevil in Texas from 1899-1904 ("The Boll Weevil and the Cotton Crop of Texas," published by the Texas Department of Agriculture). According to his estimate, in 1901 the loss from the weevil in thirty-two infested counties was 100,920 bales; in 1902 in forty-nine infested counties the loss was 200,000 b~les; in 1903, in forty--nine infested counties the 10 s was 500,000; in 1904, sixty-nine infested counties showed a loss of 550,000 bales. In Bulletin 51, Bureau of Entomology, United States Department of Agriculture, the loss from the weevil is estimated for 1903 at $15,000.000; for 1904, at $22,000,000; the 10 s in 1909 was $88,056,500, thi being based on figures from the Bureau of Statistics (Foot note 2, Bulletin 114, Bureau of Entomology, United States Department of Agriculture). As a further illustration of the damage done by the weevil, the following table contains figures taken from the U. S. census report on cotton production in Texas and Louisiana 1899 to 1914 inclu ive. The weevil was present in Tex:as during the years cited, but did not occur in destructive numbers in Louisiana durinsr the same period. Year. 1 9~ 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 TEXAS. Acreage. 6,642309 7,041,000 7,745,.100 8,006,546 8,129300 8,704,000 6945,501 8,894,000 9156,000 9,316000 9.660,000 10,060,000 10,943,000 11,338,000 12.597,000 11,931,000 Crop. 2,609018 3,438,386 2,502,166 2,498,013 2,471 081 3,030,433 2,541,932 4,174,206 2,300179 3,814,485 2,522,811 3,049,409 4,256,427 4,880210 3944,970 4,592,112 LOUISIANA. Acreage. 1179,156 1,285,000 1400,650 1,662,567 1,709200 1,940,000 1,561,774 1,739,000 1622000 1,550,000 930,000 975,000 1,075,000 929000 1244,000 1,299000 Crop. 700,352 705,767 840,476 882,073 824,965 893,193 513,480 987,779 675,4~8 470,136 253,412 245,648 384,597 376,096 443821 449,458 From the above table it will be seen that the acreage in the two . tates increased about evenly each year, but the Texas crop Rhowed a falling off each year, with the exception of 1900 and 190~. while the Louisiana crop increased each year with the excepti?n of a slight falling 017 of the 1903 crop. The effect of thE' weeVIl cannot be doubted here. 5 It should be mentioned here that a common error made by cotton growers is causefl by a lack of knowledge of the true conditions. The total crop of Texas has remained about the same throughout the weevil infestation, excepting only the first few years of attack. Many people argue from this that the weevils do not do much damage. The true explanation however, is an increase in acreage and a general movement westward of the center of cotton growing combined with unfavorable weather conditions for the weevil. The western part of Texas is not favorable climatically to the weevil. Low winter temperature and hot dry summers kill them off in large numbers. For this reason they do very little damage in that section. The weevil has, however, seriously cut the crop in the original cotton section, namely, the eastern and southern parts of the state. The following i an extract from circular recently issued by Hon. William J. Harris Director of the U. S. Bureau of Census: Mississippi. "In 1907, the year before the advent of the weevil into Mississippi, the production of cotton in seven selected counties in the southwestern part of the state amounted to 191,790 bales. with a value of nearly $11,000,000.00. In 1909, when the weevil hAd become well established in these counties, the production had dropped to 89,577 bales; in 1910, to 61,432 bales; in 1911, to 37,816 bales; and in 1912, to 30,809 bales. The aggregate production of these counties during the four years 1909-1912, inclusive, was only 219,634 bales, with a value of approximately $14,600.000. or an average of about $3,650,000 per crop, as compared with a value of nearly $11,000.000 for the crop of 1907. Thus, on the supposition that but for the boll weevil the crops of these four seasons would have averaged as large as that of 1907, a loss in these seven counties of more than 545,000 bales of cotton, valued at approximately $34,000,000, is indicated. "These figures however do not show the full effect of the invasion of the pest. It has resulted not only in a great decrease in the quantity of cotton produced, but has had a far-reaching influence on the social and economic life of these counties. On account of the destructive effects of the boll weevil many farmers have abandoned entirely the attempt to produce cotton or have reduced the acreage devoted to this crop very materially. This has deprived the majority of the farm laborers of employment and resulted in their emigration to other places. In the case of some counties it is said that as much as 65 per cent of the adult negro farm laborers have moved to other sections. It is claimed that because of this condition, it would be impossible. even should the boll weevil leave the te:r;ritory at once, to 'make' a normal crop of cotton for a number of years. 6 Louisiana. 'The larbest cotton crop in Louisiana was grown in 1904, and amounted to 1,089,526 bales. From that year the production decreased, and in 1910 it was only 245,648 bales, although in the past three years the crop has mcreased somewhat. The great decrease in the production of cotton in this state was due principally to the boll weevil, much land formerly devoted to this crop baving been diverted to cane, rice and other crops. The production in ten parishes for a year immediately preceding the ap- pearance of the boll weevil in each of the parishes amounted to 256,018 bales, valued"at about $15,000,000. The crops of the four easons following the dispersion of the weevil through these parishes aggregated 211,253 bales, valued at approximately $13,5CO,000. Had the production for these years equaled that of the year before the advent of the weevil, the total amount of cotton grown would have been 1,024072 bales, valued at about 65,000,000, or an average of about $16,250 000 per crop, in- :5tead of less than $3,500,000, as above indicated. In other words, the loss to the cotton growers in these ten parishes in the state, attributable very largely to the boll weevil, was more than $50,000,000 for the four years. Texas. "The spread of the boll weevil over central and eastern Texas covered a period of about 15 years. In the north-eastern section of the state the infestation was mainly during the seasons of 1905 and 1906, but the weevil had not made its appearance early enough, or in sufficient number , in 1906 to affect seriously the production in that year, which, up to that time, was the largest ever reported. In seven selected counties the production for that year amounted to 232,063 bales; in 1907, to 114,701 bales; in 1908, to 153,347 bales; and in 1909 to 145,752 bales. The aggregate value of the last three crops mentioned was about $24,000,000. If the production during each of the e seasons had equaled that of 1906, the total value of the three crops would ~ave been approximately $40,000,000, which would indicate a loss m these counties for the three crops of approximately $16,000,000, largely attributable to this cause." It will be seen from the foregoing paragraphs that the weevil has caused great damage. It has also been the cause of the general discouragement of farmers. depreciation of land values and general panic in the infested regions. It is the desire of this Department to prevent such loss in Georgia and forestall the panic And discouragement. EFFECT UPON YIELD PER ACRE. theThfeigfuirgeusretshtahtathagvivee the best idea as to reduction been compiled to show the in yield are decrease in amount of lint cotton per acre since arrival of weevil. NtAt the end of 1912 Louisiana was the only state totally infest- . and only about one-half of Texas, Mississippi and Arkansas 7 was really infested. The damage in Alabama at that time was very small. At the end of 1915, however, the weevil covered al. most two-thirds of Texas, one half of Oklahoma, more than seveneighths of Alabama and practically one-fourth of the cotton growing area of Georgia. The following tables were compiled by Dr. W. E. Hine , of Alabama: TAD'.E 1. ] nlested States. At'erage Collon Yields Pe?' Acre U!/ 5-.!lear Period. Period Texa La. Mi s. Ark. Ibs. Ibs. lb. Ib". I 93-91 196 259 21G 16j I 9 -1902 191.6 266.2 202. 220.~ 81903-Oi 169 22 212. 190 -12 I a. 156.2 I5 1 1.2 (a) This line indicates approximately the time that weevil pffect~ became noticeable upon tate yield. An:IlAGE Y,,:I.I) fh;I'O'''; AXil AI'TEIl lxn;STATIOX. Ill'. Before 193. After 111.9 Decrease after infestation 11.3 Ibs. 251 156.2 3 lb. 210.5 1 5. 12 Ib'. :<~6. 1 1.2 }7 .i Three state, each one-half infe ted, decrease (,,"craged 13.6 per ("ent. One tate wholly infested d (TCMe averaged 3 per cent. If Texa , Mississippi and rkan&as were wholly infested, they would how a net decrease of approximately 21 per cent. Thi decrease, taken with nel increase, in unjnfe ted state of 10. per cent indicate that actual direct boll weedl injury in the iDfe ted area has amounted to 31. per cent. Compare thi. tatement with conditions in Louisiana, where the decrea e is about 38 per ~enl. Evidently most of the decrea e in state or county yield beyond 35 to 40 per cent may be -chargeuble to reduc d acreage in cOttOD, as a general rule. Uninlested Period 1 93-91 ] 9 -1902 ]903-07 190 -12 fates. A1..'er(l.qe ('011011 Yield Per Acre u!I 5-peof Periods la. Ib,. 161 16k2 110 173.6 Ga. Ibs. 116 1 O. 1 3.6 192.8 .c. lb. 210 I 3.4 200.6 231.2 ~.C. Ib-. 199 19U 217. 2]2./i A'EIl.\(;>: Y":I.D llY 10-YEAIl P.:IlIODS. 1 93-1902 1903-]2 Increa ed Second Period. 165.6 111. 1O.-l 11 . I 7.2 10.5 19l.i 215.9 11.8 Four infe ted state average increa. e 10. per cent. 196. 7 215.2 10.9 8 WEEVIL INJL'RY ACCORDING TO RAINFALL ZONES. I \rea Included A\'erage Yields-Bales Percentage, Taking A as Base IRainfall I I I I I June-Aug. No'1 I . l Inches Cos. State First (a) Infestation , BefoAre. W. Last 5By. ears Maxc.. crop MinD.. crop E. B. Yield C. Max'l D. Min. E. 191:1 1913 last 5 yrs. yield yield yield I I 4 20-18 4 I I 2 LMai.ss. Ala. 1908-1910} (b) Cotton crop is small. Has lost 70% from normal, Ilnd is probably not yet down to minimum. 190H 1910 infested urea lost 85 per cent. I 1911 63,560 I 19.480 I 82,599 I 13,5el I 19,4]2 I 30 I ]30 I 2] I 30 I I I ]8-16 8 6 LMai.ss. 1 Ala. 11990097--11991008} (b) Infestab.on averages older than that above. Avcrage loss 830/<:; no recovery here eV.Ident as yet. 1911 231,600 I 38,650 I 289,383 I 24,191 I 35,602 I 17 I 125 I 10.4 I 15 I I ]6-14 (j ]0 LMai.ss. 3 Ala. I 1906-]910 } (b) Infestation nearly at maximum; loss 59% on last 5 years; 19]3 nap only 29% of normal; tendency I 1909-1911 still downward. 1911 366,700 I 150,850 I 404286 I I 81~,894 ]04,600 I 41 I 127 I 28. I 29 to 11 \ Texas I 14-12 21 La. 28 I Miss. 8 I Ala. 1895-1904 ~ 1905-]909 (b) This is the heart of the cotton belt; loss 34% On last five years; 1913 crop 70% of normal; onl~' some 1909-1912 Texas counties exceed normal; two thirds of Alabama lies in this zone. 1912 J 1,084,800 I 680,116 I 1,290,652 I 487,496 I 7Jl,207 I 66 I 125 I 47 I 70 ]2-10 10- 8 8 and less 12 8 26 9 78 2 II 11 5 I I 85 I Texas La. Ark. IOkla. TLeax. as Ark. I Okla. Texas 1902-1907 ) r 1905-]906 I (b) All this territory lies west of Mississippi river; period of greatest loss was 1907-09; under favorable ]907-]912 condition of past few years yield has even exceeded normal. Natural control important here. 1 1907-1909 I 1,481,200 I 1,491,250 I 1,923,400 I 929,151 I 1.636,983 I 104 I 134 I 65 I 114 1894-1906 (b) This is principally in open prairie country; much of it lies along the edge of infestation; general in- \ 1905 crease in cotton production is shown; weevil will never be very serious here. No Alabama territory com- r 1907-1910 parable. I 1907-1908 J 1,955,600 I 2,810,800 I 2,978,844 I 1,279,714 I 2,462,794 I tl8 I 152 I 65 1 126 I 1 (b) This is also open country, much of it at altitude of over 1000-1500 ft.; so dry that weevil cannot do 1898 to ~ much harm, and cotton crop is often cut by drought. E. g.-In Nine uninifested counties, lying outside I Uninfested I weevil area, yield for past five years has been only 80% of that from 1902 to 1906. I J 588,800 I 627,000 r 950,420 I 896,639 I 578.602 I 107 I 161 I 67 I 97 (a) First infestation is considered as being for the crop following the first occurrence of the weevils. (b) Comments summarizing general conditions. EFFECT OF RAINFALL ON COTTON PRODUCTIO . Dr. Hinds has estimated weevil damage and its relation to rain- fall. It is a well known fact that there is a great variation in rainfall in different sections of cotton belt. The lowe t rainfall during the growing season of June, July and August is in northwe t Texa and the highest is found in southern Loui iana Mi sissippi., Alabama, Georgia and northern Florida. The comparative damage is hown in Table 3, a compiled by Dr. Hind. The map Fig. 2, published through courtesy of U. S. Weather Bureau shows the rainfall in June, July and August in different ections of Georgia. The cotton crop must be produced during these three month. The weevil will be so abundant by Augu t 15th that practically no cotton will be produced after that date. I ECTS OFTE MISTAKE FOR BOLL WEEVIL. With the appearance of the boll weevil in GeOl'gia there- are naturally many false alarm. Insects are constantly being fou.nd which are mistaken for the boll weevil and considerable excitement ensues. There are so many insects very closely resembling the boll weevil that the e mistakes are quite natural. We would advise anyone finding an insect which he thinks might be the boll weevil. to send it to the State Entomologist, Atlanta, Ga., for authoritative determination. Plate 1 show some of these insects which mo t closely resemble the boll weevil. A comparison with the figure (a) on plate will show how nearly alike these insects are. FOOD PLANTS OF THE BOLL WEEVIL. The original food plant of the boll weevil was probably the wild tree-cotton of South America. As cotton began to be cultivated more and more extensively, the weevil spread its feeding ground to include the cultivated plant. Many expeJ:"iment have been made to force the weevil to live upon other closely related plants, and until recently it was found to attack only the cotton plant. Dr. W. D. Pierce, of the U. ~. Bureau of Entomology. has found the boll weevil at work m Arizona on Thurberia, the most closely related of all plants to the cotton plant. The weevil varie slightly from the Anthonomu grandis, or. the species whkh is so abundant, but when placed on cotton its habits were the same. The weevil is now able to breed in the buds of various Hibiscus species and lilso of the 'purple mallow, Callirrhoe involucrata. Adults hav been found in Okra blooms feeding on th~ stamens. 10 DESCRIPTION OF INSECT. The Egg. The egg of the boll weevil is a small, elliptical, glossy white object. The average size is almost 4-5 mm. long by 1-2 mm. wide. The shape and ize of the egg vary omewhat, but in general they are as above described. It is deposited inside of the sqlJare or boll and for this rea on i not often seen by the fa-rmer. It can only be found by a very careful dissection of the quare. The Larva. Upon hatching from the egg the larva is a white legless grub about 1 mm. in length. The head and mandibles are dark brown. It feeds upon the inner tissues of the square or boll thus gradually increasing the size of the hole. The larva itself increase in size until when fully grown it is about 1-4 of an inch long. By the time the larva has become fully grown, it has eaten out a comparatively large cavity in the square or boll. The larval castings are pressed firmly against the walls of the cavity, forming a well-defined cell. The larva then assumes a curved, crescent- haped posture, and remains at rest until the last larval skin is shed and the pupal stage arrives. The Pupa. When the pupa is first formed it is very tender and delicate and of a uniform creamy-white color. As it ages, the outer kin becomes harder and tougher and there is some change in color. The eyes become black, and the beak, wing covers and legs become brown. The pupa of the boll weevil is readily recognized by the pre ence of two projections on the prothorax and by the fact that the apex of the abdomen is produced into a flat, horny process on the end of which are two strong pines. The final molt or'shedding of the skin occur when the adult i ready to emerge. In this molt the skin split open along the front of the head. The body and legs become free next, and finally the antennae and beak. The Adult. When newly emerged the adult weevil is very soft and of a light yellow color. It is entirely unable to travel and remains in the p.upal cell for about two days, when the body has hardened suffi~Iently to allow the weevil to escape from the cell and go about In search of food. The adult is a brownish snout beetle. that is, the head is prolonged into a slightly curved beak or snout. In size and color the weevil vary to a remarkable degree. The smallest ones barely jea ure 1-10 of an inch, while the largest ones are 1-4 of an inch ong. The food supply probably has the greatest effect on size. 11 Plate I .J}S THE BOLL WEE'IL AND I SECTS OFTEN MISTAKEN FOR IT. a, The cotton boll weeviJ, Anlhonomus grandis; b, the mallow weevil Anlhono- ml1S tl1{VUS; c, the outhem pine' weevil, Pissodes nemorensis; d, the cotton- wood-f1o,~er weevil, Doryloml1s 9llucidus.; e, Conotrache/us erinacel1s; t, the pecan gall weevil, Conotrache/l1s e{egans. (Bul. 114, . S. Bureau of Entomology.) Plate II ANATO~IICAL STRUCTURE OF THE BOLL WEEVIL. II, Dor al view of anal egment of larva; b, front ,-iew of head and interior segments of larva; c, ventral view of anal egments of larva; d, lateral view of adult; e, lateral view of larva; f, ventral view of adult; g, dor al view of adult with wings spread; 11, ventral view of pupa; i, ventral view of anal segments of pupa; j, ventral view of anterior portion of puria. (Bul. 114 t. . Bureau of Entomology.) Plate III Fig. a.-Cotton field adjacent to timber .covered with panish moss. (BuI. 114, . S. Bureau of Entomology.) Fig. b.-Proximity of moss lacle.n trees, conducing to high infestation by weevil. BuI. 114-, . S. Bureau of Entomology.) HIBERNATION CONDITIO~ FOR THE BOLL WEEVIL. Plate IV EFFECTS OF BOLL-WEEYTL ATTACK ON LEAF r 0 QUARES. tI. ~Caroettdonsqlueaafremwuicthh fed upon by adults; b, square with two egg punctures; c, many feeding puncture; d, square prevented from bloom- Ing by puncture; e, bloom injured by feeding punctures; f, poor blooms caused hy feeding punctures. (Bul. 114, U. S. Bureau of Entomology.) Plate V JNJURY BY BOLL '~EEVIL TO BOLLS. (I, Three larvae in boll; b, emergence hole in dry unopened boll; c, two larvae in boll; d, weevils puncturing boll; 6, opened boll, with two locks inJured by weevil; I, large bolls everely punctured. (Bu!. 114, U. S. Bureau of "Ento- molo~y") Plate VI BOLL WEEVIL PARASITE~. "I, Eurytoma ty/odermatis; male; b, Eurytoma ty/odematis, female; c, micro- dontomeT1l8 alltlwnomi, female; c, antenna of same; d, Habroeytm piereei, female; d, antenna of am; e, Cato/aeeus hunteri, female; e, antenna of same; f, antenna of Cato/acclIs ineertua. (Bu!. 114, U. S. Bureau of Ento- molog).) Plate VII Pig. a.-Late-planted cotton under boll-weevil conditions, given arne culture as early planting. (Bul. 114, U. S. Bureau of Entomology.) Fig. b.-Early-planted cotton adjoining the late planting under arne conclitions. (Bu!. 114, U. S. Bureau of Entomology.) RESrT.TS OF EARLY A~D LATE PLANTING OF COTTO r. GEORGIA - .rCAujTAnrr~MILES tionsPiogf. 2t.a-tTe.h llVerage rainfall during June, July and August in different sec- . .. . GEORGIA SCAl.lSTATurl AUU~ Fig. S.-This map show the a\'erage time at which the last killing frost occurs in pring in different section- of tate. . .. . GEDRGIA ., NOY. ZI Fig. 4.-This map shows the average time at which the fir t killing frost OCCUr in fall in different sections of State. The largest weevil are those which lived in nearly mature bolls where the food supply was practically unlimited. 'fhe small we~ vils emerge from small, undeveloped squares; here the food up.. ply was scant, 'and the weevils were unable to attain normal size. In color the adults ~ry from a light yellowi h brown to a dark brown. The color usually darkens as the age of the weevil increases, so that ordinarily the dark colored individuals are the oldest. This does not al\Yays follow, however, as often a newly emerged weevil wjJl be very dark in color, while some very old ones may be found to be quite light. SEASO AL HISTORY~ Hibernation. The boI.l weE!'Vil spends the winter in the adult stage. In other words. the adults hibernate. Hibernation is the term applied to the period of suspended activity in which many animals pass the winter. The weevils seek theIr hibernation quarters in the fall at the first approach of cold weather. A period of temperatures below 56 degrees F. will send the weevils into hibernation. Any place affording tbe slightest shelter will be ought by the hibernating weevils; old cotton stalks, dead leaves and rubbish of all kinds, fence corners, boards and logs about the edges of the fields. all form excellent hiding places for the weevil. Plate III shows cotton field near timber covered with Spani h Moss. Thi is an exceptionally favorable place for the weevils to spend the winter. Of the many weevils which enter hibernation, a very large per cent of them die during the winter. Only the strongest weevils survive. The sevprihr of the wjpter i also a determining factor in the number which succeed in livin.!!'. The milder th~ winter the more weevils live to attack the cotton in the sprin~. A temperature below 12 degreec:; 'F'. is fatal to all weevils throuQ'hout the territory affected by this low temperature, if directly exposed, but usually the weevils are protected by shelter ufficient to exclude the extreme cold. It is therefore possible for some weevils to survive even colder weather if they are sufficiently protected. Emergence from Hibernation. In the spring, those weevils which have successfully passed the winter leave their winter quarters and start in search of cotton. There is, however, a great variation in the date of their emergence. Records have been obtained showing that the first weevils to leave their hiding places came out as early as the middle of February, while the last ones did not come out until the first of July. A temperature averaging 57 degrees' F. will start the weevils 12 in search of food. The ~atest number, however, remain inactive until an ~V'erage temperature of from 64 degrees to 68 degrees ha been reached. In other cases a temperature of 76 degl'ees was necessary to induce the majority of the weevils to emerge. The character of the hiding place has much to do with the time of emergence. The weevils with the least protection are thp. first to emerge, as the change in temperature is first felt by them. Those with the deepest covering and most protection are the last to emerge. The reason Spanish Moss makes such a favotable hibernating medium is because the outer temperatures do not penetrate it readily. A very cold temperature outaide would still leave the center of the moss warm, and on the other hand, the warm temperatures of spring do not penetrate the moss for some time. This prevents the weevils from being forced out prematurely by a warm day in spring only to be caught and killed by a cold snap. Many of the weevils are fertilized in the fall and consequently a single surviving female is capable of beginning or renewing an infestation. Feeding Habits of Weevils. Mter their long, all-winter fast, the first thing the weevils eek in the spring is cotton upon which to feed .. Tne condition of the COlton plants at the time of their emergence determines their first feeding habits. The first weevil to emerge feed upon the young seedlings. Their habit is to puncture the stem at or just below the attachment of the cotyledons on seed-leaves. These early attacks are usually very injurious in that unless the plants are very robust and thriving they are klled. When planting is delayed, or the early weevils are unusually numerous, very serious inroads are made on the stand of cotton obtained. When the cotton has put out its first true leaves it i not apt to be killed by the weevils, although it may W more or Ie retarded in it growth. The weevils feed on the tender growing hoots anL new leaves until the first squares appear. Mter their first meal on the squares they seldom attack the stems of the plant, seeming to prefer the squares. The injury of the feeding punctures varies in extent. When ~any such holes are made in one square it is very sure to be kIlled. Others are prevented from blooming by a single puncture and many are distorted and mature imperfect bolls because of them. Plate IV shows injuries caused by feeding punctures on the leaf and square, and Plate V. injuries to bolls. Oviposition. Soon after the squares form on the plants, the weevils begin to ?epo it their eggs. rfhe act of egg.laying is known as ovi- po Ibon. The female eats a hole into the square with its beak, then turns and places tip of abdomen over the hole. The ovipos- 13 itor is then thrust to the bottom of the cavity and the eggs deposited there. The ovipositor is then withdrawn, and just as it reaches the edge of the cavity a drop of sticky substance exudes from the tip and seals the hole. It is patted and pushed into place by the tip of the abdomen. The number of eggs laid by female weevils varies greatly. From a very few eggs the numbers run well over two hundred eggs. The average would probably be about one hundred eggs. The number of eggs laid each day al 0 varies with the temperature. On warm days the number laid will be greater than on cool days, the usual number being from one to five eggs. Records have been obtained showing as high as seven eggs laid in one day. The issue of the square at once proceeds to heal the wound and the sealing substance secreted by the weevil seems to stimulate the growth of the plant tissue. As a consequence the egg puncture is almost always evidenced by a raised, wart-like protuberance on the side of the quare. One of the first effects of egg deposition is the flaring of the square, that is, the bracts which normally close tightly about the bud spread apart and expose the bud. This usually occurs six or seven days after the egg has been deposited. The next effect is the falling of the square. Usually about ten days after the female lays the egg the squares hang by a few threads to the plant. This is especially true of some varieties of cotton, a will be discussed later. The Egg Stage. The length of time elapsing between the deposition of the egg and its hatching varies greatly. Two climatic conditions influence it, namely temperature and humidity. Warm, moist conditions hasten the hatching, while coolness and dryness retard it. Eggs have been observed to hatch in twenty-four hours after being laid, while in other cases seventeen days have been required. The average is probably about four days. The Larva. Immediately upon hatching the larva begins to feed upon the food, which, thanks to the instinct of the mother weevil, is ready at hand. The first food consists entirely of the immature pollen in the center of the square. The larva is usually half grown before this food is exhausted. It then feeds on the pistil and other tissues of the bud. Many eggs are laid in bolls and the larvae from these feed on tfie seeds and occasionally on the immature fibres. Usually only one lock of the boll is injured unless, as often happens, more than one egg is deposited in a boll. The larvae, of course, as is the case of all insect larvae, molt or shed their skin to accommodate the increased size of the 14 body. In the boll weevil this molting occurs twice in the early stage. The first one usually occurs about the second day after hatching, while the second molt takes place on the fourth day. The length of the larval stage varies with the temperature as does all the other stages of the weevil. From seven to twentyfive days have been reckoned as the length of this stage. Dur- ing the summer months the average would be about eight days. As the larva reaches full size it forms about 'itself a cell com- posed of exc.rement and the cast larval skin. These are packed together into a hard, leathery coat. This structure is known a" the pupal cell. In this cell the larva sheds its skin for the third time and transforms into a pupa. The Pupa. Like the stage~ of the weevil already described, the pupal period varies in length with the temperature. The range has been found to be from two to fourteen days. It is much shorter at high teroperature than at low ones. Length of the Life Cycle. The variation in the length of time required to complete thl:' various stages of the weevil has been shown to be very great. This variation is caused chiefly by differing temperatures and humidity, and the condition of the food. It has been found, however, by taking the average length of time required for the various stages, that the average time required to complete the life cycle of the weevil, that is trom oviposition by the female of one generation to oviposition of the next succeeding generation, is about fifty-six days. Generations. The number of generations of the weevil which may occur in any given season 1s very difficult to ascertain because of the fact that the generations overlap one another. Weevils that come out cf hibernation may deposit eggs over a period of three months. Thus the eggs first laid would develop and these weevils lay eggs and start a third generation before the last eggs laid b! the hibernating weevil would develop. Taking the average time required for th~ life cycle of the weevil, and the length of he average growing season, it has been found that eight to ten generations are possible for the first eggs laid in the spring. Weevils Which Enter Hibernation. . There is no special generation of weevils which enter hiberna- !on. Weevils of any or all generations that are strong and ac- tlV~ It IS sneoe~k hibernating quarters known, however. whe on the approach ther the weevils of cold weather. of any particular ~enel"abon are more apt to succumb to the severity of the winter weather. 1!'i Fall Flight. During the spring and summer there is a more or less continual flight of weevils from plant to plant and from field to field. The general flight of weevils does not take place, however, until fall. Then large numbers of weevils make flights of considerable length. The pnmary cause of this general flight is lack of food caused by an over-abundance of weevils in one locality. There also seems to be a general feeling of restlessness upon the part of the weevils which causes them to seek new feeding grounds at this season of the year. The yearly increase in the distribution of the weevil take place during this fall flight. As previously stated, weevils have inroaded new territory for an average distance of sixty-five mile per year. The distance traveled eastward into northern Georgia in 1915 was more than one hundred miles. On the approach of cold weather, still another flight of weevils takes place. This time they are in search of winter quarters. This last flight is known as the hibernation flight. Annual Progeny of One Pair of Hibernated Boll Weevils. The number of progeny that may spring from one pair of hibernated weevils is enormous, and a little study of the foliowing figures will show one reason why the weevil is such a pest. The following table is taken from Bulletin 114 of the Bureau of Entomology, U. S. Department of Agriculture: Weevils. First generation average adult June 29, numbering__ 70 Second generation, average adult Aug. 10, numbering__ 2450 Third generation, average adult Sept. 22, numbering__ 85,750 Fourth generation, average adult Nov. 4, numbering__3,001,250 Total 3,089,520 METHODS BY WHICH THE WEEVILS ARE ARTIFICIALLY SPREAD. There are a number of ways by which the weevil may be carried into uninfested territory prematurely, that is, before the natural spread of the weevil would take them there. By far the most important of these methods is in cotton seed and cotton seed products. A great many weevils are carried to the gins with the cotton. Some of these are crushed during the ginning process. but many of them go through with the seed. These are then often shipped to oil mills and an infestation of the cotton field!? wrrounding the gins results. Because of this, the shipping of cotton seed from infested areas to uninfested areas has been prohibited by law. Wagons, automobiles and railroad trains m~y 16 .ometimes carry weevils into m:w areas, as many farm hands carry them in their clothing and cotton sacks. These, however, are anusual and minor means of distributing the weevil. The intentional distribution of weevils has also been found to be the cause of premature infestation in many places. For this reason a law has been passed prescribing a heavy penalty fOl' the interstate shipment of the boll weevil. .The penalty is $5,000 fine and five years imprisonment. NATURAL CO TROL OF THE WEEVIL. Climate. Climate has a very direct effect upon the abundance of the weevils. Hot, dry weather during the summer may kill hundredg of the larvae; drought may prevent the formation of squares and thus give the weevils no place to deposit their eggs, and excessive cold weather in the winter will kill hundreds of the weevils in their winter quarters. Many weevils will be drowned by excessive rains or overflows and sudden cold snaps will kill large numbers oftnem. Hot, dry weather is very destructive to weevil life, provided they are exposed to the sun. For this purpose wide rows are advi ed, and Dr. W. E. Hinds has perfected a chain drag which brings fallen squares from under the plants a!ld leaves them in the center of the row. This method is not as likely to prove effective in Georgia as it has in parts of Texas, as the Georgia climate rarely has the excessive heat and dryness necessary to kill the weevils. When the boll weevil first entered Texas, it increased with great rapidity. In Texas the percentage of infestat!on increased until 1896, when a severe dry spell caused a decided drop. Then it steadily increased until 1905, when it began to drop again and it has continued to drop each year until 1915, When conditions were very favorable for weevil. Birds. ~~ Tt hh ee U. S. birds B.iological Survey has made a careful investigation that attack the boll weevil, and investigation shows ~maotnlthfetrhee are fifty-three most important species which feed birds attacking the on boll adult weevils. weevil are the b ackblrds meadow larks, sparrows, wrens and titmouse. It will ~ll een f~om the table that the quail was not found to feed on a~d weeVil. devour They the.m. ~sheearfcohlloowutintghteabaldeuilst weevils during winter taken from Circular 64 o the U. S. BIOlogICal Survey: 17 ehedu/e of stomach e.caminations of birds wlrich had ealen boll weed/s, Durin~ Janu~ ary, February and March Durinlt April, May and Junel SPECIES Upland plover (Bmtramia /ongiclwda) Killdeer (Oxyee/ms vociferus) ~.'~ ~ ~ '10 ~' ~ c c.o .e:n: . .c~ ~!! ~'> .0 ~ ~.:: .: d.cog :c:d!"!>!.._o Q)':: .::: Cd .Q'g ~ I'>E _.0 .5" CQ):r"r. tit ~,QoC;;= I 0-c_~Q. ,)oQ)- 0c_ .~ , oQ)w 0c_Q). ,~oQ)~C~Q> ~'"'~E;~..;_;;;~..U~J~'"~'E~'"'i'; ~'"'U~J~'"~'E~'"'~ ~'"'U~J ~'"d'E~,",~ I "I' . i .. , . Z:E:> .,Z"'E.0o:Z:>E~;,~,Z'"E~Z:E:>~.0EZ "' ~~..EZ::>~EZ"~'.Eo:Z":>~E~'Z~" E=::>,8 , 4- 1111-1-1 ~,-.~.-.r.'--'T"--=';; 2 2 5 1.... .. 6...... . Quail (Colinus virginiamus) , 1 63 . .. '" '1'" ,- '" Nighthawk (Chordei/es virginianus) , .. i. .. cissor-tailed flycatcher (ilIuseivora forficata) '1'" Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) _ 1.. 10". 10 I Crested flycatcher (Myi01'chus erinit1ls) 1... 71 3 . . . 10 1O.J. 15 91 5 7 . 22 6 251 Phrebe (Sayornis .phoebe) '119 21 Olive- ided flycatcher ( uttallornis borealis).. Alder flycatcher (Empidonax trailli alnorum).. Least flycatcher (Empidonax minimus) I '" I ::: ::: 21 31 14 7 211 ... ' . Blue ,jay (Cyanocitta cristala) / 11 1 1 1 2. CowbIrd (Molothrus ater) 92 4 4-. . . 4 3 3 24" . Red-winged blackbird (Ll gelaius lJhoeni etts). '179 4 5 16 1 11 .J.9 II Meadowlark ( turnella magna) 4 10 1 1 1 1 3 28 ! /... Western meadow lark ( turnella neglecta).... 52 Orchard oriole (Tcterus spuritl8) 11 ". 66 III 20 1 1101 30 6~ 1 . Baltimore oriole (Icterus galbula) 2 50 11 2.J. . 1 11 1 1'" . Bullock oriole (Icterus bullocki) Rusty blackbird (Euphagus earolinus) . .. 1. . . 61 , " , .. 149 40 183 , . 10 Brewer blackbird (E~IIJlwgus eyanoceplwlus) .. 139 24 40 1.. . 5 II I Bronzed grackle (Qulscalus q. aeneus) I 361 51 Gre~~:~o~rusr~~~l..e.. ~~~~~~~~s.c.a.I~I~.. ~l~~~~ 32 21 Vesper parrow (Pooecetes gramineus) ...... 1291 11 Sa"anna parrow (Passerculus sandwichen.~is,I 1 5 19 I2 7 1 1... 1 3 6... 8 , . 21. . 111 . II subspecie) I 61 8 15 2. . . . .. 1 1 1 11 Lark sparrow (Chondesles gmmmacus) 1 13... 54 "'1 White-throated sparrow (Zon1' dogs. In addition to this grow all the meat and all the food crops you need for your farm. Move your smokehouse and your corn crib from the Middle West to Georgia. Whatever you do, don't become panic stricken. Don't become discouraged and sell out. Don't move from one place to another trying to find a place where the boll weevil will never occur. Don't let your labor leave. If you will profit by the experience of the man who has suffered and recovered, there will be no excu e for demoralization, the decrease in land values, etc., that ometimes follow in the track of boll weevil. Do not waste your time in experimenting. The Government and the different infested tates have conducted and are still conducting a vast number of experiments under the direction of well trained experts. It consumes much time and costs real money for the right kind of experimental work. Do not waste time with agents selling boll weevil machine. traps or pecific remedies of any kind. Beware also of the agent who have a cotton resistant to boll weevil. There is not any such plant. Make up your mind to fight and call on the State and Governmene forces for the aid they are in position to give you and you will win, 22 Georgia State Board of Entomology E. LEE WORSHAM, State Entomologist BULLETIN 45 1916 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST FOR 1915 GENER L THE UNIVE GIfT OF k;t.. ~ 1'1 3~ STATE CAPITOL ATLANTA, GEORGIA Georgia State Board of Entomology E. LEE WORSHAM, State Bntomologist BULLETI -15 1916 A UAL REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST FOR 1915 STATE CAPITOL ATLA TA, GEORGIA GEORGIA STATE BOARD OF E TOMOLOGY ORGA IZATIO J. D. PRICE, Chairman, Commis ioner of Agriculture, Atlanta. R. C. BERCKMA S, Pre ident State Horticultural Society, Augu tao J O. A. COBB, Pre ident tate Agricultural Society. Americu . Ex-Officio Member. E. LEE WOR HAM, tate Entomologi t and Secretary of the Board Atlanta. A. C. LEWIS, As i tant State Entom.ologist Atlanta. W. V. REED, A si tant Entomologi t, Atlanta. W. W. CHASE, A si tant Entomologist, Atlanta. W. F. TURNER, A si tant Entomologist, Thomasville. IRA W. WILLIAMS, . Assistant in Cotton Breeding, Atlanta. C. A. McLE DO , Expert in Cotton Breeding, Atlanta. J. D. SMITH A istant Entomologist, At1anta. C. G. CRITTENDE Assistant in Charge Transmission of Cotton Disea e by In ects, Thomasville. w z J -Jill >~ lUI, ~!? >0 .....JJ o"'- " o 10 4: Llacil' plantation at DeSoto,. Ga. One of the increase plot of Lewi 63, an early fruiting wilt re i tant type, made a very good showing in yield, and was quite early and very wilt re istant. A few of the progeney rows were earlier than other. These were aved and will be increased a rapidly as po sible and the seed di tributed in. the boll weevil infested part of the State, a oon as ufficlent eed can be ecured. Variety tests were conducted on wilt infected land, at the following places: Americus, Lumpkin and Vienna. At each place .the wilt resistant trains yielded well and howed great re istance to the di ea e. At each place twelve to fifteen varieties were tested. In the following tables thp yield and re i tance of :l few varietie are hown at each place. 8 VARIETY TEST Americus, Ga. 1915. Variety Lbs. S. Cot- Per cent ton per acre. of lint. King ........................ 665 35.5 Half & Half """ 350 39 Weber .................. 840 30 Wilt Resistant: Dixie (B-24) ...2030 36 "Lewis 63" ......2100 36.5 Council-Toole 1925 37 Lb . lint per acre. 236 136.5 252 730.8 766.5 712.2 Per cent healthy 20 10 24 96 96 95 VARIETY TEST Vienna, Ga., 1915. . Variety Lbs. S. Cot- Per cent ton per acre. of lint. King ........................ 980 35.5 Expre s ........__.....1750 30 Weber .................. 805 30 Wilt Re i tant: Madella (Howell) ......2292.5 36 Dixi.e (B-28) ...2292.5 36 "Lewis 63" ......2310 36.5 Lb . lint per acre. 347.9 525 241.5 826.3 826.3 843.1 VARIETY TEST Lumpkin, Ga. 1915. -- -- Variety Lbs. S. Cot- Per cent Lbs. lint ton per acre. of lint. per acre. King ........................ 565 Weber .................. 612.5 Express ............... 672.5 Wilt Resistant: Dix-Afifi ........__..... 840 "Lewi 63" ...... 840 De Soto ............... 822.5 35.5 30 30 31 36.5 35 236 183.7 201.7 260 306.6 287.5 Per cent healthy 50 88 30 95 96 96 -- Per cent healthy 75 85 85 96 96 95 9 These te t how that on wilt infected land it is folly to plant any of the ordinary varieties of cotton. The demand for wilt resistant seed is increasing each veal'. The department distributed 4,000 bushels of wilt re i tant seed and 500 bushel of Iron and Brabham Cowpea in 1915, and then did not supply the demand. There ~re now 30 farmers who are breeding cotton under our instructions. Many of these had seed to sell and could not supply the demand. The farmers are realizing more and more each year the value and importance of improved seed. They are realizing that under boll weevil condition elect cotton seed must be planted, so as to have all the stalks. of a uniform type, early fruiting and prolific. COTTO T A THRAC 0 E. At Brun wick on R. H. Parker's place a variety test was conducted to determine the resistance of different varietie to anthracno e. In this te t every other row wa planted in badly infected seed, with the other varieties between. In the rows from the infected seed 65 per cent of the bolls had Anthracno e, in the other rows the percentage of Anthracno e was from 60 to 10 per cent. There wa a great difference in the amount of anthracnose on the different varieties as is shown by the following table: CO'ITO A THRAC OSE EXPERIME T. Brunswick, Ga. 1915. Variety Per cent Boll Seed Cotton eed Cotton Anthracno e. per row. Lb . per acre. Lb . Infected seed: Cook 65 5 260 Cook 60 15 780 Weber-William ..46 16 832 Half & Half 51 416 ouncil-Toole 20 21 1092 "Lewis 63" 10 21 1092 From the e result it is apparent that more attention hould be paid to the election of eed that is free from anthracno e. Rotation of crop together with the planting o~ eed free from anthracnose, or nearly so. should be pracbced. 0 a to reduce the damage from thi disea e. 10 REPORT OF IRA W. WILLIAMS. Year of 1915. During this year we have conducted cotton breeding work with twenty-nine men in the following counties: Ben Hill. Clay, Irwin, McDuffie Carroll, Lyons, Emanuel, Mitchell, Quitman, Calhoun, Baldwin, Macon, Terrell Decatur Lowndes, Telfair, Early, Chattahoochee, Miller, Walton, Pulaski and Thomas. Most of the men were in their third year of breeding. They not only had individual rows and 'elections, but everal of them had increase blocks from the selections they have made since the work began. Mo >; of these men have done exceedingly well and have taken an interest in their work. Some of them were able this year to plant a large number of their crops from their individual selections made the year before, We have ginned their individual selections this year. and in some instances their individual rows and increase block. Other had their increase blocks ginned themselve , In addition to the cotton breeding work, we have conducted tests in five countie , ranging from Carroll County to the Florida line. This is probably one of 'the most valuable pieces of work done by the Department, because it teaches us the varieties of cotton best adapted to the different sections of the State. While the varieties themselve do not amount to a great deal, it furnishes a basis for developing the different kinds of cotton that are best suited to the various ections of the state, and can be most ea ily made to resist the diseases which are prevalent in those ections. Results of these tests are on file in the office. Quite extensive breeding work was done at Villa Rica. Ga. Crosses were made on several varieties of cotton, and orne very promising hybrids secured. At the Experiment Station at Thoma ville fifteen varieties of upland cotton were planted in test, two rows of each kind and repeated three times, making an eighth of an acre in each variety. The results calculated for acre yields are as follows: Express Stoney S-66 .. Triumph King Cook Lee B-28 1532 lbs. 1288 lbs. 1604 lbs. 1160 lb . 1172 lbs. 1520 lb . 1548 lb 1724 lb . Hietts Simpkins Tooie Poulnott Modella ~owden Dixi-fifi 1336 lbs. 1012 lbs. 1492 JIbs. 1400 lbs. 1672 lb . .1376 lbs. 1572 lbs. 1-.. "LJ ~ I-~ ~'? ~ 11lt .. N '" ~ ~-.,] g ~~ 1-'-0001 ..r: 1-:;; I l-f- f-~ l-f- '"~ l-f- I-~ 0 l-f- I-!:: 0 - ):~ 1!l8> ~..t'l t--.. ..... I-- ~ "" .I\. , 1"-0 I - - . "-- I'. ."." ........... I'- " " " I" 1'. '" , r-..... I-.. ......I'.. ..... ;-,., " ~ ~ ~ ;I :=.J"' ~> ...... .... 001 0~gi<"l I .... 1!10 ~~f-o ~el$ iIolol;:l ~~:~~>~(U " '. ... ~ .~~ ""\. ~" ~~..\. ~.....~.. ~\; .4";) ft " . . i~ ~ ");" ., 1;",., 'I ' ~,~ . r"1\ 1\.' ~ ~ ~~ ~ ,~ f~ ~t: is I~ e .\ I\.~ \ .\1\' : ~ : !i .. 1-1- I- ~.:... I - I - F- f-I>-I- "0t1oo --.. - _... --- .. _..- -- - -... -- - -- -- - -- - -- - .- -- -- - -- - -- -- - -- \ ;I ~ ~ ~~ :-'~J 1 I J.l.f+-I-r t- ~- ~ ;b ~~~--t~''J~'''~1! f-I- f-I- .. l!l I- ~ 1-1-" -!'-a.g2 f-I- ~ 0 d) .:lUI-' :t ., :. ! "~ Fig. S.-Blooming records and ~'ield of hort cotton in te t at Thoma ville. .. 12 Blooming record were al 0 kept on the e varietie of cotton from the 10th of June to the 20th of July, 40 day. The results are given on chart attached. This is a very valuable report for the reason that it is important to know in making cotton with the boll weevil, which variety of cot- ton puts on fruit first and at the most rapid rate. ix varieties of Sea Island cotton were planted for study and the blooming record~ of these were kept, and kept in comparison with the King cotton. This is also hown on chart attached. The rates of production per acre are not given for the reason that only a small area 9f ground was planted in Sea Island, but the total weight of eed cotton produced by each variety is given and is valuable as a comparative test: Bell Biles Centerville 20 lbs. 23 lbs. 25 lbs. Seabrook _ Hagan Sosnowski 24 lbs. 24 lb 19 lb . TOTAL NUMBER BLOOMS PRODUCED. YARIETY Total Plants Sea Island- Bell ........... Centerville .... 78 87 Hagan ..... o. 8- Bile ........... 8 Seabrook ...... 95 Sosn ws1,i .... 8. UplandKing's Imp. .. 112 .June 15-30 226 344 434 293 349 307 1178 .July 1-15 IOn 1450 1581 1524 1579 1274 3070 July 16_31 Aug.~ Aug. I-I. 16-31 1482 2291 1858 2278 2133 1453 2429 2744 2612 2539 2826 2464 1443 1310 1113 1171 1674 1901 3255 1149 112 Sep. 1-10 Total 349 6970 162 8311 287 7885 158 7963 399 8960 641 8040 119 8883 O. BLOOMS PER PLANT. YARiETY -TIln", 15-30 Sea Island R 11 ............. 2.89' Centervile ....... 3.95 Hagan .......... 5.10 Bile ............. 3.44 eabrook ........ 3.67 osnowsld ....... 3.61 UplandKing' Imp. ... .10.51 July 1-15 13.34 16.77 18.60 17.93 16.62 14.98 27.41. -Tuly 16-31 18.99 26.33 21.85 26.80 22.45 17.09 29.06 Aug. 1-15 31.14 31.54 30.72 29.87 29.74 28.98 10.25 Aug. 16-31 18.50 15.05 13.09 13.77 17.62 22.48 1.00 Sep. 1-10 Total 4.47 89.35 1.86 95.52 3.37 92.76 1.85 93.68 4.20 94.31 7.54 94.58 1.06 79.31 I A small area was also devoted to corn and velvet beans. The obiect in growing the corn was to develop a corn that would be free from the weevil. We have conducted this two years and have gotten some striking results, showing that it is possible to produce corn that will keep free from the weevils if kept in the shuck. - - --- lie- ... .. . Ci V ~ ." ." I" ''1' I ,. :10 t Z. & c.J '-: l" Y &1. I I I I RtPRt~tl'mn.c:. 'POVriOS. IIII pl" .st.D c.O't'IOn p.e~ ACre~ , ,& ,. , , 0 I II I IT ~1~a.lI.. ~7Z. - Dix-AM :l'i7Z Lq, .. t51.6 I I f- fOUlnot. 1400 ~wd"TLl~ b r I I I I I Oix-AiJl.~~a. 17 I I I III 2PR.e!!>.eJ:\'l'U1.c. TOTA1,. ~UM:l5'F;R oJ!' 151,OOM:5:f'ROI'I. .)V1'1.l'; lllA TO ,Jv1,.yaou:- 1/ II II V) ~ 5imp, fl.~ ~rr I "7 / rl 17 ,, ,, I q,a. - 1..7l>~ Itin,!\ U7Z I I -I ! I I I I attn; ..1"'01.012 I I I I I r7 10 IY' I. , , II I U , , 1/ ~ Irodc.n& .!5 I PJoulnot".816 , I I 1/1/ 1/ , I I '/ 1/ J II J II, " I., rr ) ,Dowd.lLn28c I 1 1 I I -I 1/.1 IV 1/, ' II, , i ) I,I J (I , I j?/ / If 1/ k1 1/' l/II 1 I ..- v.; LI I.H' / 1-/ I ..... l" 1/1/ 1/ ' i ~,,~.:y ,-,' I I '-" [...1 ~ l.,il~~"l ''I ~~~.,.~v 1/ i Ik:' 1:-' I/: [.#1_ ~~ I-I- '~ /~ 0;;;. 1/ - - - - -- - ~ I-I- +-+- - .- l-~ ~ I \ ... ..-. ..........- J 14 The ix varietie of beans that were planted in the te t were: Yokohama, Chinese) White, Florida, Lyon and 100 Day Velvet Bean. The number of bu hel per acre produced are as follows: Yokohama 0 bu. Lyon 150 bu. Florida 15 bu. White 38 bu. Chinese 40 bu. 100 Day 310 bu. The Yokohama Velvet Bean died and did not produce anything. There ha been a complaint in thi section of the State that cowpea will not make seed. We have conducted te t both with the use of inoculation and the planting of pea every week for two months, beginning on the 1st of May and finishing on the 1st of July. We got no results whatever from the inoculation that we could tell, and none of the peas made any seed. The only difference being" in the amount of vines ecured. The early peas produced more vines than the late ones. The varieties of peas planted were Iron and Brabham. Our purpo e in growing beans and peas, and in making experiments with the different varieties i to find out, not only the be t way and method of growing the e crops, but also to find the best varieties of beans and peas to be u ed that would re ist the nematode and give result when grown in rotation with cotton in order that the cotton might not be attacked with the wilt that follows a legu- minous crop. I have traveled several thou and mile over the tate in intere t of the work done by the Board. Have also made several speeches on the boll weevil and other agricultural subjects. For two weeks I conducted one party in the boll weevil campaign, and made twenty-three speeches in twen- ty-three different counties of the State. DIQ EMI ATIO OF COTTO DISEASES BY I ECT. Insects have often been suspected of being distributor of cotton diseases. In co-operation with Mr. G. D. Smith of the U. S. Bureau of Entomology, work was begun in July with a view to determining whether or not these su picions were well founded. Laboratory and field experiments proved conclusively that the green soldier bug, (NezaTa Vi1'idula) is a carrier of anthracno e spores from one cotton boll to another. The work is not complete and plans have been made to continue the work thru another season. One of the principal points to be determined is what per cent of the spread of the disease can be attributed to insect. 15 BACTERIAL DISEA E OF COTTO . In the fall, work wa begun on the bacterial disease of cotton. This disease has, hitherto, been given but little attention. However, it is one of the mo t important maladies of the cotton crop. It affect leaves, stems and boll. It doe considerable damage to upland cotton but is much worse on Sea Island. On this cotton, the disease is most conpicuou on the Hmbs and is called "black arm" becau e the affected limb turn black. Often the e limb are girdled and die, with the 'result that all the bolls are lost. Through the winter, the investigation was carried on in the laboratory and greenhouse at Atlanta. Variou preliminary obervations were made on the bacteria, its growth. etc. Preparations have been made for further tudy of thi disease and it control. TR CK CROP PEST A D MI CELLA EOU I AFFECTI G HADE TREES AND OR AME TAL PLA T . ECTS The work on truck and miscellaneous insect pests ha been in charge of W. V. Reed. In addition the inspection of imported stock and largely the boll weevil inspection work have been part of hi activities. For the year 1915 the usual number of outbreaks of common truck insects have been recorded. In dealing with the e outbreaks. remedial mea ure , when possible, were applied a a demonstration with good result. Among tho e that might be mentioned briefly are the Army Worm (La- phygma /1'ugipe?'da) , Red Spider (Tetmnychus bimaculatu ) and the modern or cotton aphis (Aphis gossypii). The Army Worm: Alfalfa field seem to have uffered more than other crops during 1915 from the army worm. Corn was frequently attacked but the infestation was usually traced to near-by alfalfa patche. The mo t efficient and reliable remedial measure where a forage or hay crop is attacked i to harvest the crop. It is well known by farmer that du ting- or praying with arsenicals are effective. In this connection Pari green is frequently used in excessive quantitie with injurious effects. Arsenate of lead when pro~urable, should always be used, as it i Ie s likely to injure If applied in too large quantities. In the use of either arsenate of lead or Pari!'! green for the army worm, the following formulre should be adhered to: 16 Arsenate of Lead a :l spray: (Pa te) 3 lbs. or (Dry) 1 1-2 lbs. Fifty gallon of watel'. Pari green as a spray: 1 lb. Pari green 3 lbs. lime 100 gallons of water. Ar enate of lead as a dust: (Dry) 1 lb. Dry lacked lime or cheap flour, 5 lb Paris green a a du t: Paris green 1 lb. Air slacked lime or cheap flour. 15 lb . Cotton Red pider: This troublesome pest wa abundant during 1915, a i' u ual during an extremely dry ea on. The tandard remedy, (spraying with one or two per cent. Commercial lime- ulphur) gives satisfactory results. The red spider in green-houses has long been a factor to contend with, and in view of the fact that praying materials that dic;color cannot be used, remedial measures other than commercial lime-sulphur sprays are u ed. Drenchin~ with wqter under pre sure and praying with nicotocide, a tobacco product, are largely employed. Aphi : The melon or cotton aphis heads the list in this family of in ect in the tate in being ge'1erall:v iJiuriou each year. It i fully treated in Bulletin 41 of this Department. Concerning the' new or less co. mon pests tnat were prominent during 1915 are the blister beetle (Macroba is unicolor), the bag worm (ThY1'idopte1'Yx ephemerial formis) the leaf miners, (Carr;,eraria hamad1"yedella and Came1'a1'ia cincinnatiella) , the maple and the lecanium scales (A pidiotu teneb1'icosu and Lecanium nig1'ofasciatum) , and the Argentine Ant (l1"idomy1'ex humilis). The Bli tel' Beetle: Formerly this beetle was known as the potato beetle and occasionally at present is injuring potatoes. During the spring of 1915 it was widely reported as injuring orchard and particularly plum trees when they begin to leaf out in pring. The buds foliage and even the tender twig were de troyed when a large number of the beetle were present. praying with arsenate of lead u ing the u ual formula recommended was entirely effective. The Bag Worm: Ornamental plants, hrub. hade trees and particularly evergl'eens are attacked by this pest. The larvae have the 17 queer or unu ual habit of living within cocoon-like ca es and carry the bag with them while feeding. When fully grown the larvae seal themselves up within the bags and in thi manner the transformation or pupal stage is passed. If detected when feeding, and they usually are they may be readily controlled by dusting or spraying the plants attacked with ar enate of lead. Mter they have entered the pupal stage hand picking and burning should be employecl to de troy them. The Leaf Miner: For the past two years and particularly during 1915 exboerne injury to oak shade trees wa caused by the two leaf miner mentioned previou ly. In orne cases ninety per cent. of the foliage was injured and the trees had the appearance of having been corched. There is nothing practicable that can be recommended to control the pests after they are at work on the foliage. itrate fertilizers to stimulate the foliage growth are valuable and should be employed if a seriou amount of the foliage i involved. The miners overwinter in their mines in the leave and as a control mea ure, the leaves hould be raked and burned in the late fall or early spring. The Maple and the Lecanium Scales: Maples are used extensively a shade trees and are frequently found infested with the maple scale. Commercial lime- ulphur at a strength of one part commercial limeulphur to ten parts water i the most effective remedy. Thi spray hould be applied thoroughly while the tree are dormant. The Lecanium scale is only partially co trolled by lime and ulphur spray. Oil preparations, a Kero ene emulion or Scalecide are more reliable. The oil sprays can be applied while the trees are dormant with succe s. The best re ult obtainable with" commercial lime and sulphur are to be h~d when the spray i applied just before the leave tart in the spring. Ten per cent kero ene emulsion should be used "and Scalecide at the rate of one part Scalecide to ten parts water. Briefly the life his.tory of the cale i a follows: The hibernatiD~ fem9le attains full growth in April. Egg are deposited beneath the mother scale. At the end of ovipo iting nothing remain of the mother scale except scale coating covering the egg. The hatching period of the eggs extends over a period of probably two months. At first the young crawl from place to place and on finding a suitable 18 location attach themselve , and the scale coating forms over them and thickens as the in ects enlarge until the adult tage is reached. The Argentine nt: The Argentine Ant ha made it appearance at a number of points in Georgia. Probably colonies have been established for years in cities like Atlanta Augu ta, Savannah and Columbus. This is an exceedingly annoying household pe t and is quite numerous enough in :1 echon of Atlanta and Augusta at present to cause alarm. They usually travel in well defined trail or line and are very dark brown in color and are medium in ize. In addition their everlasting presence and persistance are some of their general characteristics. Mr. T. C. Barber recommends the following formula as a poison syrup: 15 lb . granulated ugar. 7 1-2 lb . water. 1-4 oz. Tartaric acid. Boil lowly for 30 minute and allow to cool. Di olve 3-4 oz. Sodium Arsenate (NaAs02) Merk. in 1-2 pint of hot water and stir thoroughly into syrup. Add 8 per cent pure honey to syrup. The claim for this poison is that it acts slowly and pre'vent the adults from suspicioning they are eating poison and also conveying it to their young. Ants are exceedingly wi e ~nd have the faculty of knowing when they eat deadly poi op. to leave it alone thereafter. Mr. Barber further recommends that ordinary baking powder cans be employed as receptacles for the poison. The mouth of the can hould be crumpled and the lid placed securely thereon. The indentations will enable the ants to pass in and out at will. and the lid will protect the poison from rain and other insects other than ants that might partake of it. The cans containing the poison should be placed where the ant are ob- erved in number . APPLE AND PEACH I ECTS A D DISEASES. A continuation of the experiments in the control or prevention of a number of insects and di ease of both peaches and apples was again located at Cornelia, where the experiment were begun in 1914. The work wa conducted under the upervi ion of W. W. Cha e, and was largely a continuation and extension of work previously inaugurated but not completed. The experiments were principally confined to securing 19 data on the comparative efficiency and cost of the liquid and dust methods respectively in the control or preWlltion of insects and di ea es of peache. In the experimer.ts the Department had the aid and co-operation of Mr. L. B. Veeder, and the demon trations were carried out in hi orchard, a large portion of which was allotted to the test THE DUSTING, OR DRY, METHOD. This method of spraying has been described and illu trated in the last Annual Report, as Bulletin 42 of the tate Board of Entomology, and need not further be di cus ed here with reference to the compo ition of the material or method of application. One new mixture wa u ed, in addition to those enumerated in the above named report. Thi mixture was made up of fifty parts hydrated lime to forty-five parts finely ground sulphur to five parts arsenate of lead. The formula wa mixed by the Union Sulphur Company, which is co-operating with the Department in the work. The idea was that the lime would act merely as a filler, greatly reducing the cost of the material and, at the same time, not altering its effectiveness. While this formula gave a good control of peach scab, brown rot and curculio, it was not so satisfactory as the formula comprising ninety-five per cent sulphur and five per cent ar enate of lead, and the conclusion was reached that it i not dependable. In the te t conducted in previous year with the different dust mixtures, no foliage injury followed. In 1..915, however, each application of the material was followed by rains and considerable defoliation ensued. This unexpected development raises the question as to the safety of the !Dixture under all conditions of weather, although there 1 no doubt as to its dependability in controlling the commercially important insects and diseases. Further test will be carried out in 1916 with still other formula, and the result published by the Department on their conclu. ion. The method seem to have great possibilities, but lt remains to be determined just what formula will effect the desired results and yet not defoliate the trees. ADVA TAGES OF THE DUST METHOD OF SPRAYI G. . .A suming that the dust mixtures are dependable as funglClde and insecticides a the several tandardized liquid prays, and that their cost i not greater, their superiority on all other points is very material. The lightness of the outfit as compared to the heavy power outfits, the great 20 rapidity with which the work can be conducted, the ab 0lute independence of water upply, unite to make ucce for the du ting method something to be striven for. REPORT OF C. S. SPOONER. The Pecan huckworm: Life hi tory work wa continued on this in ect. A large number of parasites was bred from the larvae. The e are now being determined. Fall plowing wa found to be an efficient control for this pe t. Pecan Case-Bearer: Further studie were made on this insect. The life hi tory is now complete. Several para ites were bred from the larvae. Late summer spraying with ar enate of lead wa again found effective. Pecan ut Case-Bearer: This seriou pest wa found in Georgia for the fir t time thi year. Some ob ervations were made and plan for a life history tudy and control measures were made. Pecan Scab: The work thi year was confined to ob ervation. 0 spraying wa done on account of the scarcity of nut in the experimental plot. cab injury was very light during the pa t sea on. The varietie which are mo t subject to scab' with u are, Georgia, San Saba, and other Texas varietie , Capito], Delmas and many seedlings. Seedlings are usually very severely injured by scab. Van Deeman, Schley, Alley, Halkert, Mobile cab to a light degree. but not enough to warrant uneasiness. Scab has also been recorded as occurring on Stuart and Jewett to a slight extent. Present indications how that Money-maker, Ru ell, tuart. Schley, Alley are among the better known varieties which are safe to plant from the standpoint of scab. Pecan Borers: Severa] pecies were studied more or less extensively and further life history and control work was planned for the coming year. A bulletin dealing with pecan pest in detail is being prepared for publication in 1916. R ERY I PECTIO. The inspection of nurserie began August 1st and wa completed in October. In 1915 there were 103 nurserie~ allowed to ell stock in the State of Georgia and the stock consi ted of the following plants: 21 Pecan Peach Apple Pear Plum Car. Poplar Cherry Miscellaneou Grapes trawberries Rose Total _ _ 804,300 964,800 _ _ _ 751,380 140,800 51,780 _ _ 27,250 24,700 _ _ 1.044,225 150050 _ _ 512,000 4,500 _ 4,475785 Each plant was carefully inspected and ometimes a econd in pection wa neces ary before a certificate wa iued. The following i a Ii t of the Georgia ur eries for 19151916. GEORGIA DR ERIE 1915-1916. Appalachian Apple Orchard Co. L. B. Magid, Pres. Wm. Anderson . C. Al ton A hford Park urseries T. J. Anderson Baconton Nurseries Co. Barnesville ursery Co. BBaartneywe&ll Pecan O Jackson rchard Co. Bennett & Milton G. M. Bacon Pecan Co. Bellevue Fruit Farm P. J. Berckmans Britton's Greenhouse Bullard Pecan ursery Co. Carrollton Nursery Co. Cannon, H. G. - J. A. Caldwell Capitol City Nursery Co. Concord ur eries Co. Co-operative Nul' ery Stock Co. Cordele Nul' ery Co. The Cureton ur eries Dixie Wholesale ursery Co. Tallulah Park Temple Richland Atlanta Bremen Baconton Barnesville Baconton Baconton Baconton DeWitt Macon Augu ta Atlanta Albany Carrollton Cairo La Fayette P-tlanta Concord tlanta Cordele Austell Marietta 22 Dahl Floral Co. Jno. S. Davidson J: M. Duncan L. B. Duke H. 1. Dover W. M. Dyer & Sons Excelsior Nursery Co. Edward & Patterson Ellijay ursery Co. Empire Pecan Co. Enterprise Nursery Co. Jes e T. Ellis Fairview ur ery Co. umbleweill ur erie Fayetteville ur ery O. H. Farr F. K. Freeman W. T. Gaulden Glau ier Pecan Co. .Gill Grove Pecan urseries J. W. Gilespie Georgia Nursery Co. Georgia Seed Co. Georgia Experiment Station J. H. Gheesling J. W. Goddard Hardaway urseries Hartwell Nurserie H. G. Hastings Co. Hiawa see Nursery Co. B. W. Hunt P. J. Hjort Hogan ville ursery Co. Ingleside ur ery Idle Hour ursery Jackson County ursery E. F. Jordan Jud on Orchard Farm Juanita Nurserie Otto Katzenstein Le Conte Nursery D. & O. Lott Magnolia ur ery Magnolia Hill Nurseries V. P. Milner O. P. Meares T. J. Mills J. B. Miller Atlanta Rockmart Carnesville Moultrie Ellijay Sharpe Rome MiIledgevi1le Ellijay Parrott Carl Griffin aylor Dahlonega Fayetteville Leesburg Athens Quitman Baconton Baconton Albany _Concord Hogan ville Experiment Greensboro Stone Mountain Putney Hartwell Atlanta Hiawassee Eatonton Thomasville Hogansville Cairo Macon Winder Eatonton Meigs Decatur Atlanta Smithville Waycros Cairo Meigs Forest Park Baconton ~ higham Baconton 23 Murphy' ur erie W. K. elson A. C. Oel chig & Sons, Florists A. C. Parker Parrott ur erie J. R. Pinson Pike County urseries Riverside Nursery A. W. Richard on C. H. Redding Ram ey Pecan Grove urse;ry C. A. Rouzer Rood Pecan Groves ur ery Ro eland urserie mithwick Orchard Co. J. S. ims A. Clarke Snedeker outhern Nut Tree urserie need ur erie R. A. Strain B. W. Stone tubb Nursery Tigner ursery Tanner ursery Troup County ursery Tuck Bros. Cha . P. Turner G. H. Tomlinson Wachendorff Bros. J. B. Wight W. P. William, Sr. Fayetteville Augusta Savannah Moultrie Parrott Baconton Concord -Cairo Savannah Waycross Leesburg Thomasville Albany outh Atlanta Americu Hapeville Blackshear Thomasville Morrow Darien Thomasville Augusta White Sulphur Spring Milledgeville Gabbettville Thomasville Carrollton Putney Atlanta Cairo Blackshear o T OF STATE R ERIES. The nurseries outside of the State are required to file a certificate of inspection of the official inspection in the tate where the nursery is located and to sign an agreement to fumigate tock prior to hipment into this State. The following is a list of nurseries outside of the State authorized to sell tock in Georgia in 1915-1916: American Ro e & Plant Co. Ander on Floral Co. Andora urserie - Mi Ella V. Barnes R. L. Baker -------Ba s & om; Pecan Co., 1. E. Springfield. Ohio. Anderson, S. C. Chestnut Hill, Phila. Pa. Springfield, Ohio. Baileyton, Ala. Lumberton, Mis 24 Betchel Pecan urserie Ocean Springs, Mi Biloxi ursery Biloxi, Miss. Biltmore Nurserie Biltmore, N. C. Birmingham Nurserie Co. Birmingham, Ala. Bobbink & Atkins Rutherford, N. Y. Brown Bros. Co. Roche tel' N. Y. Brown ursery Co., F. W. Rose Hill N. Y. Chase, L. E. Ocean Springs, Mis. Commercial ursery Co. Winchester, Tenn. Citronelle Nursery & Orchard Co. __ Citronelle, Ala. Continental Plant Co. Kittrell, N. C. Cusseta Nul' ery La Fayette, Ala. Childs John Lewi , Inc. Floral Park, . Y. Chase ursery Co. Chase, Ala. Cedar Hill ursery & Orchard Co. __ Winchester, Tenn. Cumberland Nurseries Winche tel', Tenn. Dreer, Henry A., Inc. Riverton, N. J. Eagle Pecan Co., The Pittsview, Ala. Ea terly ursery Co., Inc. Cleveland, Tenn. Elm City Nursery Co. ew Haven, Conn. Elmwood Floral & Nul' ery Co. Eufaula Pecan Co. Birmingham, Ala. Eufaula, Ala. Florida ursery & T:r;ading Co. Lockhart, Ala. The Florida urseries Monticello, Fla. Fore t ursery & Seed Co. McMinnville, Tenn. Franklin Davis Nursery Co. Baltimore, Md. Fraser ursery Co. Huntsville, Ala. German Nul' erie & Seed House Beatrise, eb. Greenbrier ursery Co. Greenbrier, Tenn. Gainesville Nurseries Gainesville, Fla. Griffing Bros. Grand Bay, Ala. Glen St. Mary Nurserie Glen St. Mary. Fla. Griffing Bro. ._Port Arthur. Texa . Glenwood urseries Morn ville, Pa. The Globe Nurserie Bristol, Tenn. The Good & Reese Co. Springfield, Ohio. The Great Western Plant Co. pringfield, Ohio. Greenville ursery Co. Greenville, S. C. Hale, J. C. Nul' ery Co. Winche tel', Tenn. Harrison's Nurseries Berlin, Md. Henderson, Peter & Co. New Jersey Heights. . . J. The D. Hill ursery Co. Dundee TIL Hoffman. Paul Waverly, Ala. Hoopes, Bro. & Thoma Co. West Chester. Pa. Howell urserie Knoxville, Tenn. Hubbard Co.. T. S. Fredonia. . Y. Huntsville Whole ale ur eries Hunt ville, Ala. 25 Inter-State ur eries Macclenny, Fla. Jackson & Perkins Co. ewark, . Y. The Josselyn Nursery Co. Fredonia, N. Y. Kellogg Co., R. M. Three Rivers, Mich. Kelly Bros. Wholesale Nurseries Kidder, Samuel Dansville, N. Y. Monticello, Fla. Lewis, F. H. Pascagoula Miss. Lipp, Geo. W. Roanoke, Ala. Marble City ursery Co. Knoxyille, Tenn. Meehan. Tho. Son Monticello urserie Germantown, Phil. Pa. Monticello, Fla. Mount Arbor urseries Shenendoah, Iowa. Mount Hope urseries Mu er, Martin H. Rochester, N. Y. Lancaster, Pa. ewton ursery, The ewton, N. C. New Haven urseries, Inc. New Haven, Mo. North Jer ey Nurseries Millburn, N. J. Oak Lawn Nursery Huntsville, Ala. Old Dominion Nurseries Richmond, Va. Paine ville ursene Painesville, Ohio. Pierson Co., F. R. Tarrytown. . Y. Ramsey, W. P. Mr. Ocean Spring, Mi Rich Land ur eries Rochester, . Y. Riverview Nursery Co. Rock Hill ursery McMinnville, Tenn. Wellborn, Fla. arcoxie ur erie Sarcoxie, Mo. Scarff, W. N. ew Carlisle, Ohio. The Schefferli Nurseries Fredonia, N. Y. Shadow Nursery Co. Winchester, Tenn. tark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. ---- Louisiana Mo. teckler Seed Co., The J. .______ ew Orleans, La. ugg Nur ery Co. eridianville, Ala. Summit ur erie Monticello. Fla. Syler ursery Co. Meridianville, Ala. Taylor & Co. Rochester, . Y. Tenne ee ursery Co. Thomas, W. W. Cleveland,Tenn. Anna, Ill. Turkey Creek Nurseries Macclenny. Fla. Texas Nursery Co. ShermB.n. Texas. nited States Nursery Co., The Valde ian urserie Rose Acres, Miss. Bostic, . C. Van Lindley Nursery Co., J. -------Pomona, . C. \Vat on. F. W. & Co. Topeka. Kan. We t Hill urseries Fredonia. . Y. We tern . C. Nursery Co. We tminster ursery, The tecoah, . C. ~ estmin ter, Md. Wheelock & Coggdon orth Collin, . Y. 26 Willadean NUT eries, The Wills Valley ur ery Wimpey ur ery, The Winchester Nul' ery Co. __ ..l parta, Ky. Fort Payne Ala. Haye ville, N. C. Winchester, Tenn. FOREIG URSERY TOCK. In view of the occurence in foreign countries of a large number of seriously injurious insects and dist:ases that do not occur in Georgia, thi Department makes a careful inpection of all plants deli ered in the State from foreign countries. In thi manner seriou pest are checked before they have a chance to become established. The following is a list of foreign hipments in 1915-1916: Ad D'Haene Co. Ghent, Belgium. Arthur DeMeyer Ghent, Belgium. Bier & Ankersmit Melle, Belgium. The Holland Nurseries Boskoop, Holland. Ottolander & Hooftman Bo koop, Holland. chaum & Van Tol Boskoop, Holland. Charle Detriche Angers, France. O. De Vuyst Sue. to C. Petrich G. J. Bier Ghent, Belgium. ieuwerkerk, Holland. M. Daboerdemaeker Ghent, Belgium. Liverpool Orchard & Nursery Co. __ Gateacre. England. P. & L. Van Acker Bro. Loochristy. Belgium. Klui & Koning Bo koop, Holland. Felix & Dykhuis Boskoop, Holland. Van Belderen & Co. Boskoop, Holland. The Yokohama Nursery Co. Yokohama, Japan. R. H. Bath, Ltd. Wi beck. England. The total number of plant imported was 49,405, and the following firm received hipments from the countries indicated: Owl Drug & Seed Co. C. A. Dahl The Atlanta Floral Co. The Westview Flori t Wachendorff Bros. Otto Katzen tein P. J. Berckman Co. Holland -------Holland Belgium Holland Belgium Holland Belgium Japan Holland France Alban. Atlanta. Atlanta. Atlanta. Atlanta. Atlanta. Augu tao 27 tubbs' ur ery Belgium Augu tao Balks ursery Belgium Augusta. Columbus R. R. Co. Belgium Columbu J. T. Keheley Belgium Columbu D. C. Horgan :.. England Macon. Idle Hour ursery Belgium Maco:i1. C. S. TaU England Brunswick. John Taylor ~ .,.-Belgium Rome. Geo. Adair Holland Savannah. A. C. Oel chig & on Belgium avannah. A. W. Richardson Belgium Savannah. Holland John Wolf Belgium Savannah. The imported stock as a whole received in Georgia during 1915 wa very clean from insect pest and plant disea es. Due to disorganized shipping facilities shipments in everal in tance were delayed and were slightly damaged on reaching their de tination. It is trikingly noticeable the improvement in quality of imported stocks since the inspection service ha been in operation. GE ERAL I SPECTIO . During the winter months we inspected orchards for cale and other pests in every section of the tate. During pring, summer and fall we made frequent trip to many ections for the purpo e of inspecting growing crops so as to aid farmer in combatting the different pests. In pections are also made of trees from which nul' erymen wish to take their budding wood. This ervice is of great value to the grower, because we not only diagno e the trouble but give direct instructions in spraying and other methods of control. EXPERIME T TATIO -THOMASVILLE. Unusually good results were obtained from work conducted at the Station at Thomasville. The principal work con isted in breeding types of cotton resistant to disease and sufficiently early fruiting to be grown under boll weevil conditions. Investigation were conducted principally on in ects and disease attacking the pecan; the growing of peas and beans resistant to nematode, of corn resistant to grain weevil as is hown in report. During 1916 tlie work at the station will be enlarged. 28 Wilt resistant cotton will be produced on a larger scale, so as to economize in the cost of early fruiting wilt resistant seed for distribution. All cotton tests will be on a larger scale than heretofore. A farm containing 90 acres has been leased and we have already taken possession. We are receiving the active co-operation of the City of Thomasville and the County of Thomas. The county in the past has paid a portion of the rent. At the new place, which is about one mile from the city, the county and the city have agreed to have the water main extended and electric current supplied without any cost to the State. We have the active co-operation of the United States Bureau of Entomology. Dr. W. D. Hunter, who is in charge of Southern Field Crop Insect Investigations for the Government, has located Mr. Geo. D. Smith at the station, and his principal work is on cotton insects. In 1916 the U. S. Bureau of Entomology will pay one-half of the rent. For the breeding work on Sea Island cotton for boll weevil conditions a station will be established at Valdosta, in the heart of the Sea Island belt. In view of the late maturing qualities of Sea Island cotton it is absolutely necessary to develop varieties that will mature a crop considerably earlier than the present varieties. Much progress has been made in this connection, as is shown in Mr. Williams' report, but there is much work yet to be conducted. Georgia produces more Sea Island than any other section, and it is the finest staple of cotton in existence, but unless earlier fruiting types can be successfully produced this industry will be a thing of the past. PUBLICATIO S. January-"Annual Report of State Entomologist for 1914." March-Bul. 40, "Cotton Wilt in Georgia." Bu!. 41, "Sq.me of the More Important Truck Crop Pests in Georgia." September-Circular 16, "The Best Methods Against the Boll Weevil and Transportation into Uninfested Territory." Circular 17, "Begin Fight on Boll Weevil at Once." December~Circular 17, "Boll Weevil Quarantine." 29 pedal Articles for Country Pres~. Februa y 5-"Tests that Are Making Seed to Meet Boll WeevIl Condition ." "Spray Fruit ow for Jo e Scale." "Scab and Other Pecan Diseases." "Damage Is Done by Peach Borer." "Diver ification Stops Root Knot." March 10-"The Potato Crop in Grave Danger." April 17-"Apple Disease and Apple Bug ." April 17-"How to Kill Bugs that Hurt Truck." Augu t 18-"Cotton Red Spider Doing Much Damage." August 31-"Seed Selection for-Boll Weevil and Resistance to Disease." eptember ll-"Boll Weevil in Georgia." December 7-"The Boll Weevil Quarantine and the Necessity for It." APPROPRIATIO . I am delighted to report that the special session of the Legislature in ovember increased our appropriation from thirty-five thousand dollars ($~5,000) to fifty thousand dollars ($50.000) per annum for the next two years. A large per cent of this amount will be spent on the cotton work decribed above. Receipts and Disbursements for 1915. Receipt. BALA CE BEGINNI G YEAR -- TATE TREASURY $12,058.91 38,000.00 ALARIES: Disbursements. State Entomologist, E. L. Worsham $ 3,000.00 As istant to Entomologist, A. C. Lewis 1,500.00 A sistant to Entomologist, W. V. Reed 1.800.00 Assistant to Entomologist, W. W. Cha e 1800.00 30 Assistant Entomologist, C. S. Spooner _ Assistant Entomologi t, 1. W. Williams _ A istant Entomologist, J. M. Worsham _ Artist, Miss Sharp _ Sec'y. and ~ookkeeper, Mis Henderson _ Stenographer and Other Help 1,800.00 1,999.97 186.50 1,050.00 1,100.00 2.076.53 $16,313.00 TRAVEL: E. L. Worsham A. C. Lewis W. V. Reed W. W. Cha e C. S. pooner 1. W. William J. M. Wor ham Inspectors $ 748.46 _ 770.38 _ 1,025.28 _ 710.09 _ 815.48 _ 1,250.61 _ 186.96 _ 410.85 $ 5.918.11 FIELD EXPENSE: Cotton eed Sacks Pea $ 4412.39 335.61 1,320.95 Wage and Teaming 994.66 Miscel. Supplie and Expen e_ 58.37 Rent Experiment Stations 201.37 FREIGHT, EXPRE & DRAYAGE _ PRI TI G _ POSTAGE _ TELEPHO E & TELEGRAPH _ EQUIPME T _ OFFICE SUPPLIES A D EXPE SES _ CHEMICAL AND TECHNICAL SUPPLIES_ BOARD MEETI GS _ AUDITI G _ ARTICLES TO COU TRY PRESS _ MISCELLA EOUS EXPE SE _ $ 7,323.35 151.15 1,996.16 553.00 251.28 514.77 466.82 324.06 346.21 62.50 1,163.41 79.86 TOTAL . $35,463.68 BALA CE E D OF YEAR .___________ $14,595.23 $50058.91 The amount on hand January 1 will be spent in 1916 on unfinished work, which consist of the publication of result 31 of experiments which have been conducted for several year on peach insects and di eases, pecan insect and di ea e , cotton insects and diseases and cotton breeding for boll weevil condition. The entire amount will be expended in 1916 on unfini hed work and work in connection with the boll weevil fight. Respectfully, E. LEE WORSHAM, Secretary, and State Entomologi t. Georgia State Board of Ent(l}ffi4~~--:-' E. LEE WORSHAM, State Entomologist, Atlanta, Ga. BULLETIN 46 JANUARY, 1917 COTTON VARIETY TESTS FOR BOLL-WEEVIL AND WILT CONDITIONS IN GEORGIA BY A. C. LEWIS AssistaDt State Entomologist C. A. McLENDON Expert in Colton Breeding ATLANTA, GEORGIA o D. APR fO 19fT Georgia State Board of Entomology E. LEE WORSHAM, State Entomologist, Atlanta. Ga. BULLETIN 46 JANUARY, 1917 COTTON VARIETY TESTS FOR BOLL-WEEVIL AND WILT CONDITIONS IN GEORGIA BY A. C. LEWIS, AssiStant State Entomologist C. A. McLENDON Expert in Colton Breeding ATLANTA, GEORGIA GEORGIA STATE BOARD OF ENTOMOLOGY ORGANIZATION J. D. PRICE, Chairman, Commissioner of Agriculture, Atlanta. Ex-Officio Member. R. C. BERCKMANS, President State Horticultural Society, Augusta. Ex-Officio Member. JNO. A. COBB, President State Agricultural Society Americu . Ex-Officio Member. E. LEE WORSHAM, State' Entomologist and Secretary of the Board, Atlanta. A. C. LEWIS, Assistant State Entomologist, Atlanta. W. V. REED, Assistant Entomologist, Atlanta. W. W. CHASE, Assistant Entomologist, Atlanta. W. F. TURNER, Assistant Entomologist, Thomasville. IRA W. WILLIAMS, Assistant in Cotton Breeding, Atlanta. C. A. McLENDON, Expert in Cotton Breeding, Atlanta. J. D. SMITH, Assistant Entomologist,. Atlanta. C. G. CRITI'ENDEN, Assistant in Charge Transmission of Cotton Diseases by Insects, Thomasville. L1'bra.z:~y-ch~9...0..ige oE.Con~ COTTON VARIETY TESTS FOR 8011-Weevil and Wilt Conditions In Georgia BY . A. C. LEWIS, Assistant State Entomologist C. A. McLE DON, Expert in Cotton Breeding SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS Our tests in South Georgia, covering a period of from three to ten years, and conducted in different counties show that some of the best varieties for South Georgia, where the wilt disease is present, are, Lewis 63, Desoto, and Council-Toole. These are all wilt-resistant varieties, they are prolific, begin fruiting early, and continue to fruit until frost. They are hardy, deep rooted, and fairly resistant to drought. All of these varieties were originated and bred by crossing and individual selection by the Georgia State Board of Entomology. The Dillon, a cluster type of wilt-resistant cotton, does well in some of the sandy soils of South Georgia. The Covington-Toole, a wilt-resistant strain, originated by W. F. Covington, Headland, Alabama, is a good cotton and ha yielded fairly well in our variety tests. Of the long-staple upland varieties we have tested in South Georgia, the Dix-Afifi has given the best results. This is a wilt-resistant variety, originated by the Georgia State Board of Entomology, being a cross between the Dixie and the Egyptian Mit-Afifi. It is prolific, begins fruiting early, and continues to fruit until frost. The lint averages about 1 3-16 inches in length, and last season, 1916, brought a premium of from 6 to 8 cents per pound above the ordinary cotton. The seed cotton turns out 32 per cent of lint. The Express is another long-staple upland variety which is adapted to a great many sections of the state. It is not a wilt-resistant variety, and, therefore, should not be used where wilt occurs to any extent. The lint of this variety will bring a premium of three or four cents over that of short-staple varieties. It begins fruiting as early as any of the King types and continues to put on fruit rapidly all during the season. It has medium to small bolls, medium fol- iage, and numerous fruiting branches. For general con- ditions it worst drawback is its low per cent of lint, which is 31. 5 ... : ..,.. " In growing cotton under boll-weevil conditions the Sea Island planters should secure native-grown seed from a variety which has proven to be early. The Seabrook and Sosnowski, which ar~ not very early, will give good results, when native-grown. The Conover, a variety we did not have in the tests, seems to be a very early cotton, with a small stalk. ' Sea Island and short staple cottons should not be planted in the same locality; for if they are the bees will cause serious contamination by crossing them through the blooms, and, under boll-weevil conditions, the weevils which have multiplied on the earlier-fruiting short cotton will be more numerous to attack the Sea Island. The above fact are about the best we are able to give the Sea Island growers at the present time.. The Cleveland, Toole, and Cook are well adapted to SouthGeorgia conditions where wilt does not occur, and to NorthGeorgia conditions, except in some sections where only such varieties as the King, Simpkins, and Bank Account will mature a crop. None of these varieties are resistant to the wilt disease, and for this reason are not suited to the large areas in South Georgia, where this disease is so prevalent. Varieties of the King type usually cease to bloom after the first to the middle of August, except on good oils in some sections of North Georgia, which is not satisfactory under boll-weevil conditions. Where the boll-weevil was prevalent before the end of last season every farmer should proceed with Hie ide~ that he will be a serious problem next season, and arrange his farming operations accordingly. Reduce the acreage of cotton to eight, ten, or twelve acres to the plow. Pick the cotton as early as possible in the fall, and plow under the stalks at least two (or better four) weeks before the first killing frost. To secure the best results the stalks should be covered four inches deep. If you are not able to plow under all of your cotton stalks before fro t plow them up with a middle burster, so as to stop growth. Clean out the fence corners and burn the trash around the fields. Where the nematode, a worm which causes what i commonly known as root-knot, is present in the soil, cotton should not be planted until after a rotation of two or three years. In the rotation plant small grain crops, or corn and velvet beans, peanuts, or the Iron and Brabham cowpeas. Break the land as early as possible after the stalks have been destroyed and harrow it occasionally during the winter so as to get it in as good condition as possible by planting time. Fertilize just as you would if the boll-weevil were not 6 present, except that no side applications should be made after early in the season. The use of acid phosphate is said to hastenmaturity. Select seed that is adapted to the section where it is to be planted. Our experience show that it is unwise for farmer. to go to a section far removed from their own for planting seed, because conditions may be entirely different, thereby rendering the seed unsuitable. Avoid fancy varieties unless you know them to be adapted to your section. If you have a good variety, or your neighbor has one, improve it by careful selection from year to year. This department will assist you in this work. In selecting seed for boll-weevil conditions remember that there is no such thing as a variety that is "Boll-Weevil Proof". The boll-weevil is no respector of cottons. You must have a variety that will begin to fruit early, set a crop of bolls by the first to the fifteenth of August, and continue to put on squares during the entire period. If your land is infected with wilt or black-root the variety should be resistant to this disease. The variety should be prolific, and yield a high percentage of good lint. It should have only a few vegetative or basal branches, numerous fruiting branches, which begin to come out near the base of the plant, and have medium to thin foliage. As a rule the boll-weevil is not sufficiently abundant in the field until August, from the first to fifteenth, to completely destroy all the squares that appear. The favorite food of the young weevil is the young squares, and as long as the squares are available he will not destroy many of the bolls that are more or less mature; but in the absence of a sufficiency of squares he will attack more or less matured bolls, consequently, the necessity of having a variety that will continue to fruit until late in the season. Plant early, but not 0 early that the young plants will be injured by late frost or cold nights.. Arrange rows and distance in drills just as you would under ordinary conditions. Practice shallow and frequent cultivation. Cultivate if possible at least once a week until the cotton is ready to pick. The boll-weevil will begin to emerge early in the spring and will feed on the tender buds of the cotton until squares begin to form. You can detect their presence by the blackened buds. Watch for this and pick the weevils off at once. Later the weevils will attack the squares, which in turn will become yellow and fall to the ground. The yellow or flaring squares on the plant and those on the ground, whereever plenty of cheap labor can be obtained, should be collected and burned, continuing this once a week until about the middle of July. 7 Practice diversification. Grow more food crops, more live stock, but do not undertake any new proposition, especially on a large scale, unless you are sure of a market for your product. Make the farm self-sustaining. If you will take advantage of the other man's experience you will be able to grow cotton successfully under boll-wee"il conditions. This means that you will have to reduce your acreage and comply with all the other recommendations suggested as nearly as possible. For detailed information as to how to carry out these recommendations write to the State Board of Entomology, Atlanta, Ga. ..- ..- .' GEORGIA E .,' Cotton variety tests have been conducted for one or more years in the counties indicated by the Georgia State Board of Entomology_ 9 INTRODUCTION BY A. C. LEWIS, Assistant State EntolI).ologist That dreaded enemy of cotton, the Mexican Cotton BollWeevil, is now in 117 counties of Georgia. The cotton wift disease is also present in many counties in South Georgia. Hence in many counties of Georgia the cotton growers now have the boll-weevil and the wilt disease to contend with in growing cotton. The best way to combat the boll-weevil i by certain cultural methods and the planting of earlyfruiting varieties of cotton that will continue to grow and fruit until frost. All our variety tests in South Georgia show that the early strains of cotton such as King, Bank Account, Simpkins, Trice and Triumph die very badly from the wilt disease. Knowing this, eight years ago work was begun by the Georgia State Board of Entomology on developing early, wilt-resistant strains of cotton. We are pleased to report that we now have several strains of early-fruiting, wilt-resistant cottons that have been developed by crossing and individual selection, which can, we believe, be grown with profit under boll-weevil conditions, provided the grower does his part in fighting the weevil. For full information about these varieties send for Bulletin No. 40. Our experiments and observations have led us to conclude that strains of cotton such as King have too short a fruiting period to do well in the sandy soils of Soutl;1 Georgia. A short fruiting period is objectionable, because if the weather is unfavorable for the setting of the fruit during the whole or a part of this time the yield will be greatly reduced; and even if later the weather becomes unfavorable for the setting of fruit the cotton will not produce much more fruit, for the period of maximum productiveness is past. Under boll-weevil conditions a cotton of this type, King, etc., will not, we believe, yield as much cotton per acre as a strain of cotton that begins to set fruit early and continues to make fruit until frost, because when the boll-weevil becomes numerous they will attack the bolls if there are not enough squares to lay eggs in. Our early-fruiting, wilt-resistant strains of cotton, such as Lewis 63, DeSoto, Council-Toole, and Dix-Afifi, begin fruiting about as early as the King and continue to grow and set fruit until frost. Hence, we believe, these varieties, Lewis 63. DeSoto, Council-Toole and Dix-Afifi, and others, such as Toole, Cleveland, and Cook, are better adapted for 10 growing under boll-weevil conditions in South Georgia than are varieties of the King Type of cotton. Of course, where the wilt disease is present in the soil, it will not pay to plant the ordinary strains of cotton. In our variety tests for the last three years at Americus, Lumpkin, and Vienna, under wilt conditions, our wilt-resistant strains have each year yielded much more than the ordinary varietie of cotton. (See tables -on pages 15, 16 and 17.) One of the most important factors in growing cotton under boll-weevil conditions is to have a variety of cotton adapted to your soil and climate. Having selected the variety you are going to plant, secure the best improved seed you can of that variety. By improved seed we mean that the seed has been developed by selection (mass or individual selection) for a specific purpose, such as increased yield or resistance to. diseases, or both. LONG STAPLE UPLAND COTTON The future of the long-staple, upland varieties is very promising at present. The demand is greater than ever before, and with the Sea Island cotton being threatened with a reduction, in yield at least, on account of the bollweevil it appears as if the demand will continue to increase. However, we are not recommending that everyone begin growing the long-staple upland cotton. In fact, only a few will make a success of it, because of the special care and attention required in order to secure the best results. The factors that require special attention in order to make a success in growing the long-staple, upland varieties are the following: Plant only pure pedigreed seed, and every two or three years secure new seed. If you do not want to improve the seed yourself by individual selection, buy your seed from some one who does. Give the cotton plenty of distance, fertilize well, and cultivate until the first bolls set are mature. When ginning reduce the speed of the gin and also the rate of feeding, so that the roll will be loose. If this is not done"the staple will be damaged so that you will not secure the premium on the lint that it should bring. Even if you have to pay more to get this done, it will be economy to do so. Pick the cotton frequently so that the lint will be clean and bright. Pick as free from trash as possible and prot~ct from the weather ,-after 'being gathered. Sell the lint at a long-staple market. If you are not near one, ship the cotton to someone who can and will get the best price for it; or, if you do not know of anyone who will do this, send a sample from each bale to a long-staple market or buyer and get prices on the cotton before you ship it. 11 COTTON VARIETY TESTS, 1914, 1915 AND 1916 In all the tests reported upon the actual yield per row was kept, where two or four rows of each variety wa . planted, and from this the actual yield per acre carefully calculated. In all cases where cotton wilt was present, the percentage of healthy stalks was determined by actual count, that is, by counting the stalks after the cotton was chopped to a stand, and counting the stalks again in the fall, and from these two counts determining the percentage of healthy stalks. The percentage of lint was in all cases determined by taking about 500 grams of the seed cotton, ginning it, weighing the seed, and from these figures determining the percentage of lint. The lint percentage given in the tables is the average derived from all the different plats. VARIETY TESTS, AMERICUS, GA. In the tables under variety tests at Americus, Lumpkin, and Vienna we give the results for 1914, 1915 and 1916. For 1914 at each place we give only the varieties' that were tested in 1915 and 1916. For a full report upon the test for 1914 see Bulletin No. 40, of the Georgia State Board of Entomology. In 1915 the variety test was planted April 7; in 1916 April 4th. Each year the cotton was planted in rows 4.5 feet apart and thinned to one stalk about two feet apart. The plat was fertilized in 1914 with 500 lbs. per acre of a high grade fertilizer; in 1915, 500 lbs. of a 9-3-0 guano was applied per acre with a top dressing of 75 lbs. of Nitrate of Soda per acre; in 1916, 500 lbs. of 9-3-0 guano was applied. Soil, Greenville gravelly sandy loam, typical of much of the best soil in Sumter County. The wilt disease was severe in 1914 and 1915; in 1916 the wilt disease and nematode worms were so severe that the yield was greatly reduced. This test shows the folly of planting cotton year after year on land badly infested with the nematode worms. The wilt-resistant cotton was stunted imd killed in places by the nematode worms. However, in spite of these adverse conditions, it will be observed that the wilt-resistant varieties made a fairly good yield. 12 Variety test, Americus, Georgia, 1915. Two rows on left DeSoto, two rows in center King, two rows on right Lewis 63. Plat uniformly infected with wilt. Original. Variety test, Americus, Georgia, 1916. Two rows on left Half and Half, two rows in center Simpkins, two rows on right Dillon-hybrid. Plat uniformly infected with wilt. Original. J8 VARIETY TESTS, LUMPKIN, GA. In the tests at Lumpkin the cotton was all planted in rows 4 feet apart and thinned to one stalk 18 to 24 inches apart in the drill. The cotton was planted in 1915, April 14th; in 1916, April 13th. The test plat was fertilized in 1914 at the rate of 500 lbs. per acre, with a high-grade fertilizer; in 1915 and 1916, 500 lbs. of acid and meal, equal parts of each, was applied per acre. Soil, Orangeburg sandy loam, with red subsoil, typical of much of the soil South of Lumpkin in Stewart County. The wilt disease was present each year, lmd also rootknot or nematode worms. The yield in 1916 was reduced by the wet weather and the boll-weevil after August 1st. The weevil was present throughout the season but did not do much damage to the cotton until after August 1st, on account of the fight that was waged against it. VARIETY TESTS, VIENNA, GA. The variety test was planted April 7th, 1915, and April 5th, 1916. The rows each year were 4.5 feet apart, and the cotton was thinned to one stalk two feet apart. The soil was a good, sandy loam, typical of much of the soil of Dooly County. In 1914 the plat was fertilized at the rate of 500 lbs. per acre of a high grade fertilizer, and when the cotton was blooming well nitrate of soda was applied at the rate ot 100 lbs. per acre. In 1915 and 1916, 500 pounds of 9-3-0 guano was applied per acre. . In 1914 and 1915 the wilt disease was severe. In 1916 the variety test was conducted on another piece of land, and there was not much wilt present, as indicated in the table. 14 VARIETY TESTS, AMERICUS, GA. 1914 1915 1916 VAmE~'Y c..5...., 00c"O ~~ ...1p. ..... ~ ~ .,..... 1:< ... ;::~ ;g~ ~~ ;:., .<:; :o::SC'>l!: .,Ol .s::: ..... III ~ c.5 .Sui .~... ~;.:: 0., ui~ .l<:", '." .o1>S::'_.", ~>. ::'_" >cGO'"~' ..... .S~ .c<>O:.l'"~- ~;:., 0....., 00c"O ui:,.. .0., ~'" ..... C :::l to" ..c... ., ... :.::~ :l'_" .0., ~'" III &- ~cO.~'" ",e O::lsoS" >~ p. c ., .>:::S ~1cO;:o>S- Dixie Imp. ..................... 13261 37 4911 96 Lewis 63 ....................... 1326 37.5 497 96 ,... <:11 DeSoto ......................... 1309 36 Council-Toole .................. Modella ........................ 458 96 King ........................... 374 36 J 35 10 Bank Account ................. Simpkins 'triumph .............................................. Half and Half ................. 612 40 Cook .... Cleveland . D1x-AtItI Express ....................... .................................................................... 680 38.5 245 18 262 16 Curtis L Webber . .S............................................ 3' 4 32.5 122 10 Toole .......................... Poulnot ........................ Cook Ala. 307 .................. 1 2 20301 36 I 7311 96 1 2 I 1 1 2100 36.5 767 96 1 2 3 1960 35 686 94 3 -- 1925 1926 37 36 712 96 693 94 4 4 2 1080 36 1 891 36 6 891 35 3 945 37 4 837 36 378 _~O 321 80 312 81 360 76 301 74 3 96.66 ., f-: 6 81.30 6 .'!.- 5 f-~8-7~.8~5 5 8 76.28 8 5 6 665 36.6 236 20 11 12 324 36 117 10 "15 29.61 16 216 34 73 8 11 18.8ti-!7 4 5 350 39 137 10 324 35 486 36 10 13 567 40 1-: 1~ 175 -10 5() - r-~3~~~:44Q.!33L!.136 227 43- 11 5.~~~ 3 4 1060 38 399 83 8 11 915 39 357 70 4 88.14 4 378 38 144 40 14 35:82'l.4 1925 31 597 95 4 9 1215 32 389 85 2 125.92 1 1750 30 525 85 5 7 840 30 252 24 6 10 756 31 702 30 9 14 162 32 t 234 70 h 9 71.82 9 211 52 705 ~ 17 I- 69.59 16.72 10 18 1820 36.5 654 80 I 5 6 675 38 267 30 8 63.941 11 1150 3' 645 80 I 6 7 1215 36 137 85 1 110.55 2 1640 37.0 617 90 1 7 1 ~ Above. Dlllon-Hybl'ld VARIETY TESTS, LUMPKIN, GA. 1914 1915 1916 ~ (l) .. ...c5 0n VARIETY ~ 00o"l ui .. * .0", ..:lp. CLDMCDoeioeovxwSudiinoineesctglolltaIlo6-m3'nr.p-o..T..o...o)...eo......l..e........................................... 1054 918 l088 884 816 37 37.5 35 37 36.0 .. .. c ."., ;=~ .lc ~!J * oi .. .0", ''''O...J. ..:lp. III 389 96 344 95 381 96 327 94 298 90 c5 Q -00 .~Q ..:'~"- 2 3 1 4 6 -='!=l1:i .~Q.:"~'i"l .1 3 2 4 5 ...c5 0n 00o"l oi .. .0", ..:lp. .. Q ~ * . ", Q .. =~ lli .. .0", ..:lp. . ...>c... QQ -- 'OJ,,, *'"."c'-3'" .c.::'_" ~'>", 825 36 293 96 2 840 36.5 307 96 1 823 35 288 95 4 805 36 2~u ~4 3 735 36 265 92 6 .. .. ... c C 0 .0... c5 8> 0n U0 .0.0. oo~ "'" "",,'p". ",,,, 0000 "'..s ~O oi .. .0", ..:lp. 4551 355 810 .. c ~ * .. ", Q .. =~ lli .. .0", ..:lp. ..>. 'c"am .t:3",-,< *III -=c-;:; .c.::'_" cH. ..'""::l'o''l 'OJ .. >'"p. .c- '" ~2 Qol ~> 35 I 2841 90 I 8 $ 72.58 9 510 513 462 432 972 945 -3~5 ~. -350 331 90 92 1 88.66 1 3 84.62 2 378 336 714 -37 264 85 9 66.30 10 - - - f--- 1- King ................. 476 36 171 II> I 9 ~ II 660 35.5 236 71> 1U 3z4 16 48f 36 1751 40 13 I 44.33 13 BSiamnkpkiAncsco.u.n.t................ Triumph ............. 510 37.5 191 20 8 10 270 81 351 34 119 36 17 3u. 6 17 243 189 432 35 150 42 14 37.46 16 z~7 324 6z1 36 224 64 10 56.71 12 CCHDo1laeoxlv-ktAelafal.nfn.ldd....H....a.....l...t ........................... ... 272 850 olSU 850 4 38.5 'lIS 32 109 15 327 18 '01S 1. 272 96 10 11 5 4 IS 5 6 39 648 38 840 31 10 246 85 26 96 405 415 lS'U 4u 328 75 4 9 400 500 850 39 332 82 2 459 326 785 38 298 80 6 8 378 324 702 32 225 90 11 Express Webber Curtiss ........................... L. S. ........ 680 33 221 18 673 30 20 85 11 378 270 648 31 211 70 12 7 8 612 3u 11S4 1S5 12 135 243 378 32 121 35 16 189 223 412 30 124 70 15 Poul Tool n e o t.......... .. '" . ..... ..... . . ..1 - ' - 1 - - ' I-I 731> 37 27 ~u 5 378 486 864 35 Z92 78 7 Ii 718 36.5 I 2621 85 I 7 II 4321 4051 837 37 I 3101 76 I 5 I 80.36 4 81.94 3 74.21 7 72.81 8 63.75 11 39.17 15 40.88 14 75.56 6 77.811 5 VARIETY TESTS, VIE-NNA, GA. 1914 1915 1916 VARIETY ...U4) en~ ui .. .0", ..:lP. .... I:: ~ ~ .... 4) 1:: .. :::~ ai .. .0", ..:lP. :>. ...l.:.l 'Cd,: 1lo...;. ~., .... -1::::1::: ,!l:", ~1:~:- ...U4) en. :5 .ic:~3 ~., .... E; ,!l:", ~1:~:- I:: I:: .. 8...3.. ."". ..0...... c0) "' "" .U4) en~ 'al> """',.,,.P,.,;. ",0 0000 enZ oi .. .0", ..:lP. .... I:: ~ ~ Dixie Imp............ 1829 37 .... Lewis 63 ............. 18Z9 37.5 -'I DeSoto ............. 1829 35 CMooudnecllial-T.o.o.l.e.................. 1829 37 677 97 686 97 640 95 677 95 2 1 229z 1 2310 3 2310 2205 2 2292 36 1 826 96 36.5 84 96 35 808 95 37 816 95 36 826 95 3 10261 684 1710 35 :l II 10261 7"'- 1746 36 5 1260 630 1890 35 4 1260 684 194 37 3 900 792 169 36 King .............. 434 36 154 15 9 980 35 343 50 10 1116 504 1620 36 Bank Account ....... 12061 342 1548 34 Simpkins Triumph ......................... DCCHollaxeolv-fkAelfaat.nfn.td.d...H...a......lf.................................. Express Webber ............................ Curtis Dll10n Toole L..... ..S..................................... 543 37.5 775 40 8991 38.5 341 32 1519 38 203 20 310 15 346 20 109 577 90 72 432 1152 35 8 ~ 540 396 936 36 7 175 40 7 10 12 1064 270 1334 40 5 1680 38 638 85 7 1044 360 1404 38 1785 31 553 95 8 990 540 1530 32 1750 30 525 88 9 1134 360 1404 31 10 805 31 250 30 11 9]8 522 1440 32 1 1 I Ii 8fi41 432 1296 30 4 2310 37 1 851i1 96 I 1 II 13321 612 1944 37 2117 :n 7831 911 I 6 II 9181 450 1368 38 :>. :5 .... 4) 1:: .. ;::~ l~ oi .. -'=:5 .0", ..:lP. ~., 559 98 627 98 662 98 19 97 6 9 96. 583 90 526 84 403 80 337 80 534 85 .... E; ,1!l::"_, ~~ 5 3 2 1 4 6 8 13 15 7 .'". 4)01 -I:: 4) ,>:::> "iii .. >'"P. ~1:~:- $153.13 6 158.97 3 169.24 2 177.55 1 154.29 5 147.71 8 135.86 9 103.07 15 75.37 16 130.80 12 534 86 490 97 43 88 461 86 389 87 719 98 520 86 .. 7 1 132.90 11 10 1 158.60 12 133.47 10 111 149.23 7 14 114.39 14 1 177.55 I 9 129.44 13 COTTON VARIETY TEST, ACRE PLATS, VIE A, GA., 1916 ...c VARIETY E..c... 0 0 '.".... "'til ., ;:l en< ..co......,.c.. .g.... ....,c -".8,'."."- 0 ... .,0"" " ,..... e.n, e0n en8 ......oc... ...c... 0"" ", '.", >. ., 0 enZ _-I De Soto 436 521 389 278 568 I 3 1 Lewis 63 __ 1 392 561 402 i I I 286 11641 36 591 2 1 Dillon ----I 468 446 368 I I 348 \ 1630 37 I 603 1 Modella __II 390 428 388 276 II 1482 I I 36 I 534 5 Dixie II (Howell) _ 414 468 328 I 246 \ 1456 35 510 I I Dixie Imp.1 (B-28) 406 429 505 1 II 254 1594 35 I 558 This cotton was planted March 16th in rows 4 1-2 feet apart, and the cotton thinned to about two feet apart in the row; fertilized with one ton of stable manure broadcast before land was plowed, and 400 pounds of 9-3-0 guano was applied per acre in the drill. Soil, sandy loam, typical of much of, the soil of Dooly County. The yield of the Modella and Dixie (Howell) was reduced somewhat on account of poor st~nd in places. 18 VARIETY 'TEST, BRUNSWICK, GA. 1915 1916 VARIETY , ~ o~ Q~ Q ~~ ~~ W~ ~ c ~. ~~ c~ ~O -~E~_ ~~dS~ ~o ~~ ~ 2~-~~ & ~ ~~~~ ~.0Q~ " I ~~~~ ... @ Po. tI1 .~", ~. p.:E~ Q,) ... 'O ~.Ul >_ol~.Ga..''lOc:: I '=4i ~:s ~C01>~ Dixie-Imp. ------------1 728 Lewis 63 1 1092 De Soto 1 936 Council-Toole .. 1 1092 Modella 1 728 ~ Covington-Toole Half & Half 1 884 -1 416 Cook 1 780 Toole 1 520 Poulnot 1 978 Simpkins 1 832 1 35 I 36 1 35 1 37 I 36 1 37 I 40 1 39 1 38 1 36 1 35 1 255 I 393 1 328 1 404 1 262 I 327 I 166 1 304 I 198 1 352 : 291 I 10 12 1 4 1 1 I 9 15 1 14 1 6 I 13 I 3 17 1170 1 35 1 410 1 1 I 104.80 1 2 1000 1 36 1 360 I 6 I 91.20 1 5 1066 I 35 _ I 373 I 3 1 95.39 1 4 962 1 37 I 356 ~ 7 I 89.38 1 7 ---r====-=- 728 1 36 1 262 1 5 1 66.38 1 11 -- -- -- ---1- --- - --1- -- ----I ----- -- ----1- ---- 988 I 40 1 395 1 2 I 96.79 1 3 ------ -- -1- --- -- --1--- -- -- --1- -- ----I --- -- -- -- --1-- --- 962 1 38 1 366 I 4 I 91.11 I 6 -- ------ -1- --- --- -1- ---- ----1--- -- --I - -- ------- -1-- --884 1 35 I 309 I 9 I 71.05. I 9 Bank Account _----- ---1---------1--------1---------1-------- Dix-Afifi 1 780 1 32 1 250 1 11 Express 1 676 I 31 1 209 1 12 676 1 34 1 230 1 11 I 59.38 1 13 r- 1040 I 32 1 333 I 8 I 107.79 I 806 I 31 I 250 10 1 76.68 1 1 8 Webber Curtis L. S. Sea Island No. 50 1 832 I 32 1 266 1 8 1 1 1 1_ _"..: _ 1 1 1 1 _ 624 1 32 1 200 1 12 I 594 1 30 1 178 1 14 1 468 1- 27 1 126 1 15 I 64.72 1 12 58.76 I 14 66.96 I 10 Cleveland -- _-- -- 1_ - - -- - - --1- -- -- -- -1- -- -- -- --1- -- -- --- 520 I 38 1 198 I 13 1 49.26 I 15 Sea Island lint valued at 45 cents per lb.; Dix-Afifi and Webber, 26 cents per lb.; Exprcss,.24 cents per lb; and the lint of the other varieties, 20 cents per lb. The seed valued at $60.00 per ton. VARIETY TESTS, BRUNSWICK, GA. The tests in 1915 and 1916 were planted on Norfolk fine sand, type of soil at New Hope, about 12 miles north of Brunswick. The rows each year were 4 feet apart and the cotton was thinned to one stalk two feet apart in the drill. Each year the cotton was fertilized with 500 lbs. per acre, equal parts of acid and meal. We would call especial attention to the value per acre in this test of the Dix-Afifi cotton. It appears that this section is very well adapted to the growing of long-staple upland, wilt-resistant cotton. It will be noticed that the Express and Webber did not yield so well as the Dix-Afifi. This was on account of the wilt disease. 20 'COTTON VARIETY TEST, THOMASVILLE, GA., 1915 VARIETY 1 Cook ----------------1 1048 58 1636 39 638 2 Dixie-Imp. -' 1118 746 1864 35 652 1 I De Soto -------------1 1152 580 1732 35 606 :3 Modella I1 902 910 1812 36 652 1 Blng _ 996 269 1265 36 455 13 Simpkins --- ------ II 858 234 1092 35 382 14 Triumph Hiett's Stoney -' 756 520 1276 36 459 12 I 1 884 572 1456 36 524 9 I 1 944 432 1376 36 495 11 ----------------1 Toole 1132 476 I 1608 36 579 4 Poulnot I 1 944 562 1506 35 527 -------------1 Rowden 865 614 1479 36 532 7 Dl'X-Afifi EXlIress -Lee I1 1048 650 1698 32 533 6 -1 1250 390 1640 31 508 10 . I1 1090 528 I 1618 35 ' 566 5 I This test was planted on sandy loam soil, typical of much of the sOil ~round Thomasville. The cotton was fertilized with a mixture analyzlnll; 9-3-2, at the rate of 500 lbs. per acre. The wilt disease cut down the yield of a few varieties, such as King, Simpkins and Triumph. 'Conducted 'by Mr. Ira W. W1Iliams. As lstant in Cotton Breeding. 21 COTTON VARIEJ'Y TEST, - COLEMAN, GA., 1916 VARIETY I ' I~,,~ I ' ... bcD 0- .0..l_lcil """" """ "-" """" 'gE~ "Q,J"P.,c~. "' ....... '" .... 0000 ~'CC"I eo en . biJ ai til 2~~ .-42< .0=::3 .oC:J ~S< -Qo(),-)pr-.:=; '" oorc .~.,,; .0o0 C ""," .-4~Ul ... Cc 0'- "'i3. . *fllJ".O.",."ZC;; .-4~ . I .,0.,.:'..".. ... "'Oal ~:.. C ;ar3ni 2''c"" P""'so".....'..-5.; .... C ai ..-Q4 .: "c"'_:l cd=O>>-. III I I Simpkins ------------1 160 I 238 I 164 I 74 I 636 I 35 I 232 I 8 ------------J I I DLx-Afifi 176 II 238 I, 288 I, 100 \ 802 \ 32 257 5 Council-Toole I I i I ', 172 I 290 \ 306 \ 132 900 37 333 1 Lewis 63 --1 I I I I 204 I 318 \ 190 1194 906 36 326 2 De Soto I I I I --1154 1192 218 1126 690 35 242 I 7 Half & Half I I I I I I --1188 \ 216 206 76 686 40 274 3 ------1 I I I I I I I Covington-Toole 134 262 264 80 740 37 274 :3 Peek's Utopia I I I I I --1136 1196 272 1132 736 37 272 Triumph --1146 1----.:1 162 I 86 I 394 I 36 1142 I 9 Dixie Imp. ------------12181-----124812421708135\248\ 6 In this test one acre was planted of each variety. Cotton was planted April 4th in 3 1-2 foot rows, thinned to one stalk every 18 inches in the drill. Four to five tons of stable manure per acre was applied before breaking the land, and 300 pounds of 8-2-2 guano was applied in the drill. Soil, gray gravel, typical of much of the best land around Coleman. The yield in this test was reduced more by the rains than by the boll weevil. The damage from the boll weevil would have been much greater, however, if a fight had not been made in the fall before and in the spring and summer until th3 heavy rains set in, in June, after which time, for about two months, it was almost impossible to fight them. onducted by Mr, Ira Vi', ""i11iams, As islan! in Colton B'-eec1ing, 22 COTTON VARIETY TEST, MORGA ,GA., 1916- , o' 0'- VARIETY '"~c: ~ 00 v. g...; .:: 7 I ,~0~ t..= : ~ ~~ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _-.., _-----.'..:.:...:~=__ __+_---'.~=..---------l-----::.~.~.J::.'a=---.L._-~-.=_>~. Cleveland ------------J 799 39 I 312 1 Dixie-_ ImOp-. - -'-- ----;- I ----'_ _ 2-0'6--'-_-+--_ s____=_ Council-Toole _ I 37 I 269 2 Half & Half _ I 40 262 t 3 HJng Express ~-~-7-_5~9_1_~-~3~6-_+\-~2~13~_;1~~7 1 !l50 I I 31 233 6 Cook De Soto _ I I 621 39 5 242 ----.------;-------7--~ 1 583 I 35 204 I 9 Lewis 63 Triumph -1I 710 I1 348 I I 36 256 4 I I 36 125 11 Dix-Afifi I 1 512 I 32 164 \ 10 In this test one acre was planted in each variety. This cotton was planted on sandy loam soil typical of much of the soil in Calhoun County. It was fertilized with 250 lbs. 9-3-1 guano per acre. Test planted April 12. A fi~ht was made on the boll weevil in the fall and in the spring until the wet weather made it impossible to get into the field. If it had not been for the wet weather this cotton would have made a good yield. Conducted by Mr. Ira 'V. Williams, Assistant in Cotton Breeding. 23 SEA ISLAND COTTO_ A progress report on the experiments conducted with ea Island cotton is here given by Mr. Ira W. Williams Assistant in Cotton Breeding. ' The general impression is that Sea Island cotton is very late. This is true with a great number of varieties. Our experience is that Sea Island cotton can be developed into certain types and also into earliness, and free from diseases much more readily than short cotton. Numerous tests by the Board for a number of years on Sea Island cotton have developed the fact that some varieties are very much earlier than others, as they are now bred. The Sea Island planters who have been the greatest breeders of cotton for a number af years, until recently have not been breeding their cotton for earliness, preferring to breed it for quality of lint. For that reason a number of varieties of Sea Island cotton which have heretofore been grown have been late. Tests conducted this year by the State Board of Entomology at the Valdosta Experiment Station show that one variety, especially the No. 24, which made more than 1400 pounds of seed cotton per acre, put on all its fruit by the first of August. The experiments also prove that three other varieties of cotton were fairly early and put on most of their fruit in the first part of the season. These have been grown under the supervision of the Board for several years and are what are known as native-grown cottons, that is, they were grown in the locality in which they were tested. They are Biles, No. 50, Centerville and Hagen. It was proven by the experi- ments in other cases that the varieties sent out direct from the Islands were later than the varieties grown in the com- munity in which they were planted. We are conducting numerous experiments at the Experiment Station at Valdosta-which are very valuable and will continue to be very valuable for the Sea Island people. It is very much to be regretted that this Station has not been in operation for a greater number of years. 24 SEA ISLAND VARIETY TEST, EXPERIME T STATIO , VALDOSTA, GA. One Acre in Each Variety. . .~ i~ ~ VARIETY NAME cbD iaa p<:;.>'" boO ..... ::l \':< ~ bD l: :>1", . .... Poo '00. goo l: <1l <1l 00 ..=..boO -'" <.> .... Poo '.0.. i- <1l t; 00 .b:D ~~ Poo"" oC"; ~O 0 ~ "" g r0r-. ==..... 0 ~C) I I I I II 19 I No. 90. ---------------- 86 289 410 408 1193 ~ No. 90 B. I I I I -1 169 254 363 309 1095 ~ No. 95 B. --1 I I I 1991 349 383 417 1348 --;-j --I I I I I No. 50., J. T. Ward __ 201 448 339 371 1359 ---;;-1 --I I I I No. 50., J. P. Biles __ 223 313 270 216" 1022 I 24 No. 24. --1 I ~I 399 462 1454 ~ No. 90 A. __ \~ 472\ 291 I 3891 1310 I 26 No. 95 A. --1 I I 214 443 \ 284 I 573 1514 721~ I -;:;-] Superfine, J. S. Whaley_I 232 I 531 1268 I IIIII 25 VARIETY TESTS CONDUCTED IN 1916 By C. A. McLENDON, Expert in Cotton Breeding During 1916 breeding operations with cotton were inau- gurated in twenty-odd counties of the state, ranging from East and Central to North Georgia. One farmer in each of these counties was chosen as our co-operative breeder. We propose to assist these farmers in improving seed for their own use, and through them eventually supply all the other farmers with pedigreed seed suited to their condi- tions. The process of breeding is a slow one, but after the first two or three years in this work thousands of bushels of pedigreed seed will be available for distribution among the farmers. . In breeding experiments with cotton it is necessary to conduct variety tests with several of the most-promising varieties for at least two or three years in order to deter- mine the variety or varieties best suited to the particular sections where the breeding work is to be conducted. After learning in this way the varieties adapted to the different' localities it is our purpose to improve and multiply the seed of these varieties from year to year, as we have been doing in South Georgia for several years, so that all the farmer will have acces,s to pedigreed seed suited to their sections under boll-weevil conditions. Knowing the great demand there will be for pedigreed seed 'suitable to grow under boll-weevil conditions actual breeding work with several of the purest and most-promis- ing varieties has already been begun, and at the end of the season of 1917 several of our co-operative breeders will have a surplus of pedigreed seed for distribution. A great many farmers who have been breeding their cotton for one or more years are now pursuing this work under our direc- tion with good results. Realizing the immediate necessity of knowing as much as possible about the behaviour of varieties in the different section of the state the results of a few of the te ts con- ducted in 1916 are given in tables on pages 28 to 32. Owin~ to the unfavorableness of the season and the fact that the results for a period of less than two or three years are not conclusive nothing definite can be ascertained from these data; but certain things as to the behaviour of the different varieties is indicated, and, as just suggested, the farmers need to know all possible and as soon as possible relative to the merits of the varieties of cotton that are now grown. 26 It will be noted that in most cases the e tests were conducted with a measured aCl'e in each variety, and not with two to four acre rows, as is done by most experimenters with this crop. A great de&l of care was exercised in choosing the land for these tests, and every precaution was taken to make them as accurate as possible. Beginning with 1917 at least two tests will be conducted for extensive studies on the different varieties. About fifty of the most prominent varieties now being grown will be included in these tests, and a careful study of all the characters of the plant which have any bearing on the boll-weevil problem will be made during the entire growing season. 2, ... 00g "00 ol:.,b.I,l.".,. =c.d.~(,J~_; .3EoP-. VARIETY -8;cgi.c~ Express ....... Cleveland ...... erx.."'.", ~ o .c Bank Account. -go's ~O~.,~ ai~ .tJb ~t[;il"~ :; ......... as COo~.>.... Dixie J mpl'oved Dix-Atitl ...... Lewis 63 ...... Modella ....... DeSoto ........ Council-Toole . -8 .. Eo< ... ;.. Cleveland ..... ~ [;ila~l;:~: Bank Dixie Account. Improved ~ ~ ... ci ~ Dix-Ailtl ....... a~ o~.c Lewis 63 ...... :i E 8 8 al Modella ....... m ; 0 '" DeSoto ........ !i 620 495 85& 670 735 765. 64& 796 (l0-3) 454. ~5 670 420 63& 60"" 640' 592 ~c r:::2 ~0~" ON "",,'"f m"r':-.. ~ I: ~ I1l r::rb::Il r:: ... ".0.. .:-.: :0::., O0p'.-, 0'" 0<" "~"C''Sl":, '"""',,.,.,. mp. ~.=, Cl: 1785 174 4 5 100 80 118820~*-6+ 161 7 130 l745 9 198U 1 210 2190 1 1680 6 1461 1825 6 1795 3 1751 197 3 1bJU 1/ ~55 l'I8b 8 1605 8 195 180 7 1875 2 2001 2076 2 10701 6 I 1461 12161 6 193 8 66 859 8 18: ~ L8b 135' J 1007 1160 6_!_ 139 ":-3-1-212 114~!. 7 -13721-2 976 7 199 1761 6 L09l 4 188 1287 4 1192 1 1 1831 1375 1 ...,, . ... ... ... "'''' 'P". ., 'P". Jc~'" "",,',", m< "i::3 ~ ... ",p'". ~-::> ~" ..,r:: .,0 ".,,Eo.<.. m"'p'''. "::>'00 iilO >~ ... ..c._:l'"", ",m'" .>"=1:.'",: . ~ c ~ 5841 13011 1$140.16 $ 39.03 $179.191 5 692 1128 138.40 33.84 172.~4 5 593 1152 118.60 34.56 153.16 9 767 1423 163.40 4~.69 196.09 1 684 1241 '161.84 37.23 189.07 3 709 1261 141.80 37.83 179.6 4 643 1142 128.60 34.~6 16~.86 6301 1170 126.001 35.10 161.10 8 768 1307 163.60 39.21 192.81 2 Remarks Slight Wilt 1nfecthm Slight Wilt Infectio'.! Slight Wilt Infection Stand Good Stand Good Stand Good Stand Good Stand Good -- Stand GOod 462 764 92.40 22.621 115.02' 6 10% Wilt Infection 292 478 ~~67 889 ~~945.260 _ _p . 0 1 26.67 76.4~!_ ..! f---r22-:2"71--3 200/0 Wilt Infection Stand Good 367 779 95.4 23.37 118:19-'--4 Stand Good 4~4i-~78 423 752 99.80 -84-:-60 _26}4i-~26}41_~_ 22.561 107.161 7 Stand Good Stand Good 460 837 90.00 26.11 116.11 5 Stand Good 609 866 101.80 25.981 127.78 1 Stand Good Continued ,lll"';,!'j ~8E :> <) ll.~as~ .:a ~=1~3:j~ >'f;t, a > 2! ~.t: a_ . 0 < ) or...~ f;t,o~ .. 'Jliltpre88 ....... Cook ..... Cleveland .......... Bank Accounl Dixie Improve~ Dlx-AIlIl ....... Lewis 63 .... ,. ModeUa .. " ... DeSoto ........ Council-Toole .:.a:; '''It' I > o O l c d 0<)=...' ",~ Express ....... Cook .......... ~a<=l.e.o..~.:."t~: ~Jeveland .... ,. Jeter's ..... , .. Triumph .... ' .. ; . et' 18 ~-&'':'O~J .<=~~ (;u rUs' L. S. Dlx-AtJll ..... . ,. 0.00Cl) oooQal'i: Lewis 63 ...... C;olJncll-Toolle , (~1b. 1 6 1 299 2117 287 (u~u au, Ib3 ti 497 776 1 439 72S ~ 389 0 a 4 634 10 017 ' 6016 9 . 44 ti3U ~ 34 641 7 37 660 5 376 663 4 (9-18) 676 (10-27) 376 1052 4 72, 584 1308 1 496 448 944 6 528 4 1u2 5 268 4 688 9 280 46 7f8 8 368 53 900 7 b3~1 b9 11~4 ~ 5361 544 1080 3 ti a ti 7 ~ 7 a 6 4 10 6361 9 ti3U ~ 641 7 660 6 663 4 ~U' 461 303 473 2 4b 241 4 222 41 204 4 2 230 409 23: 41 ~31 4' 245 4181 411.4~ 60.60 66.40 411.~0 44.40 63.04 46.00 46.20 46.20 49.00 1". a 1. 1.6 1.1 .6 1. 12.27 L~.30 12.87 12.64 6~.01 b t1l1gnt w t n eclion 74.7 1 Slight Wilt Infection 68. 6 2 Slight Wilt Infection 6~. 4 SUght Wilt Infection 66. 6 10 Stand Good 66. 3 Stand GQod 68.27 9 Stand Good bll.bU II Stand Good 59.07 7 Stand Good 61.b4 6 Stand Good 24 1076 60 136 28 9' 72 1092 64 752 176 924 128 02 tiU 11114 100 1180 6 334 742 80.16 534 834 106.80 22.261 102.42 25. un. 6 Stand Good 1 Stand 90% 36 ti03 13.IIU 1 . ' 9:. Stand Poor 38 710 76.40 2 . 97.7 Stand 90% ~a 411J b4.~UI ,4 611,6 I Rtanrl Poor 8 277 647 '72. 2 1 .4 91. ::;tand Good 6 0129 699 IIb,b41<---~'.:.9' !!I6. Stand Good ~ 426 768 86-:-20 22.7 '107.94 3 Stand Good 3 437 743 117.401 22.~9 109.69 ~ Stand Good ---- ---- Dates on which tests were planted: Bur! ~?O<...lb~ CQ~~.~ ."o_~ Q) ,..:;'" .':O: E~.:;:::;:_~ = .., :::~~2 ._~s... :;;: .~- cE-! ~. ~ e-:.~ ~O~:: . E~'" .:> .~ ~ :J.c g~e~ :> .0" j8~.= Express ....... Cool< . . . . . . . . . . Cleveland ..... Jeter's ........ l'rlumph ....... Kln~ .......... Curtis' r,. H. Dix-AfIfI ...... Lewis 63 ...... Council-Toole 8xpl'ess ...... , Cook ........... Cleveland ..... Bank Account Triumph ...... King ........... Council-Toole UeSoto ........ , Lewis 63 ...... I,angoford ...... VARIETY TESTS, 1916 0I:._~ :::~ 8~ aQr,).~= =bIl o:it 00 ~~ b"JIl -0 ....I:i 00 oil< .,.,= 0'" "'0 "0 Uco "..,',f...-!.. .>: =-: 0 8~ u"0il0'<- "~"'oE.:, 'g~ ~o. 66 803 100 1031 6 lS37 96 966 97 722 47 11311 16 729 136 90 91 949 169 977 122 1252 186 1132 -M 90 62 88 1322 220 1062 108 1364 232 1256 244 107 220 1330 74 1078 .". .0 .>: =oj c::: .,:.. o.e ..;.:<0 ...J ~ 0.., ",5 ~< en, .;:..:1 ..:1:.. .,~ ,,~ ~g ...... <:'>1 .. .. = : c2 I1Clllarl" ~: Os.cQ,) 0..-1'~'"~ Cook .......... Cleveland ..... Half and 'rriumph H..a..l.f. King .......... (10-10) 121 (11-1) 131 131 6 287 271 317 31 2 41 392 299 448 267 738 <:' ~ ~.c Curtis' L. S. .. 38 7 113 ..... Cleveland ..... Jeter's ........ 196 47u 666 3 220 694 14 2 '~0'O..d-~ Triumph ...... 8 412 600 6 .c....o.. ~St:Ol Ol..l0c:: ~~"~~~.~- b ~8oo~.~ King .......... Curtis' L. S. .. Dlx-AtItI ...... Lewis 63 ...... Council-Toole . 380 688 68 1 461 262 308 8 701 202 138 7 164 498 62 4 1181 626 644 6 666 3 260 4061 62.00 666 3 2 . 814 2 2 5 600 6 1 968 4 308 8 9 1 1. 338 10 0 21.6 652 4 235 417 47. 644 6 238 406 47.0 14.19 1 .37 18.16 12.16 21.99 8.46 14.19 17.34 12.99 12.18 1. 74.79 57.77 98.76 67.76 104.59 39.92 72.17 82.34 6:\.79 64.18 6. 6.4 6.9 12.61 12.18 .8 .6 69.61 1>9.78 4 Stand 90% 7 Stand Poor 2 Stand Good 8 Stand 90% 1 Stand Good 9 Stand Good 6 Stand Good 3 Stand Good 6 Stailil"Good 3 Stand Good 4 Stand Good Stand Good Stand Poor Stand Good Stand Good Stand Good 6 Stand Good I> Stand Good Dates on which teRls wCI'e planted: Barl'ow county. April 19; FI'tLllI: C ~ lIJ IlII ... ., CC C '" ".0.. .>-: 8...il: c~"'5.8P,:: 0 ... 0 ... "0,<" .,..,.. me. .>c: p01: ...lIJ .III, c 8- ...,.,',", .0'" S.:! z.s::> e.~ t..~ Long Staple Big Boll BIg Boll Big Boll Semi Ouster King King Big Boll BIg Boll Cluster Long Staple L. S. Wilt Resist. Peterkin Wilt Resist. Peterkin Wilt Resist. Peterkin Wilt Resist. Peterkin Wilt ResIst. Peterkin Wilt Resist. GENERAL CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH VARIETY TESTS WERE CONDUCTED BURKE COUNTY.-Good, sandy loam soil, with slight wilt infection. Planted in cotton for last several years. Preparation very good. Liberal application of stable manure made in drill, and 600 pounds per acre of an 8-2-2 fertilizer applied at planting time. Also, 100 pounds per acre of nitrate of soda applied during the growing season. Planted in 4-foot rows and thinned to one plant every 18 inches. Cultivation as good as the weather permitted. Season rather favorable as a whole, but there was too much rain in July. SCREVEN COUNTY.-Rich, sandy soil, with medium wilt infection. Planted in corn and peas the previous year. Preparation very good. 1,000 pounds per acre of meal and acid mixture applied at planting time, and 250 pounds per acre of meal applied during the growing season. Planted in 5-foot rows and thinned to one plant every 24 inches. Cultivation as good as the weather permitted. Season very unfavorable on account of the wet July and the damage done by a severe hail storm early in June. PULASKI COUNTY.-Sandy soil, with slight wilt infection. Planted in cotton the previous year. Preparation good. Liberal application of stable manure made in the drill. Planted in 3 1-2 foot rows and thinned to one plant every 18 inches. Cultivation as good as the weather. permitted. Season unfavorable on account of wet July. HANCOCK COUNTY.-Good, sandy soil, which was planted in cotton the previous year. Preparation very good. 400 pounds per acre of fertilizer applied at planting time. Planted in 4-foot rows and thinned to one plant every 15 inches. Cultivation as good as the weather permitted. Season very unfavorable on account of dry May and wet July. BARROW COUNTY.-Red, sandy loam soil, which was plant- , ed in oats and peas the previous year. Preparation very good. 400 pounds per acre of a 10-2-3 fertilizer applied at planting time. Planted in 4-foot rows and thinned to one plant every 18 inches. Cultivation as good as the weather permitted. Season very unfavorable on account of dry May and wet July. FRANKLIN COUNTY.-Sandy, clay-loam soil, which was planted in corn and peas the previous year. Preparation very good. 600 pounds per acre of meal and acid mixture applied at planting time. Planted in 3 1-2 foot rows and thinned to one plant every 18 inches. Cultivation as good as the weather permitted. Season unfavorable on account of dry May and wet July. CHEROKEE COUNTY.-Red, clay soil, which had been plant- 1111 ed in corn, oats, and peas the last few years. Preparation very good. Very liberal application of stable manure made broadcast before the land was broken, and 300 pounds per acre of meal and acid mixture applied at planting time. Planted in 5-foot rows and thinned to one plant every 24 inches. Cultivation as good as the weather permitted. Season very unfavorable on account of dry May and wet July. HALL COUNTY.-Red, clay soil, which had been planted in corn, oats, and peas the last few years. Preparation very good. Liberal application of stable manure made in the drill, and 200 pounds per acre of a complete fertilizer applied at planting time. Planted in 4-foot rows and thinned to one plant every 24 inches. Cultivation as good as the weather permitted. Season very unfavorable on account of dry May, severe hail storm in early June, and wet July. VARIETIES AND SOURCES OF SEED USED IN THE TESTS Express-Felix Williams, Villa Rica, Ga. Cook-Lee J. Williams, Carrollton, Ga. Cleveland-Lee J. Williams, Carrollton, Ga. Triumph-Lee J. Williams, Carrollton, Ga. Half & Half-J. J. L. Pnillips, Tifton, Ga. King-H. G. Hastings Co., Atlanta, Ga. Bank Account-H. G. Hastings Co., Atlanta, Ga. Simpkins-H. G. Hastings Co., Atlanta, Ga. Jeter's-J. S. Jeter, Waco, Ga. Langford-T. F. Thomas, Lavonia, Ga. Dix-Afifi-J. B. Wight, Cairo, Ga. Dixie Improved-M. B. Council, Americus, Ga. Lewis 63-M. B. Council, Americus, Ga. De Soto--M. B. Council, Americus, Ga. Council-Toole-M. B. Council, Americus, Ga. Modella-J. D. He~dley, Vienna, Ga. Webber-J. D. Hendley, Vienna, Ga. Cleveland-For tests at Vienna and Lumpkin, H. A. Wood, Pine- hurst, Ga. Covington-Toole-W. F. Covington, Headland, Ala. Toole, 1915-J. W. Mathis, Dawson, Ga. Toole, 1916-J. F. HumbeJ;, Lumpkin, Ga. Poulnot-S. P. Kissick, Cusseta, Ga. Dix-Afifi, Dixie Improved, Lewis 63, De Soto, Council-Toole, and Modella are pedigreed varieties bred by the Georgia State Board of Entomology. . THANKS AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We desire to thank especially the following gentlemen for land furnished on which to conduct the variety tests, and for their hearty cooperation: Hon. M. B. Council, Americus, Ga. Mr. John M. Council, Americus, Ga. Mr. J. D. Hendley, Supt. of the Modella Farm (Howell's Plantation), Vienna, Ga. Mr. J. F. Humber, Lumpkin, Ga. Dr. H. R. Ingram, Coleman, Ga. Mr. C. J. McClelland, Morgan, Ga. Mr. R. H. Parker, Brunswick, Ga. Mr. E. E. Chance, Waynesboro, Ga. The E T. Comer Co., Millhaven, Screven Co., Ga. Mr. T. I. Brown, Finleyson, Ga. Hon. Jno. D. Walker, Sparta, Ga. Mr. G. W. Smith, Winder, Ga. MMr T. F. Thomas, Lavonia, Ga. r. Gus Coggins, Canton, Ga. Mr. B. M. Stallworth, Manager Pacelot Mfg. Co., New Holland, Ga. 35 " .:." ....t~ .~' -" -1 ........ ~ . . .' 'eO " '0' \ LISTnii' AVAILABLE PUBLICATIONS, ~E~RGIA STATE BOARD OF ENTOMOLOGY. BuIi:~Q.l,q:.: Some Common Insects Injurious to the Apple. Bull. 'No. 26. Peach Leaf Curl, Yellows, Rosette and Little Peach. Bull. No. 34. Wilt Disease of Cotton in Georgia and its Control. Bull. No. 37. Crop Pest Law of Georgia, Other States and Canada. Bull. No. 40. Cotton Wilt in Georgia. Bull. No. 41. Some of the More Important Truck Crop Pests in Georgia. Bull. No. 42. Annual Report of the State Entomologist for 1914. Bull. No. 43. The Prinicpal Parasites of the Peach. Bull No. 44. The Mexican Cotton Boll-Weevil. Bull. No. 45. Annual Report of the State Entomologist for .1~15. Circular No.6. The Use of Soluble Oils Against San Jose -Scale. Circular No.7. The Hessian Fly in Georgia. Circular No.8. Experiments for Control of San Jose Scale, 1907-1908. Circular o. 9. The Brown-Tail Moth. Circular No.11. Wilt Disease of Cotton and its Control with Suggestions on Seed Selection. Circular No. 19. Boll-Weevil Quarantine Regulations. 86 Georgia State Board of Entomo ogy E. LEE WORSHAM, State Entomologist Atlanta, Ga. BULLETIN 47 FEBRUARY, 1917 HOW TO GROW COTTON IN SPITE OF THE BOLL WEEVIL BY IRA W. WILLIAMS corrON SPECIALIST IN CHARGE EXPERIMENT STATIONS OF STATE BOARD OF ENTOMOLOGY Short Cotton, Thomasville, Ga. Sea Island Cotton, Valdosta, Ga. ATLANTA GEORGIA t)~ of D. APR 2 1917 Georgia State Board of Entomology E. LEE WORSHAM, State Entomologist Atlanta, Ga. BULLETIN 47 FEBRUARY, 1917 HOW TO GROW COTTON IN SPITE OF THE BOLL WEEVIL BY IRA W. WILLIAMS COTTON SPECIALIST IN CHARGE EXPERIMENT STAlIONS OF STATE BOARD OF ENTOMOLOGY Short Cotton, Thomasville, Ga. Sea Island Cotton, Valdosta, Ga. ATLANTA GEORGIA GEORGIA STATE BOARD OF ENTOMOLOGY ORGANIZATION HON. J. J. BROWN, Chairman, Commissioner of Agriculture, Atlanta. HON. R. C. BERCKMANS, Augusta. HON. JNO. A. COBB, Americus. E. LEE WORSHAM, State Entomologist and Secretary of the Board, Atlanta. A. C. LEWIS, Assistant State Entomologist, Atlanta. W. V. REED, Assistant Entomologist, Atlanta. W. W. CHASE, Assistant Entomologist, Atlanta. W. F. TURNER, Assistant Entomologist, Thomasville. IRA W. WILLIAMS, Cotton Specialist, Atlanta. C. A. McLENDON, Expert in Cotton Breeding, Atlanta. J. D. SMITH, Assistant Entomologist, Valdosta. C. G. CRI'ITENDEN, Assistant in Charge Transmission of Cotton Diseases by Insects, Thomasville. PREFACE. The legislature, for many years, has made it the duty of the State Board of Entomology to not only investigate the insects infesting plant life, but to investigate the di eases and work out methods for growing different plants in pite of both insect and diseases. In many instances the one i just as important as the other. The cotton farmer in South Georgia who attempts to grow cotton without a thorough knowledge of the varieties of cotton, and it different diseases, will find cotton growing a very unprofitable business. This Bulletin is the result of experiments conducted by the State Board of Entomology on the growing of cotton in spite of the various pests to which the cotton plant is heir. Georgia is fully ten to fifteen years ahead of any state that ha become infested by the boll weevil, because of the re ults obtained from the investigations made on cotton by the State Board of Entomology. Ten years ago investigations were begun for the purpose of being able to give the farmer the information he wanted about the different phases of cotton growing under boll weevil conditions. Particular attention has been devoted to the development of early fruiting, disease resisting varieties that would be be t adapted to the different sections of Georgia. The question of the rIght variety of cotton for the ection where it is to be grown is more than half of the fight, and splendid results have been obtained from our experiments in this connection. This problem has never been worked out for any state as it has for Georgia. Every farmer should have a copy of the results of variety tests conducted in the different sections of the state for a period of years and published in Bulletin No. 46 by the State Board of Entomology. We have succeeded in developing at least six varieties that are very resistant to disease and that are early fruiting. One of these is a long-staple upland variety that has old on the market for 24 to 30 cents a pound during the ..-. 4 pa t ea on. Several varieties of early fruiting Sea Island cotton have been developed at the experiment station at Valdosta. In the future it is going to be nece sary for the farmer to run a race with the boll weevil; he must simply "beat him to it." In order to win, the farmer must know how to uccessfully handle the problems of disease; know the variety of cotton that will net him most money per acre in hi particular section; he must know how to prepare his land, how to fertilize, when and how to plant; distance of plant , and how to cultivate. If he would familiarize himself with these problems he will be able to make cotton profitably in pite of the boll weevil. Thi Department maintains two stations, one at Thomasville for short cotton, and one at Valdosta for Sea Island cotton, for the purpose of growing cotton successfully under all of the different conditions with which the farmer has to contend. This Bulletin is the result of actual experiments in Georgia, and a careful study of cotton growing, and the facts contained herein are of immense value to the farmer. E. LEE WORSHAM, State Entomologist. FOREWORD. This Bulletin is written from facts secured by the State Board of Entomology in its experimental work with farmers for a number of years. and from the experiments made at its experiment stations at Thomasville and Valdosta, Ga. Also from facts gathered by the writer from ten years' experience with practical farmers, part of the time working with the ational Government, but recently with the tate Board of Entomology. It is strictly a farmer's Bulletin for growing cotton under boll weevil conditions, but the methods given are also good for growing cotton with, or without, the boll weevil. We will not take up 'space in this Bulletin to give illustrations and cite the facts and authorities that have been consulted backing up the facts which we have found to be true and which we here present. If anyone takes isue with us in regard to facts stated, or wishes any additional information, we will be glad to have him write us. Cotton growing, as outlined, would be an ideal method, and we feel sure would produce maximum results, but every farmer knows that it is not always possible to conform to written outlines; conditions change, dry weather, exce sive rains, or late cold snaps come, then he is compelled to use his own judgment in order to get the best results under the conditions. However, these facts can be kept in mind, and the nearer one comes to the ideal, the greater will be the results. PRACTICAL FACTS ABOUT BOLL WEEVIL. It is not intended to discuss the boll weevil technically, but there are a few practical facts about the weevil that every man who attempts to grow cotton under boll weevil conditions ought to know. Climatic conditions have a great deal to do with weevil infestation. During a cold winter very few of the weevils survive. Dry weather in June, July and August is very detrimental, but wet weather during these months is very favorable to their reproduction. PLATE E PLAn: SHOWIXG DEVELOPMENT OF BOLL WEEVIJ. FIlOM TIME EGO IS LAllI UNTIL WEEVIL IS F LLY DEVELOI'ED: A, BAND C, PUNCTURED SQUAIlES IN WHICH EGGS ARE LAID; D, LARVA DEVELOPED WITHIN THE SQU.AJl.E; E, PUPA DEVELOPED WITHIN TIlE SQUARE; F AND G, BACK AND IDE VJEWS OF FULL OROWN BOl.L "'EE\TL. (STATE BOARD OF EXTO~[OLOOY.) 7 If the hibernating quarters of the weevils are good and the winter warm, weevils are likely to be more numerous in the spring of the year. Spanish moss, old stumps, negro houses and the bark of trees, or any place where the weevil can keep dry and warm, furnishes ideal winter quarters. Under normal conditions only a small per cent of the weevils go through winter. These begin to appear on the cotton early in the spring, if the season is favorable, about the time the cotton begins to come up, and they contiue to come out from winter quarters until some time in July. They live on the bud of the cotton until the squares begin to form. They begin to deposit their eggs in the squares preparatory to raising the firflt generation of weevils about the time the first bloom appears. According to facts given by Entomologists, it requires from 2 to 4 days for the eggs to develop into larvae, from 5 to 12 days for the larvae to turn into pupae, and from 3 to 6 days for the pupae to develop into weevils. The new weevils will emerge and begin depositing their eggs in from 8 to 11 days. Plate I shows different stages of weevil development. From these facts it is seen that it requires from 18 to 33 days from the time the egg is deposited until the new weevil begins laying eggs. In the spring time when the weather is cool the period is about 33 days, while later in the season, with moist, warm weather, the period is about 18 days. The winter weevils, or even the first generation hatched out, unless the winter weevils are very numerous, do very little damage to the cotton. The fight against the weevil, or what the farmer can do, will be outlined in the following pages of this Bulletin and consists of reducing the winter weevils, retarding as much as possible the development of first and second generations, improving the cotton crop generally, eliminating diseases, and hastening the growth of the cotton as fast as possible so that a crop of bolls will be set before the weevils get sufficiently numerous to prevent the plant from putting on more fruit. Under boll weevil conditions the crop should be made by Aug. 1st to Aug. 15th. 8 PERFECT STAND OF COTI'ON. It is readily seen from these facts that it is important under boll weevil conditions to have a perfect stand of cotton, and have this stand as early as possible. If only a definite number of bolls can be put on a' stalk of cotton before the boll weevils become sufficiently numerous to infest the squares as fast as they are put on, the more stalks of cotton the more fruit there will be. If there are any skips in the cotton the loss will be in proportion to the number of stalk which are lacking in having a perfect stand. CARE OF THE SEED. In order that the stand of cotton may be perfect it is necessary to have absolutely sound seed. The following figure show the unsound condition of much of the seed used throughout the State for planting. By taking samples of the planting seed of twenty different farmers we found the per cent of germination to be as follows: 7, 5, 15, 21, 23, 30, 47, 52, 55, 23, 53, 74, 85, 65, 67, 54, 82, 88, 90, 93 per cent. Sound eed is a necessity. It can be secured: by picking cotton, the seed of which is to be used for planting, as rapidly as it opens. If open cotton is allowed to remain in the field during wet weather it will cause a very great percentage of seed to be damaged. The cotton should be picked when it is dry. If necessary, it should be sunned in the field before it is put in the house. It should be kept dry and ginned dry; then the seed put in bushel sacks and stored away in some dry place where the air can circulate freely among the sacks. Seed should be treated for diseases before planting, as outlined in Appendix A. If the sulphuric acid treatment is used, which delints the seed, they will come up from three to five days earlier than if planted with the lint on them. If they are not delinted by the sulphuric acid treatment all planting seed should be reginned, as seed are reginned at an oil mill taking off all the lint. 9 By this mean the cotton will come up with a better stand, more regular and a few days earlier than otherwise. SEED ELECTIO . A good variety of cotton, well bred and well adapted to ection where it is to be grown, is the mo t important single item in growing cotton with the boll weevil. Without good pedigreed seed, locally adapted, it is not possible to produce cotton profitably if weevil infestation i very great. Cotton, when it tart to fruit, should put on fruit rapidly and uniformly throughout the field. This cannot be secured unless we have pedigreed eed. If a single stalk selecti<:>n has been made through a period extending back over a number of years, the cotton will become much more uniform and truer to type. The proper method is to select a number of talks, 25 to 50 of the variety considered best, early, productive, true to type, and free from di ea e. Plant these talk in separate rows; examine carefully, and study the row. Select the most de irable, early and productive row, al 0 be careful that it i free from any disease, and treat the seed before planting. Increase this row into a block and from the block into as large an area as possible. If this large area doe not plant the entire field, increa e again the next year. Select the individual stalks each year from rows or blocks of previous selection and repeat the method every year. This is briefly a method followed in securing pedigreed eed. If one is not willing to go to the trouble of developing his eed by thi method, he hould purchase one or more bushels of seed of a variety adapted to his locality, each Year, from some man who has pedigreed seed, and from these seed plant the entire crop the second year. Any variety, although it is locally adapted, will do better when it is planted in a locality the second year. Require thi man, if possible, to furnish a certificate from some reputable pathologist that his seed are free from black arm and anthracnose. It would also be well to require the seller to 10 furnish delinted seed, preferably by sulphuric acid treatment for black arm and anthracnose, as it is possible for the seed to become infected with these germs at the gin. This seed, of course, should be wilt resistant if the field where it is to be planted is infected with wilt. Kind of Stalk. The type of stalk to be selected for growing with the boll weevil is a small stalk with as little foliage as possible, provided it is equally as productive as larger stalks. While we would not recommend that the stalk be entirely free from vegetative branches, it should contain very few of them. It should have a large number of fruiting branches, starting close to the ground and coming out well towards the top of the plant. Bolls. Everything being equal, cotton to be grown in infested areas should have a medium sized boll. Small boll cotton might be best, if it were not for the fact that other disadvantages offset the weevil advantage obtained on account of the small boll. Theoretically, if 50 bolls of cotton made one pound of large boll cotton and the weevil punctured 25 squares of this variety, and 100 bolls made one pound of small boll cotton and the boll weevil punctured 25 squares, we would have one-half pound of one variety left and threefourths pound of the other. In my opinion, from experience with growing cotton with the weevil, a medium or small boll cotton is the best. How to Handle Selections. A good method of making individual selections and saving the seed from each stalk separate, is when the stalk is selected to take a small bag, which will be furnished by the office of the State Board of Entomology upon appIi- 11 cation. and tie it on the stalk in such a way that the cotton can be picked and put into the sack as fast as it opens and is dry. It will not damage in the bag in ordinary weather. The sack should be removed to some dry place as soon as most of the desirable bolls are open. This furnishes a handy method of- picking bolls as soon as they open, and at the same time keeping each stalk separate. When the cotton is all picked these sacks can be sent to the Georgia State Board of Entomology, State Capitol, Atlanta, Ga., or to the Experiment Station, Thomasville, Ga., or if Sea Island Cotton to the Experiment Station, Valdosta, Ga., where the cotton will be ginned and the per cent of lint carefully calculated, and the seed returned, together with a table, showing the per cent of lint of the different stalks. Mass Selection. What is known as "Mass Selection", under certain conditions, can be practiced with good results. Mass selection consists of going through the field and picking the cotton from a large number of healthy and productive stalks, in this way getting enough seed from the field to plant the crop for next year. This is especially advisable if the farmer is going to save his seed from a wilt resistant variety on badly infected land. He is sure in this way to get no stalks in his planting seed which are partially infected by wilt. The spores of the wilt are not carried in the seed, but seed from a stalk which is not wholly resistant, are liable to produce cotton which will die very badly from the wilt when planted. There are cottons we term semi-resistant, which do not die a badly as some other varieties and can be planted to great advantage on soils which are not badly infected. The planting seed for each successive year should be taken from healthy stalks by this method of ,mass selection. If this method is followed the semi-resistant cotton will be rendered more resistant and more productive. 12 VARIETIES OF COTTON. Varieties of cotton mean very little as is generally understood. There is no variety worthy to be called a variety unle it i pedigreed and kept up annually by a good breeder who breeds pedigreed seed. There is no variety of cotton that will not quickly degenerate by producing barren stalks and stalks off type, even if the seed is kept pure at the gin, which most farmers think is all that i nece ary in order to keep a variety pure. Varietie also become mixed by insects and in the course of time degenerate. Pedigreed breeding eliminates all this. Most of the varieties of cotton that we have at the present time are seed which were purchased from some one who adverti ed them and which were not pedigreed eed to start with. Other varietie have never been selected or kept pure after the foundation wa made. The Board has found, by making experiment throughout the State, that a variety which is excellent in one section of the State is extremely poor in another. They have quite recently conducted experiments to try to determine the best variety of cotton for any given locality. A Bulletin, No. 46, giving results of the test has been issued by the Department. In thi Bulletin, by McLendon and Lewis, it will be een that varietie tested by Lewis in the southern part of the State give entirely different results from many varieties tested by McLendon, whose tests were largely in the northern part of the State. A variety locally adapted, which put on fruit early, uniformly, and rapidly, and ha no barren talks, is the most productive. Charts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and tables how blooming record, total blooms and percent of fruit set, of different varieties of cotton, both upland and Sea Island, for the past year at ihe Board's experiment stations at Thomasville and Valdo ta, Ga. These tables and charts show the great value of the different varieties in producing a crop of cotton before the boll weevil get so numerous that it will be impossible to put on any more fruit. 13 BLOOMI G RECORDS OF VARIETY TESTS. THOMASVILLE EXPERIMENT STATION. Short Staple Cotton. June 15-Aug. 1, 1916. Per cent of No. blooms Fruit et fruit set 1. Express 1149 379 32 2. Dixie Improved .. 819 281 34 3. Cleveland........ 7411/2 248% 33 4. Dix-Afifi 903 l/:! 254 28 5. Toole 10001/2 2171/2 21 6. DeSoto.......... 879 236% 26 7. Cook 669 1/ 2 186 28 8. Simpkins........ 898 200 22 9. Lewis 63 841 236l,/z 28 10. Triumph 721 212l/ i 29 11. Council Toole 9 6 331% 33 SEA ISLAND EXPERIMENT STATION, VALDO TA, GA. ea I land Cotton. June 15-Aug. 23 1916. Variety 1 o. 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 No. Bloom 1273 1163 1426 1702 1649 1099 1636 1575 1292 Fruit set 1010 587 1183 1140 1234 921 ]346 ]236 1105 Per cent of fruit et 79 50 54 66 74 83 82 78 85 Yield per acre 1193 1095 1348 1359 1022 14Q4 1310 1478 1278 The e count were made on 25 talk of each of the different varieties under equal and average conditions. Duplicate counts were made. Tables give average. 14 LENGTH AND PER CENT OF LINT. Experiments made by the Board in ginning numerous samples of cotton, equally well bred, prove the fact that as the cotton gains in length of lint, it loses in per cent. Then the question arises whether or not it would pay to grow a variety of cotton for length of lint. In pounds of seed cotton per acre it is possible to grow as much long staple upland cotton as it is the shorter staple. If this could be sold for enough premium to pay for the los in per cent of lint, it would pay to grow long staple cotton. A cotton 1 1-8 to 1 5-16 inch staple is very much in demand at this time. If a market were established for it in Georgia it would pay in a great many section of the tate to grow a cotton giving a longer staple. Express cotton, which has proved to be one of the most productive and earliest cottons in our tests, gives a length of taple of 1 1-8 to 1 3-16 inches. The Dix-Afifi, an upland cotton, originated by the State Board of Entomology, gives a longer staple, is very productive and early, and is wilt resistant. Tests conducted by the Board show it to be one of the earliest cottons' now grown. You will see from the table on the blooming records that Express and Dix-Afifi are among the best, if not the best, of the early fruiting cottons. Express, with the proper market, would bring from 3 to 5 cents premium while Dix-Afifi would bring a premium of 6 to 8 cents. The prices in relation to length of lint varies as does short cotton, but does not follow the short cotton in its variations. It is sometimes high when short cotton is low, and low when short cotton is high. OIL CONTENT OF DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF COTON SEED. In investigations made by the State Board of Entomology ~n regard to the oil content of the different varieties of cotton se~d we were not able to establish any constant fact showing a difference in the oil content of the different. ya- 15 rieties. We therefore wrote the U. S. Department of Agriculture for facts on this question. Appendix B gives letter received from Mr. W. A. Taylor, Chief of the Burean of Plant Industry, in regard to same. DISEASES OF COTTON. In this connection the question of diseases of cotton should be discussed. There are four very detrimental diseases of cotton which should be eliminated before a farmer is prepared to grow cotton with the boll weevil. They are wilt, root-knot, black arm, and anthracnose. Wilt. In no ection of the State where wilt i prevalent hould a farmer attempt to grow cotton that is not wilt resistant. This point is made clear in connection with a perfect stand of cotton. If cotton is planted which is not wilt resistant a perfect stand cannot be expected. A great many gaps would be filled in by the spread and growth of cotton, but with the boll weevil this is not true, so it is important to have a cotton which resists the wilt or black root. We are not discussing in this Bulletin the disease of wilt. The State Board has already published Bulletins on this subject. It is a fungus disease that exists in the soil, and the method of fighting it is to have a resIstant cotton. The Board ha developed about six varieties which are wilt resistant and which are early enough to produce equally a well a other varieties in the southern 'part of the State. Root-Knot. The disease of root-knot, or nematode, is a serious ~e?ace in the southern part of the State. It is very inJurIOUs and dwarfs the plant. No variety of cotton will ucceed when nematodes are present. This disea e is caused by a small worm known as a nematode, or ellworm. It PLATE II st-:.\ lSI..\Xn CO'l'TO:S I.t: .-\'-' .\F"'t;CTED WITH {'BLACK AID(." (STATY. ROAnn Of' E 'TOMOT.OOV.) PLATE III PLANO CO'l"l'ON LEAf' AFFEC'l'EU Wl'l'H ~'DLACK Ani'\[." (STATE BOARD OF' f;STO)rOI.OOY.) PLATE IV "YOUNG COTTON Pl.A TS AF'FECTED BY "BLACK ARM." LL PLANTS .\ltE FRO:\[ TIU~ SAl\lE HILL. TJlF. STALKS OF THESE. )lJ..AX1" II VI; A WATEK- OAKED APl't:ARAXCE. J. TOTE THAT ALI.. PI...AXTS AilE nEXT IN TUE OX TBICTEU 1'0llTIOX OF"l.'J[F: STALK, (11.1. TlIATlO', COURTt:SY OF" f.F:M OS CoU.EGE.) PLATE V c. YOl~G COTTO' PLANTS Mt'EC'l'ED BY 'BLACK AR~[." A, NOIU[Ar. I'f.AXT 1.EFT IITA DING BY THE LABORER IN THE PROCE OF THINNING. B, C, .0, Dr EASED PLASTS HOPPY-D OUT BY TIlE LABORER IX TIlE PRGCE OF THISNING. (It.LI:"STRATION, COTIRTE Y OF J.E)[ ON COLLEGE.) 20 can be eradicated by planting on the land, previous to COtton, crops which are not attacked by these worms. They can be largely eliminated with one year's rotation. In Appendix C is given a list of crops not attacked by nematodes. Cotton should follow some of these crops unless it follows cotton where the previous year's cotton crop proved that the disease was not present. Angular Leaf Spot, or Black Arm. Angular leaf spot, or black arm, is a bacterial disease. It is doing a great deal of damage to the cotton crop. Plates II to V give illustrations of this disease. The Sea Island cotton planters recognize the disease very readily as it attacks the stems of the plants, as well as the bolls. This causes the stems to die and the bolls to rot or open prematurely. In short cotton the appearance of the disease is known by brown angular spots on the leaves. Later, a great many squares and small bolls dry up. See Plate VI. We have been accustomed to think this was caused by dry weather, but a great many times it was angular leaf spot. Next will come watery looking spots on the bolls which cause the bolls to rot. Anthracnose, a fungus disease, diseussed below, is greatly aided in its pread by this disease as it readily attacks most of the bolls infected with black arm. The best method of eradicatmt the disease is to select stalks and bolls for planting that are not infected. It is hard to detect the disease when the plants have become fully matured and the cotton begins to open. Seed breeders should go through the field at least twice during the summer and mark stalks that are free from the disease, then make their fall selections from these stalks. This will tend to eliminate the germ that is within the seed coat. -Then by treating the seed according to one of the methods given in Appendix A, it will have a great effect in eliminating the disease. PLATE VI SEA ISw\.-D COTrON SQU.ARS AFFECTED WITH ((BT..ACK AR.:\[,/J EA 11._\~D COTTO~ BOI.LS AFFECTED "lnTH "BLACK ARM." (STATE 1l0.\RD OF E~TO~IOLOGY.) 23 Anthracnose. Anthracnose, which is very destructive to the production of cotton throughout the whole State, i ometimes called boll-rot. A great many farmer do not realize that it is a distinct fungus disea e which attack the plant. Thi disease begins on the bolls with a little brown pot, as if acid were dropped on the boll , differing from black arm by reason of the fact that the spot is brown. It finds ready access to the bolls through the watery spot caused by black arm. Plate VII give cut of anthracnose. Every farmer should become familiar with thi di ea e. We have een large field where 75<,7< of the boll weI' de troyed by anthracnose. The same method of seed selection should be practiced a recommended fOJ black arm, except that the maximum infection of anthracnose is in the fall of the year and selection should be made at thi time. No stalks should be taken for breeding that have any signs of the disease on the bolls. Seed for rows and block should alway be treated for thi disease before planted, and a the seed is liable to become infected with the spore of the disease at the gin, planting eed should be treated a recommended in Appendix A. BOLL WEEVIL. De truction of talk All of the previou di cu ion ha been in regard to improving the cotton plant and eliminating the common and de tructive di ease. If the instruction given are carried out, we feel sure that it would improve the plant to such an extent that it would almost outweigh the damage of the boll weevil. Thi is especially true if the following instruction are carried out in making a direct fight on the boll weevil. Cotton stalks hould be destroyed in the' fall of the year a quickly as possible after cotton is harvested. One of the greatest helps in growing cotton with the boll weevil .... f3/oomingliPcord Explanation .... No. 24 128/lJlool1u.~itJ(!/J1541.1lJ5eed"wHen fIlrAcrtJ No22 1702" 66 .. .. /359" .. CXPRESS /2/5" J2 " .. /250 " FIG. 1. DAlLY BLOOMING AND YIELDS OF TWO VAlUETlB8 or 110 :.xiPL ~/ A Ii N Me ~ o ohi l - f) JT. NCt.- ~. J' 2/ 1 ~' $'2'18.'Jj~ '''r :-29 LJ oob1sIf" y .. Si0 "21 07 i 10 mp rWc e : 0 7T June ';DJ Au d. p' irA TO I I ','4 .'J oulna p r \"c, I I I I I I I I I II II II I -,I " -I. , J 24 2.s ... v , . lobm '.~ 3i # e.~' iO~ bIZ 0(. ~ , . ~.iLs>jIS~T(.14.Ni~ II I I , 1/ 1,/ ,, , \ /1 -.J. '" I \ I I \ ,.' 1\ ,i'tjl I \ I\ "!/ \/; -~- - ,\ ,, ,I /~J/-- . . :1 , .19 -'0 L S July " " , IJ /. I ,. .... FIG. 2. DISTANCE TEST, BLOO)(JSG (STAn .,AU , , ,, ,,' ,, ,I 'AR1Wry OF SHORT COTTON. I, I. ,/ \, I I I 3D :Jf I 1 Auyu,1r t;A 1 LAXD COTl'OS. 26 is to reduce the number of weevils in the fall of the year, or rather reduce the weevils that go through the winter. If the food supply of the weevil is destroyed several weeks before frost, numerous weevils perish and those that go into winter quarters 'are 0 weakened that very few are able to stand the winter. Below are given some facts worked out by the United States Bureau of Entomology, which show the per cent of weevils surviving the winter at different periods of detruction of stalks: Weevil Survival with Stalks Destroyed at Varying Dates. AMONG 1000 WEEVILS. When stalks destroyed: Sept. 16-30 Oct. 1-15 Oct. 16-31 Nov. 1-16 umber surviving 2 21 68 121 This is one of the most important things to do in the fight against the weevil. The destruction of stalks would be much more effective in the fight against the boll weevil than an early frost. In the spring of the year the fight against the weevil is an individual fight; every man profits by his own efforts. It is very important that the whole community destroy the stalks. The best method of destroying the stalks is to turn them under four inches deep. Any method which will turn the stalks under deep in the ground will be successful. There are numerous ways given, but in most cases each farmer can make such arrangements as are best suited to his conditions and soil. If this is not practicable they can be cut and burned, or simply plowed up several weeks before the first killing frost, so that the talks will die, thereby destroying the food of the weevil. This would be a great help. PLATE VIII cow A-COTrON "~OLLOWING COM::llOX IlEA. (STATE DOARO OF E~TO)Ior.ooY.) R-s.\:\lE '-AHIETY 0.' COTTO"" f'OLLOWIXO conx AXD VELVET BEAN. I.OCATIOX, CUT.TlVATION A~"'D FERTILIZATION SAME IX DOTH CASES. ( TATE BOARD OF EXTOMOLOG..... ) 28 FALL PREPARATION OF THE LAND. It is best for cotton to follow corn and velvet beans, or if this cannot be done, it should follow corn and iron, or Brabham peas, or iron and Brabham pea stubble, as they fertilize the ground and come more nearly to freeing the soil from the diseases which attack cotton. Cotton can be grown after cotton successfully, provided cotton did well on the ground the previous year and was free from disease. Plate VIII shows cotton growing after corn and beans and cotton growing after common peas. If cotton is planted after cotton and the ground has been turned and stalks plowed under, that much fall preparation will have been completed. After any crop it is necessary that land should be turned well in the fall of the year when cotton is to be planted the following year. On the area devoted to cotton no cover crop should be planted. This i important for two reasons, as all of the leguminous crops which are generally recommended, such as vetch, burr and crimson clover are subject to root-knot, or ratner are attacked by nematodes which cause root-knot, therefore they keep the nematodes alive which attack the cotton plant. Appendix C gives list of plants attacked by nematodes, also letter in regard to cover crops. In the second place it is absolutely necessary that the farmer prepare a seed bed early in the spring and a winter cover crop would hardly have time to make sufficient growth to pay for planting. In the case of a crop like rye, serious damage sometimes follows from cutworms. During the winter when the ground is dry, it should be stirred once every two or three weeks, using a disc or tooth harrow, and if time permits, it should be plowed. This pulverizes the soil and mixes in the humus, and by airing the soil in winter months more plant food "becomes available. PROPER SEED BED. Early in the spring, perhaps in February, in the southern part of the State, if the ground is dry, the seed bed should be prepared. If the fall preparation has beeR made 29 the ground should be harrowed thoroughly and the rows laid off shallow. Then the fertilizer should be sowed in a broad band in the furrow, or a plow run through it, thoroughly mixing it with the soil. Some distributors scatter the fertilizer sufficiently to eliminate mixing it with the plow. Make a low bed on this, unless it should be necessary to plant on a high bed on account of the soil not being well drained. Be sure that the fertilizer is applied and the list made long enough before planting time for the bed to become well settled. When it is time to plant run a harrow over the beds, leveling them down. A section harrow run across the rows is best. A small amount of fertilizer could be applied to adva~tage with the seed at planting time, provided it does not come in contact with the germinating seed in such a way as to injure it. Nitrate of soda applied at the rate of 25 to 50 lbs. per acre on the seed bed, just before the cotton comes up. will give excellent re ults. FERTILIZER The question of fertilizers for growing cotton with the boll weevil is a very important one. We give a chart, Fig. 3, showing results of one year's test with commercial fertilizer (10-2-2), stable manure, acid phosphate, and no fertilizer. It will be readily seen that cotton cannot lJe uccessfully grown with the weevil without the use of fertilizers. Then, the question arises what kind should be used. With the facts we have at the present time we are unable to make any new recommendation in regard to fertilizers. Our experiments prove that ammonia is the mo t valuable ingredient of commercial fertilizer to hasten early fruiting. It quickens the growth of the plant. Phosphoric acid is needed because it hastens the maturity of the plant and the development of the boll. We would recommend a fertilizer on most soils of 10 per cent phosphoric acid, 4 per cent ammonia and, where it can be secured, 2 per cent of potash. If the price does not vary too much, use the most quickly available forms such as nitrate .sDD n:,.t;//xer li,! ~ &I'lallilflon: f{}I 5IaJ,/. h1i/hfl~ -------. Acirlf/U)Sfhq/e CAeck (tln!er//;'zed) ,30 I" """ " }t 11c/d P!JIJJ,Dh"k!z. CJ !'fe.1 "kJ1i/1 OloOl11J !D lfil8' 10 Oil 25'.fhi/lrs JIaJIe IIi/hun Plat 789 ... /Ic,{/P;'oJ,PIJale I'lai. 455 /fcicl f'ho~h";e g 7::J7'1eiiZ ~ ChecK Pial. 296 ~J / ~~~~ 10I / j :" ~ ~A1\A11 \, .. I ~~ ,.. ~ "'.17 " " U~I 1.2 2..)z.7.~ 2~ "wr J.8 ~ '0 t. dULY '" , 1\ 1\ 11 I \~ 'V ~ i.-' I ~ / J / ~ I :V~ I VIJ k T,1~ .. f\" ~'. N~ ~ ~ II .' ~~ ... " , " . I , ,, ,, ~~ I\, i\ ,, .~ ! ~"'"t\. ',' t\lfW \ ~~ ~ ~"~'" ~~~ ~~l o 1/ I 15" -,~ ~I II' 0 I 222) so 6 7 2. 2$ 30 ~I I :z. , ~ 5 , 7 8 Y 0 AvtUlJT FIG. R. (' Jl AliT SHOWING IlECOllil Ot' n;n~'l.I7.F.1l ~F.S~'S. (S'rATt: ROAnn O}" t:xm~rOI()(lY.) 31 of soda, sulphate of ammonia. If applied some time before planting, cotton seed meal as a source of ammonia will always give good results. Raw rock phosphate c@mposted with stable manure and applied on land where there i plenty of humu seems to give good results. Stable manure alone, as will be seen from the chart, is the most valuable fertilizer for early fruiting, and early fruiting we must have with the boll weevil. Acid mixed with the manure in the furrow will give good result. The ideal method to pursue under boll weevil conditions would be to have corn and velvet beans followed by cotton and fertilized with stable manure and acid phosphate. The chart gives blooming record and is important, as it shows how much more rapidly blooms are put on with the use of stable manure and fertilizers than when no fertilizer is used. If commercial fertilizer is to be used, use some form of acid phosphate in making it, as the rock pho phate in thi ca e doe not seem to be sufficiently available. DISTA CE OF ROWS A D PLA T . There ha been a great deal written in regard to pacing cotton under boll weevil conditions. Everyone knows that the more stalks on the ground, the better, but at the same time plants should not be so thick as to be detrimental .in other way. There is possibly a large number of planters who do not know wh~t is the best di tance on their soil. Some have been making the mistake in too wide spacing, while others have left their cotton too thick. Do not leave it too thin. Do not crowd. Avoid extremes. A 4 foot row on heavy soil and a 3% foot row in lighter soil, with 12 to 24 inches in the drill, would be the proper distance. If the soil is rich, or exceedingly highly fertilized, there might be conditions where wider spacing would be beneficial. For Sea Island cotton we give a chart of results in distance test. See also Bulletin 173, Mississippi Agricultural College (Starksville). 32 TIME TO PLANT. The judgment of the planter in the different localities will have to determine how early it is safe to plant. Plant as soon as it is safe, and at a time when the plant will come up quickly and grow off rapidly. Good seed prepared for planting should be on hand. The seed bed should be ready and well prepared, and the fertilizer in some time before planting, as previously stated in this Bulletin. Everything is then ready and when the farmer is sure the season is right all the crop should be planted as near the same time as possible. The farmer should have on hand an extra number of cotton planters. All of them should be the same kind, and have the same plows. This is necessary, in order to plant the cotton at once, and all of it exactly alike. It would be best to use not less than one bushel of seed per acre. CULTIVATION. The cotton should be thinned to stand as quickly as possible after it comes up. The area in cotton should be reduced to where the farmer, under normal conditions, could cultivate it every five to eight days. This cultivation should be very shallow so that the roots of the plants will not be disturbed. The kind of tool to be used should be one which best suits the conditions of the farmer; cultivators and large weeps are generally best. PICKING BOLL WEEVIL AND INFESTED FORMS. In ordinary seasons, if all the hands are trained to observe, it will be easy to discover very early the boll weevl1 in the bud of the young cotton. There will appear a wilted bud which turns black very early. Here the first boll weevils that come out of winter quarters will be found, or within 3 or 4 feet of this place. They will ap- 33 pear first in spots in the field near their winter quarter, which will be around old tumps, negro houses, barns, etc. The area where they appear will be very small and there will not be very many of them. The most important fight the farmer can make is to locate these pots, mark them by sticking up a stick with a flag on it. Then from time to time search diligently for the weevil around these spots, catching them on the bud of the cotton if possible. It is a good practice to offer the hands a reward for finding these spots, and so much per weevil for catching them. We know some farmers who located these spots last year and by diligent work almost blotted out the colonies of weevil in their fields and made good crops of cotton. Their neighbors who did not do this lost almost completely their crops of cotton. If all the old weevil are not caught at these spots, the first infested forms will appear there. Try to keep any weevil from hatching out by picking up and destroying these forms. If some of the weevils are allowed to hatch out and the young begin puncturing the squares, the fight against the weevil is much harder than it would have been if the fight had been against the winter weevil and the squares they punctured. If labor is cheap and a sufficient number of women and children are on the farm it will pay to continue picking up squares for at least one month. The importance of this is shown from the statement in the beginning of thi Bulletin, which give the length of time for the development of a generation of weevils. If a farmer retards the de elopment of the weevil 20 or 25 days he will have enough fruit on, provided he has eliminated other trouble. to make a good crop of cotton. 34 SEA ISLANj) COTTON. All of the facts given in regard to growing short cotton with the boll weevil apply to Sea Island cotton. In the method of treating the seed, it would be advisable to use the hot water of bichloride of mercury treatment given in Appendix A rather than the sulphuric acid treatment, as there is scarcely any lint on the seed to be taken off. It is very important that some treatment be given for destroying the germs on the seed as well as taking out all of the motes in the seed and the loose lint cotton, as these carry the germs of the diseases, anthracnose and black arm, that attack the young plant when it first germinates and later proves very detrimental. Sea Island seed should be perfectly clean when planted. There has been a great deal of discussion as to whether 01 not Sea Island cotton could be grown when the boll weevil infests the Sea Island area. We take the position that it would be impossible in experim~ntal work to determine anything about the effects of boll weevil on Sea Island cotton, unless these experiments were made in the Sea Island area where nothing but Sea Island cotton was grown, and as the boll weevil has infested this area for the first time we are not able to say positively just what the effects will be on Sea Island cotton. From the experiments made at Valdosta for several years breeding and growing Sea Island cotton and experiments made last year at the Sea Island Experiment Station, it is our opinion that Sea Island cotton can be grown by using the same precautions that are used in growing short cotton to the same extent that short cotton can be grown in infested areas. The fact has been thoroughly established that different varieties of short cotton will succeed in certain localities while others fail. This is true of Sea Island cotton, and in our opinion, this other fact is also true, that short cotton is not adapted to the territory in which Sea Island cotton is grown, any more than Sea Island cotton is adapted to the territory in which short cotton is grown. From the charts given you will 35 be able to see that some varieties of Sea Island cotton compare favorably with short cotton in the matter of rapid fruiting, and certainly the farmer who expects to grow Sea Island cotton should secure and breed these varieties of seed. There are a number of additional facts in favor of Sea Island cotton. One of these is that in comparison with short cotton, as the tables show, it sets a very much greater per cent of its fruit; another fact is that it is a small boll cotton; it can be planted very early, and the Sea Island cotton seed have been pedigreed for a much longer period of time than any of our short cotton. It therefore comes very much more true to type and fruits much more uniformly than short cotton whenever the seed is kept pure and free from crossing with other varieties or with short cotton. We would not advise the growers of Sea Island cotton to attempt to grow short and long cotton together, or very close together, as this would be detrimental to the Sea Island cotton. The great breeders of Sea Island cotton, for a long time have been the Island planters, and they have bred their cotton for quality of lint rather than for earline s, but they recognize the fact that it is possible to breed Sea Island cotton to fruit very early. Their attention should be given to this in the future. We feel that Sea Island cotton deerves to be given a chance, and we are also very anxious that the Sea Island cotton growers do not rush to short cotton thinking that they will get away from their troubles, and would urge them, uniformly throughout the district, to follow the recommendations given in regard to growing short cotton; curtail their acreage and continue to plant their entire crop in Sea Island cotton until a thorough te t has been made. WHAT WE SHOULD RAISE INSTEAD OF COTTO It is our opinion that Sea Island cotton will continue to be grown and that cotton will be the great cash crop of the South, although the area will necessarily be reduced. n _+J++.I-j. )., ~O!+j-j .. ~ N-1.i4+l-+t,j.j ~ ') Il>IfH:Id-J+f++j-j ~ I JLU~~#++-l-HHr}-j=!,+++j-j .. .. 'N,~++J+l'i++l::: 1+.j.j.j+f-HckH.. f'l:.I+.J../-I+-I1l .. 14,./-j-j+f-l+I-J!II,::: ;..; I~ Q ;" ~ "'"' cZ ~ :'.". ~ u 0 "is u l- ~ ''"" '-": '";" ..~. 0 0 '"'"' ... ~ ~ '":' g:- c... E;" :.: " Q c -Z: 1= :.: "~ c:r. ~ 'Q" :Ii t u0 ; g< :- Q '"' :::i .c Z < l'!"!' '~" '" ;" :.. r<:; ~ "..= l''""- ~ < ::: :'.". '-' :.: E- ~~ ~ .o. - I PAnelv No24 ~7oo "nel/j"- , . d /l P"'confa,~blB700m!> 0/1 A""IJ ..... - 87 IZ'~ Aha 70" 8100'"' 00 ""~- ,onc!S !. To vora~7d 10 Weevll-Coi"ifiiO/lS .,. :1.11.1.1'-11"92]. /2'Z ----.y:- o "0 "0 'I .liE. ..m. ..H!. ..til. ~ ; ~hj 01' 0 ~ . . U> Ss' JOO IlS ISO .." 'JS - -~"-,:::- '0' " so .zsl~ ..: I j! :1>-0 .a'obtitslh-lvlZ 4 bill', p 11(,,., " T F"ltll.ll. ~ T H"Z't ~ :! ~ ~ !: ~ .:; ~ ~.t~ .:;:~ ~ ~ ~ - '" "" ........ ,. . .... ~:: ~ :: ~ : ~ :: ~ t:~ .v ~ ;; ~ ;;:e!;; ~ ~ ~.::; - . ... .v ~ 'to ...... ,.. .... ~ ::: ~ ~ .t ~ ~ ~ ~ t:~ ~ ~ FlO. 5. CII"UT SllOWJNO '1'1110; Vj\nT;\TTO~T IN FltUl'lTNO Of' 'I'WO VAnlF.TT}~S OF' SEA ISLAND COT1'ON, NOS. 24, AND 27. (S1'ATE nOAlIlJ OF" ENTOMOLOOV.) 38 First, because the farmer will not be able to give cIo e enough attention to a large area to succeed with the boll weevil; second, he cannot afford to have all his eggs in one basket; he must have other crops that will help him in case he should fail with his cotton. Let the cotton land be the highest and dryest land of the farm. What, then, can be raised instead of cotton? The farmer hould rely on staple and standard crops and let the special crops alone unless he has a market with a guarantee for the sale of arne. The most promising crops at the pre ent time are corn and velvet beans and peanuts. Corn on cob and velvet beans in hull when ground into a mixed feed, make almost a balanced ration, and they are sufficiently productive to be profitable. The coming of velvet beans and the ability to grow them in the corn to such an advantage has given us a new and permanent cash crop which we have not had heretofore. The early beans are adapted to nearly every section of Georgia. It would be well to make a manufactured product out of corn on cob and velvet bean in hull and feed it to cattle right here in the South and use the manure as a fertilizer. This adds an additional value to corn in the South, as by grinding it into feed it will not be destroyed by the weevil. Below are given a few notes as to how to manage these crops. There are many different ways of planting corn and velvet beans, a number of which are good methods, and can be used to suit the individual taste of the farmer. The variety of velvet beans for most of the State should be an early speckled or 100 day, Osceola Wauculla, or early speckled and Chinese crossed. Oats followed by iron or Brabham cow peas, or velvet beans and corn also make a fairly profitable crop. Peanuts are a valuable crop, furnishing oil, meal and hay. The following is a short outline of the best method of handling peanuts: PLATE IX Yokohama Lyon X F.arly Speckled Y I0 Simpkin ---- --- 160 23 164 74 636 35 232 Db:Afifi -------- 176 23 2 100 02 32 257 5 Council-Toole ---- 172 290 306 132 900 37 333 1 Lewi 63 -------- 204 31 190 194 906 36 326 2 DeSoto ---- ----- 154 192 21 126 690 35 242 7 Half & HalL _____ 1 216 206 76 6 6 40 274 R I Co,ington-Toole -- 1~4 262 264 0 740 37 274 ~ Peek's topia ____ 136 196 272 132 736 37 27_ 4 -------J Triumph 146 --- 162 6 394 36 142 9 ------J I Dixie Imp. 21 --- 24 II 242 70 ~5 2-! 6 In this te t one acre wa planted of each variety. Cotton was planted April 4th in 3% -foot rows, thinned to one stalk every 18 inches in the drill. Four to five tons of table manure per acre ,was applied before breaking the land, and 300 pounds of 8-2-2 guano was applied in the drill. oil, aray g ra:ve1 . typical of much of the be t land around Coleman. The yIeld in this test wa reduced more by the rains than by the boll 7 weevil. The damage from the boll weevil would have been much greater, however, if a fight had not been made in the fall before and in the prinu di ea e known to plant life. There i a trict quarant1l1e on all plant coming fr m one outhem tate to another, unle s it can be sho\>\ n that there i no citru canker in the locality where hipment is located. There i a ytematic movement on foot in all states for its eradication. Congre has made a very large appropriation for this work and the eradication in Georgia was undertaken under the direction of thi department. Work began pril 1 t and wa taken up by counties in South Georgia. II propertie in to\yn and the country were inspected for citrus tree, and information wa obtained a to the origin of hipment. \\Then imported plant were located they were constantly inspected for canker, and if canker wa found the tree were immediately de troyed. The w rk for 1916 an I early part of 1917 may 1 e conden ed as follows: .'umber of Report. "'umber of Inspectionl': Total Citru" Tl' el': Total, eedling Tre " 'rotal Imloded Tr . Plae . no itrus Plae . eedling. Alone Place Import d Stock Pel' Cent. Place. no itrul': Per Cent. Places eedlin. A:lone PCearnkCeerntF. oPulnadce Imported. tock ('ankel' De troyed Black pot Found _ 10,7_0 _ 59.240 _ 41 .262 _ 291.5 -t _ _ 126.67c 50.620 _ 6.41)5 _ 2,12:j _ 77 _ __ _ _ 175;; 7 7 100 Thi work will be continued until all citrus trees have been in pected and there is no further danger of its appearance. The work ha been conducted by J. . Dew, with ten inspectors, INSECTS AND DISEASES OF APPLES AND PEACHES. The work of the department with the most generally prevalent and de tructive in ects and di ea e of apples and peache ha been di cus ed in previou nnual Reports. Thi work has been continued and elaborated. The experiment of 1916 were largely confined to further te t of the du ting method of treating peache for the control of peach cab, brown rot and curculio. Previou experiment eemed to indicate that thi new method p s essed po ibilitie of succe sful adaptation to ummer prayinO', but, O\yinO' to it newne ,nothing wa known a to the proportions of the t\yO active ingredients of the mixture. ulphur and arsenate of lead. to u e. The nece sity for \yorking out 20 the correct formula, so as to attain the desired control efficiency without any accompanying injury to the foliage or fruit, has been the chief consideration. Progre s has been made in this direction. It begins to appear that, with further study and experiment, dusting will be put on a basis of efficiency and dependability. If it can compete with summer liquid spraying from the standpoint of economy, dusting will be widely adopted, for it i very easy and fast work. Present Status of the Experiments. Inasmuch as the main features of dusting have been outlined in successive Annual Reports, beginning with that of 1914, they will not be repeated here. The manuscript of a circular, which will be issued by' the department under the title, "Dusting and Spraying of Peaches," has been prepared for the printer and will soon be ready for distribution. Any who are interested in dusting can obtain this circular on application. Proposed Experiments For 1917. While the results of dusting are encouraging they are by no means conclusive. For this reason the experiments will be continued until success or failure is certain. New formulas will be tested in 1917, formulas hitherto untried, and the test plats will be on a large scale, so as to demonstrate their comparative efficiency against that of standard liquid spray. An entirely new model of dusting outfit will be used in the proposed work, and accurate figures taken on the cost. In addition to the proposed peach dusting experiments, dusting will be tested out on a large scale for the control of bitter rot, scab, curculio and codling moth of apples. When the results of the projected work may be regarded as conclusive they will be published and distributed. TRUCK CROP AND MISCELLANEOUS INSECT PESTS. During the season of 1916 weather conditions were extremely favorable for the development of a number of truck crop insects. Th'ose that were particularly abundant were plant lice and green soldier bugs. The absence or scarcity of parasites we believe accountable, in a large measure, for the great abundance of these two classes of insects. Plant Lice. The cotton or melon aphis and the cabbage aphis are usually the species most injurious. If taken in hand in time they are not difficult to control. Spraying with "Black Leaf 21 -10', a concentrated solution of nicotine sulphate, at the rate of one part "Black Leaf 40" to three or four hundred parts of water is a reliable remedy. This material can be obtained fr0111 the Kentucky Tobacco Products Co., Louisville, Ky. Green Soldier Bugs. One species (N'ezara viridula) of this group of insects was reported from practically every sections of the State as being abundant and extremely injurious. It feeds on a great variety of plants; among the number might be mentioned peas, peanuts and cotton. This insect has been present in small numbers every year, but parasites no doubt have kept it in control. The lack of parasites, due to the unfavorable season, enabled the insect to multiply, and consequently to become a serious pest. The crusty covering of the bug and its method of feeding by means of sucking mouth parts make of it a difficult pest to control. Only strong contact poisons, as a 10 per cent. kerosene emulsion, can be used with a fair degree of success. Clean cultivation, particularly the destroying of rubbish in which they hibernate, in and about the fields during the winter is advisable. Fusarium Wilt of Tomatoes. Work on this wilt of tomatoes was started in the fall. The purpose of the work is to develop a wilt-resistant tomato. So far the selection work has been done only in the greenhouse following the method developed by Edgerton in Louisiana. The beds are first sterilized and then inoculated with pure cultures of the organism and the seed planted. Affected plants wilt in three to six weeks from the time of planting the seed. Plants which apparently resist the disease are saved for further testing. The work will be continued in the field next spring. The Barnacle Scale. This insect, while not considered as a serious pest, has been found quite numerous on greenhouse and ornamental plants in Augusta, Savannah and Columbus. The insect resembles a barnacle and is striking in appearance and usually draws attention to its presence. There are two or three generations a year. Some seventyfive to a hundred eggs are deposited by each female. After hatching, the young crawl from beneath the mother scale and on attaching themselves, the hard characteristic scaly covering is gradually formed. 22 Spraying with a weak olution of kero ene emulsion, particularly ju t after the young have attached themselves, will control them' hqwever, para ites, whenever pre ent, keep thi cale under antral. It wa ob erved at ugu ta that para ite had alma t done away with the cale in that section ;]. year after it appearance in numbers was noted. During the year a number of premise were inspected to examine hade tree that were dying. In mo t of these cases the injury to the Maple and Oak trees was due to the gloomy scale, Aspidiotus obscura. Thi scale i doing a IOIl Irwin .TIIII,sOIl .JI1S]\{'l' J 11' Dayis .J If I'SOU XII, of '-rl"{;\.):-i, .\]I]11l' . . . . . . . :-;00 O.!)(jl ~u. of Tl'e s. l'each 9,300 :!. '05,710 ,'1. '1 . 40.95 or ).:0. 'f1'l'l''', 1 e{"lIl 1,4;:;0 . 1.371 ., -.) 10.040 510 :!.;~:!:.! :!3:! l).:!OU .JenJdllf; . John '011 . Jone. . Laul' n. . Le . LibC'l'ty . Lownll s . Lumpkin .. ~lcDllffi ~lclnto h . ~Hcon . ~ario]] . ~lel'i'" ther . ~lill r . . ~ilton . . . . . ~Iitchell . . . . ~onro . ~fontgomel'Y . ~l l':'Og e . :\'ewton . Oconee . Oglethorpe. l'icl,ens Pi rce . Pike . r lk . rula. Iii . rutnam . Rabun . Randolph . Ri hmonll . Rockdale . ,'ehley . i':creyen . ~paiding . .. teWlll't . . llmt l' . . . . . Talbot . Taliaferro . . . . Tattnall . THyIor . Telfait T IT 11 . . . . . 10.446 1..l50 :3.79 60 2.925 ;)6.025 404.1 0 lAO 37,300 2-,600 3,.lOO 201.-175 365 32.900 26.950 .l.-199 3."54 257 12.000 9.l.300 :::. 00 2.000 107.7 0 ] 1.000 13.735 2A75 6.200 7.000 9.000 127.600 4.000 4.7:>0 _33.550 67.750 1.75 177 2.26:> 92.075 360 :un ::i00 7:!:} 17.577 17;:; 1.:3J!) 60 :!!)!).932 .lOO 76::1 :!.02:> 340 7:1-l .l:!O :{.1!l .... ,'.!lGR 7:!() 11 :~oo :-jj":l 1:>0 H.l 70, 6.1::iO .l6.(i):I :100 2.:!!11 1:00 H7 2.-12;; 10.::;;1 29 Census of Apple, Peach and Pecan Orchards in State of G e o r g i a . - ( Continued) ount~" Thoma Tift Toomb Towns Troup TurD l' Twigg l"nion [')1S011 \Yalk l' \Y"lton "'ar ',"a IT Il "';lshillgton "'a~'ne 'VIII'e]el' White Whitfielcl Wilcox Wilkinson Worth :\o. uf 'J'rets. Apple .4.6r 1.600 9,154 J. 97 11.427 17.6 7 :\"0. of Tret's, P ach -------10AOO -------- -------- 4,-tOO -------- 1.300 1.2:.5 19.600 10.-!00 1.702 -------- 14.500 -------- ---------------------- 01.166 -------- -------- -------- :\"0. of Trees. Pecan 21.351 1,945 540 -------- 400 473 600 -------- -------- -------- -------- 15.201 2.56 3.215 0 39,500 -------- -------- 2.050 1.275 1. :-0 Total -8:5.01:3 6.71 ,::130 1,061.247 CITRUS TREES. The cen u of citru trees in home and commercial orchards ha not been completed, but t'he data collected by thi department and the nited tate Bureau of Plant Indu try shows .US,262 tree. Thi censu will be completed in connection with the work we are doinO" on citrus canker. NURSERY .INSPECTION. All nul' ery stock ha been carefully inspected and regula- tions strictly enforced. The stock in Georgia nurseries for the eason of 1916-1917 was as follows: Peache Apple lecans Pea1's Plums helTie . arolina pop1al"l'; G1'apes Himalaya Citru. tra\ybel'rie. Blackb l'l"irl'; Ro. s ..... :\liscellan om' .. .. _ _ _ _ _ 1,606.550 605.400 540. 43 235.5. - 35.910 _ 40.600 _ _ _ _ 10 .500 G5.TOO 15.000 2.000 _ 263.500 _ _ 10.000 , .000 _ 5,,2.!l00 TotaL 4,120.-!;{, 30 GEORGIA NURSERIES. (1916-1917) A careful in pection of each plant wa made and when nec- essary they were inspected a second time before a certificate would be issued. . Following is a list of the Georgia nurseries inspected -for the 1916-1917 sea on: Cert. No. 90-Ah;ton. Dr. X C. Richlunu, Ga. 4-AJ1(]erson . 'S-Au(] rf;on. .T. J. 0L._. ____________________ Corc1ele, oruele, Ga. Ga. 19-A.nder:ion. 'Vm. Bremen, Ga. SO-Alleluetz Nur"ely De 'atur, Ga. l-A"hford Park ::\'Ulsery oo.Atlallta, Ga. l13-Atlanta Tree & Plant Co. Atlanta, Ta. 76-Baeon Pecan Co.. G. :\f. 67-Ba onton :\tll'. ri ,, DeWitt, Ga. Baeouton. Ga. 10-Bam . dlle Co. NlII'''el'~' S7-Barnett..J. M. 00 Barnes\ille. Ga. La"Telleey;lle. Gn. lll-BnrlllY 11 Peenn Ol'ebarc1" CO. 5-Belcllel'. W. L. AlbauL Ga. Whigham. Ga. 50-Bellel'lue Fruit Farm oo Macon. Ga. ___-Bennett. Mr". Lallra Baeonton. Ga. 10 -Blue SprrDO' 1\'ur"ery Albany. Ga. -Born s Pecan Farm and Nur"ery 20-Br m n Nul'. ery :\!cRae. Gn. Bremen. Ga. SS-Britton'" Gre nhou" -Atlanta. a. ___-Bro\Yn. B. :\l. 9.-Brown. C. W. .Baconton. Ga. .Baconton. (;a. 32-Bu hanan. K M. Atlanta. Ga. 66-Bullan1 Pecan Nurserie.. Wm. l6-Ca1c1well. A. J. 73- ampbell. A. .Albany. Ga. LaFayette, Ta. Nay1ol'. Ga. 64-Canlloll. H. G. Oairo, Ga. 106a- apita1 City Nul'. ery At1nllta. Ga. 23-Carroll County ursery CalTollton. Ga. 22-Carrollton Nur"ery------------------OalTollton. Ga. 6l-C1ark. J. T. & G. W. Thomas\il1e. Ga. 110-C'0-opemti\'e Nursery. t ck CO.-------At1anta. Ga. ___-Cooper. C. W. Lawrence,i1le. Ga. 103- owall. W. H. l14-Cruc .... i\l. Baeonton. ;a. Athen.. Gn. 106b- ureton. Ja.. 00 __ ll"t 11. na. 89-Curry Nurf;e1'3'. T. J. 34-Dah1 0.. C. A. --:\leRae. Ga. Atlallta. Ga. 2 -Dadd.oll. J. S. Roekmart. Ga. 53-DL"tie Nursen' 7-Dixie Nursery oo __ Valdosta. Ga. i\leRae. Ga. 35-Dixie Whole ale Nursery CO.----------:M:arietta. Ga. H-DoYer, H. I. Ellijay. Ga. ___-Dul,e, L. A. Moultrie. Ga. 45-Dulleau, John i\l. l8-Dyer & SOIl Cnrlle.l'ille. Ga. Rharpe. (;n l2-Ec1warc1s & Puttersoll 4 -Ellis. .les. e T. i\lilledgeyillfo. Gn. Griffin. Gn. 31 Georgia Nurseries.-(Continued) C<'rt. Xo. :19-Empir Xur-ery co. .Atlauta, Ga. , -Eml ire Pecan o. Parrott, Ga. -iO-Enterpri e Xur 'er~T Carl, Ga. 94-Equitr Xursery ___-Excel ior 'ur ery .. Hogan Yille, Ga. Lyerly, Ga. ___-Farr, O. H. .Lee"burg, Ga. 49-Fayette,ille Nurserie. .Ri,erclal, Ga. 46-Freeman, F. K. Athell.. Ga. I-Frnitland Nul' erie .Augu tao Ga. ___-Gauldin, W. T. Quitman. Ga. :~-Georgia Nur elT .Au u ta Ga. 6-Geor"ia Nursery 0. Concord, Ga. 25-G orgia S ed Co. .. Hogan ville, 'a. 4,-Georgia Experiment Station 2-Gheesling, J. H. ___-Gill pie, J. w. .E:\.""Periment, Ga. .Green boro, Ga. .Albany, Ga. 77-Gillgrove Pe an Nur.eries ___-Glausier, E. D. Baconton, Ga. Baconton, Ga. 100-(:1au ier P can Co. .Baconton, Ga. 15-Goddard, J. W. .Stone Mountain. C:a. 75-Hardaway Nurerie Putney. Ga. 115-Harper, Cha.. ._. Waycro ,Ga. 112-Harri., W. H. Fort Yalley, Ga. :'i2-Ha tin" Company. H. G. .Atlanta, Ga. 13-Hendrick on F. W. :llilledge,ille. Ga. 17-Hiawa !;e, L. E. ~ ] 9-Chase Xun'er'y Co. :'iI-Child.'. Inc., John Lewi. :!:'i-('omDlercia I Kul'>; I'ie :'ii)-Continental Plaut o. 10fl-Coopel'. aruueL . :~-Cllmbel'land Nul' erie. H1- 'us>;eta 'ursen' 4:!-Bill Dad Kul' er~' Co. T:::-Da,is & on, W'. II. :1fl-Dleer. Iuc., Henry A. !);)-Eagle Pecan Co.. rrbe :~6-Ea terly Nursery Co. ::tl-Ellwan"'er ~. Barry 9-Elmwood Floral ~. Xursel'~' Co. I5--Fair\'iew ?"Iur ery 6:!-Flol'ida Nul' erie :!4-Fore t Nursery Co. =:>' -Fra. er Xllr.. ery 0 .. Inc. ]0, -Gain. ville _'ur. erie. 114-GalTi. On & Son>;, J. 'l'. IO:~-(.erru[ln :"'lIr.el'le!' & Se d o. 4T-men, aint ;\Iary Nul' erie!' Tl-Glenwood Xur!'ery Il-Glob Xm'!' rie.. The :!-Goocl & R e!'e 0 .. The 4-Glent Westel'll Plant Co.. The TT-(~r en'!' Nur;:;ery o. 1 & T2-Gl'eel1yille Nur!'ery Co. 20-GI'iffing Xursel'ie TH--C.I'iffing'. "Ul'. el'y :'i11- ,riffith. R. B. ] :I-TInle Nul'. ery Co. :!T-Haria n Farm. NUl'sen4, '-Hnrrif:on & ,'on.. .T. G. 44-Henclel'. on ", Co .. Petel' TO-T-Till Xnrsel'y Co.. The n. T4-lToope!' BrO!'. (" 'l'homn. Co. T. -Holl.ton ;\'m'!, I'~- o. :1:l-Ho\yell ;\'ul'>;el'i . :l4-Rnhhard Co .. T. . :~2-Hnnt!'\'ille Whole!'ale Xnr,.:erie!' 4!l-Tntel'Rtate Nur!' l'iE'., 'l'he 2~-,Tncl,son & Perkin!' Co. ::T-.To.. elyn XUl';:el'y Co.. ThE' ~4-K lie" Bro>;. Whole!'ale "ul'!'el'ie. flfl-Kellog.,g Co.. The R. i\1. fl~-Knox\'ille ~ul'!'E'n' ,,~-)rl')finn\'illeXIll';:eIT & Orchad Co. 6-Marble City Kur ery Co. 6.j-~feehan & F;on!', Tho.. B. Rutherford, X. J. RO'e Hill. X. Y. . auta Ro. a, ('al. 'Tin he tel'. Tenn. Oeeau prin"',.:. ~lis,;. .Cha e. Ala. Floral Park. K Y. Win 'he t 1'. Tenn. .Kittr 11, K Y . Delevan,~. .Winche tel', Tenn. LaFayette, Ala. .Smithvme, Tenn. . rilith,ille, Tenn. Philadelphia. Pa. .:_Pittsyiew, .Ala. Cleveland, Tenn. .Roche tel'. N. Y. Birmingham, Ala. Winchester. Tenn. .Monticello, Fla. McMinnvilIe. Tenn. Hunt ville. Ala. .Gaine ville. Fla. .BridO'eton. X. J. Beatrice, reb. Glen Saint Mal~. Fin. .Roche tel'. N. Y. Bristol. Tenn.Yn. . pringfielcl. .Springfiel L O. Roche tel'. N. Y. Greenville, S. C. Port Arthur, Tex. .Grand . Ba~ .Ala. Fredonia, N. Y. .Wil1chester. Tenn. Lockhart. Ala. Bel'lin, Md. Jer ey Cit~. X. J. Dundee, Ill. .We.t Chef:ter. Pn. Dothan. Aln. Knox\'i\l('. Tenn. .Fredonia, ,Y. .Hunt. \'ille. Ala. .1\Iacl'lelllly. Fla. Newark. X Y. .Fredonin. X. Y. Dan "ille. K Y. Three Ri,erf:. Mich. Knox\'ille. Tenn. -'Mc)Iilll1\'ille. Tenn. .Knoxyille. Tenn. Phila<1elphin, Pn. 34 Out-of-State Nurseries.-(Continued) Cert. Xo. l6-)leehan Co., Tho.. B. :{ '-)loon 0., Wm. H. 12-Xew Hm'en XUI' eri 7--Xorth Jer. ey NtH' erie;: 4G-Oak Lawn "ur ery -Pain . \'ille Nur erie .: 43-P rry Xur ery Co. :{S-Penll,'rlyania Nul'. ery 0. 06-Ramser Pecan Nur eri ., W. P. ,'-Ram,e~-. lay 57-Richland Nul' eries .Dr ;;;her, ra. Morri ville. Pa. New Haven, Mo. .llillburn. N. J. Huntsville, .Ala. .Paines\"ille. O. Roche tel', N. Y. 'iran]. Pa. cean prings.)!i s. ..:Harri on, Tenn. Ro 'he tel'. N. Y. 50-Rh'er,ie\V Nul' ery & eed o. 4l-Roe h. Lewi~ 90-Rock Hill Nul' erie~ ___-Ro emont Nul' erie J 7-Sarcoxie Nur rie 66-' arff' Nul' rie GO-Seven pring' Nul' er3' o. 2 - hadow "ur ery. Jo 104- !lahan. E. M. 69- henandoah Nul'S ry 65-- impson Nul' rr Co. 112- mith. L. H. .l\!cMinn,ille, Tenn. Fredonia. X Y. Wellborn. Fla. .l'ain .vill . O. ,. arcoxi . :Mo. -New arli I O. Smithyille. Tenn. Winchester, Tenn. .Winch "tel', 'l'enn. .'henilildoab. 10\va .:MonticelJo. Fla. ('oullcil Bluff;:, I ",a 10-. outheru Nursery o. 2-. tar Nul' ery 0. Winche;;;t I'. Tenn. . mith,ilJe. Tenn. 0- tark Bros.' "urserie, & Orcbard, 102-. t ckler S ed Co., Ltd., J. 7-Summit Nur erie 6l-Srler Nursery Co. 100-'-Tarlor 0.. H. . q4--T nne' e Nul' ery o. 29-Texa Nursery Co. -le5--Thoma., W. W. l13-Throneburg Nursery 107-Turker Creek Nur erie. 7-United tates NtH' ery Co. 79-\ald ;:ian Nul' eries 30-Van Lindley Nursery 0.. ,J. Ill-Watson. F. W. 5S-We. tmin. ter NtH'. erie !) -Willadean Nursel'ie The 6 -Wimpey Nursery Loui;:iana, Mo. ...: "ew Orlean, La. Mollti ello. Fla. Meridianville. .Ala. Roche tel', '. Y. Cleveland, Tenn. . herman. Tex. .Anna, TIl. Newton, S. C. ~laccl nny, Fla. Ro. acres. Mi Bostic, . C. Pomona. X C. Topel'll, Kan . "e tmin ter, Md. Rparta. Ky. .Haye. yille. N. C. (\3-Western North Carolina NurserS Co. 1 -W!leelock & Cogdon 67-Wharton Spring Nur;;;elT Co. 22-Winche tel' Nul'. ery (' . 07-Woodlawn XUI'. eries .St c ah. X. C. ~'orth Collins N. Y. , mitln-i11 . Telln. 'Win h ,'tel'. Telln. .Rochester. N. Y. 35 FOREIGN NURSERY STOCK. During the season of 1916 the following foreign hippers did business in the tate of Georgia: Vincent Lebretons Jurs. F. Delaunay has. Detriche .LaPyramide-Trelaze, France .Angers, France Angers, France Hemeray-AuberL .. Loui Leroy's Nurs. Bier & Anker miL Arther DeMeyeL Aug. ToelIaerL A. Van Schoote K. J. Kuyk, Ltd. M. DebaerdemaekeL Chas. PynaerL Ad. DeClercq Van Ghyseghem Ottolander & Hooftman Felix & Dykhuis Schaum & Van ToL Van Gelderen & Co. Guldemond & Son .Orleans, Angers, .Mille Lez Gand, Ghent, Destelbergen. Ghent, Ghent, Ghent, Ghent, - Ghent, .Boskoop. Bo koop, Bo l;:oop, .Boskoop, Lis e, France France Belgium Belgium Belgium Belgium Belgium Belgium Belgium Belgium Bolland Bolland Bolland Bolland Holland Vau Zonneveld Bros. ~. Philippo F. J. GrootendOl'st & on E. Wart'all Outerbrid"'e o. R. B. Bath, Ltd. Bo koop, Bo koop. Mt. Plea ant. Wi bech, Bolland Bolland Bermuda England The Yokohama JUl'. 0., Ltd. Yokohama. Japan A total of 196,359 plants were imported and the following firms received shipments from the countries indicated: Owl Drug Co. Bolland Albany C. A. Dahl Co. Bolland Atlanta The A hford Park Nurs. Westview FlorisL Belgium France Bermuda France Bolland Belgium Atlanta Atlanta WachendOl'ff Bl'os. .:. .Bolland Belgium Atlanta Otto Katzen tein & o. P. J. B rckman Co. tulb'. Nul' ery .Japan Bolland France .Bolland Belgium Atlanta Auau ta Augusta Columbus R. R. Co. J. T. Keheley Idle Bour Nur.. C. N. WoodrulI JOhn Taylor G. B. Miller & Son George Adair A. C. Oelscbig & Son . .Belgium .Belgium England Belgium Belgium Belgium France Belgium .Bolland BE'lglum Columbus Columbus Macon lIIacon Rome Rome Sa'rannah a'rannall 36 A. W. Richard on John WolL Holland Belgium Holland Belgium avannah Savannah All the hipments were inspected and found free from dangerous insect pests and plant diseases. -Owing to the disorganized shipping facilities several of the shipments arrived in a damaged condition. FINANCIAL STATEMENT. The accounts of the department have been audited and the report of expenditures is as follows: 1916 Jan. 1-Balance on hand $14,595.23 Receipts. From State Treasul'eL $50,000.00 Total to account fOL $64,595.23 alarie Tra,elin Expen e Disbursements. _ _ 21,403.69 11,473.2 tationery and Office Supplie _ 901.55 Po tage, Telephone and TeleO'ram PrintinO' and EnO'ra,ing Freight and Expre Field upplie _ 1,510.96 _ 7,5 1.47 _ 383.85 _ 332.42 Field Expen es, Seed. etc. _ 11,262.21 Equipment, Furniture and Fixture _ 311. 4 )Iap, hart and Signs Library _ 34 .70 _ 229.75 Laborator~' Suppli and Expense Art and Photo upplie _ 473.44 _ 146.21 Educational Expen e Expen e of Boarc1 _ 157.60 _ 116.40 ~li. cellaneou;; ffice and Field Expen es- _ 1,139. 6 Expedroimteant Stations, Thoma. ville and Val_- 6565.6 64,338.91 Balanc ruexp nc1ecL _ 256.32 AMENDMENT TO ACT CREATING STATE BOARD OF ENTOMOLOGY. The General s embly at it last e ion amended the la:-v creating the tate Board of Entomology. a result of th1s amendment 1\\ 0 member of the Board are appointed by the Governor. A now con tituted the Board consists of Commi - ioner of Agriculture, ex-officio chairman, and two other member appointed by the Governor; and a Secretary, to be elected by the Board and required to give bond for fund which he handle for the department. Re pectfully, E. LEE WaR HAM, State Entomologi t. ...J a...J (l) o , o JNQZJ'!AJN.LOJZJV~ ~~ .,,,, .,JI .,10 JNI7 l/AJJM 11011 o LIST OF AVAILABLE PUBLICATIONS, GEORGIA STATE BOARD OF ENTOMOLOGY. Bulletin No. 12-The Mexican Cotton Boll Weevil, 1904. Bulletin No. 13-Some Common Insects Injurious to the Apple, 1904. Bulletin o. 2{)-'-Peach Leaf Curl, Yellows, Rosette and Little Peach, 1908. Bulletin No. 34-Wilt Disease of Cotton in Georgia and Its Con- trol, 1911. Bulletin No. 37-Crop Pest Law of Georgia, Other States and Canada, 1912. Bulletin o. 39--The Mexican Cotton Boll-Weevil, 1914. Bulletin No. 40-Cotton Wilt in Georgia, 1915. Bulletin o. 41-Some of the More Important Truck Crop Pests in Georgia, 1915. Bulletin No. 42-Annual. Report of the State Entomologist tor 1914-. Bulletin '0. 43-The Principal Parasites of the Peach. 1916. Bulletin No. 44-The Mexican Cotton Boll-Weevil, 1!>16. Bulletin No. 45-Annual Report of the State Entomologist for 1915. Bulletin No. 4-6-Cotton Variety Tests lor Boll-Weevil and Wilt Conditions, 1916. Bulletin No. 47-How to Grow Cotton in Spite of Boll-Weevil. Clrcular No. 6-The Use of Soluble Oils Against San Jose Scale, 1907. ~ Circular No. 7-The Hessian Fly in Georgia. 1908. Circular No. 8-Experiments for Control of San Jose Scale, 1907-1908. Circular o. 9--The Brown-Tail Moth, 1909. Circular No. 11-Wilt Di ease of Cotton and Its Control, With Sug- gestions on Seed Selection. Circular No. 19-Boll-Weevil Quarantine Regulations, 1906. Circular o. 20-=-GeD,eral In tructions for Making First-Year Cotton Selections. Circular No. 21-Experimental Dusting and Spraying of Peaches. Circular No. 22-Control of Insects Attacking Stored. Products. 'I Georgia State Board of Entomology E. LEE WORSHAM, State Entomologist BULLETIN No. 49 JANUARY, 1918 PECAN INSECTS WILLIAM J'. TURNER. PECAN SCAB C. S. SPOONER. PECAN DISEASES OTHER THAN SCAB C. G. CRITTENDEN. Atlanta, GENE l LIBRARY OV 10 11' SITY OF GEO IA -:- Georgia Georgia State Board of Entomology E. LEE WORSHAM, State Entomologist BULLETIN No. 49 JANUARY, 1918 PECAN INSECTS WILLIAM F. TURNER. PECAN SCAB C. S. SPOONER. PECAN DISEASES OTHER THAN SCAB. C. O. CRITTE "DE;:';. Atlanta, -:- Georgia GEORGIA STATE BOARD OF- ENTOMOLOGY. ORGANIZATION. HON. J. J. BR01N, Chairman, Commissioner of Agriculture, Atlanta. HO . R. C. BERCKMANS, Augusta. HON. JNO. A. COBB, Americus. E. LEE WORSHAM, State Entomologist and Secretary of the Board, Atlanta. A. C. LEWIS, Assistant tate Entomologist, Atlanta. W. V, REED, As i tant Entomologi t, Atlanta. W. W. CHASE, Assistant Entomologist, Atlanta. W. F. TURNER, Assistant Entomologist, Thomasville. IRA W. WILLIAMS, Cotton Specialist, Atlanta. C. A. McLENDON, Expert in Cotton Breeding, Atlanta. CONTENTS. FOREWORD 4 PECAN lNSECTS (William F. Turner)- Pecan Leaf Case-bearer 6 Pecan ut Case-bearer 14 Cigar Case-bearer 19 Budworrn ~_~ 21 Shuckworm :. 22 Fall Webworrn 24 Walnut or Pecan Caterpillar Catocalas Twig Girdler ..: ~ 25 26 ~ 26 Flat Headed Borers 27 Cossid Borer 2 Shot Hole and Pin Hole BoI'eio ----- 30 Lesser Pecan Tree Borer 31 Curculio 32 Hickory and Pecan Weevil 33 Leaf-Feeding Beetle 34 Leaf Hopper :.- 35 , 0 Pecan Phylloxera 35 Pecan ~phi Spittle Insects ~---------------------------------36 37 PEC SCil ( . S. pooneI') 38 PEC~ DI E~ E OTHER THAl Pecan Ro ette i l ( . G. Crittenden)44 Brown Leaf Spot }Cernel Spot ursery Blight e ~thracno Crown Gall ~ __ .:. 45 46 47 4 4 ~---- ~ildew -------------------- 48 FOREWORD. Pecan growing ~ rapidly becoming one of the most important indu tries of outh G 'ol'gia and in recent years more and more plant, ings have been madc in the central amI eyen northern portions of the state, At pre ent thousands of acre. have been et out to pecan through south Georgia and the e plantings are being increa etl yearly, (Fronti piece.) A a result the growers are already deepl~' intere ted in thc in. ects and di ' a es \yhich attack the pecan, and the e pest are of ontinually inel'ea ing importance a the capital which i inve tcd in the busine incl'ea 'e . The pre ent bulletin i not iiltendecl to give exhau tive reports on the life histories of the various in ects aud di ease which attack th pecan. In fact, workers have been engaged in the tudy of tll insects for such a hort time that there are very few of them whose life histories are thoroughly known 'et. 'rhi is al 0 true. thou h perhap in Ie s degree, of the disea e . In view of the numerous request which are con tantly being received for information concerning these matter, it \Va felt that the situation could be t be met by a publication giving a general survey of the field. Iu the present bulletin, therefore an attempt ha been made to furni h the pecan grower with a guide by which they may become familiar with the in ct ~nd diseases which are now injtuiou , or which may become 0 and may further becom familiar with the principal methods of control. It should be borne in mind that, altho many in ect are dealt ,,'ith in tills bulletin, probably only a few of them will ultimately be looked upon as serious pests of the pecan. In this connection it is well to call to mind that many fruit for in tance apples, have a many or even more pecies of in ects attacking them. Yet lmder ordinary condition the grower has to contend with not more than three or four. Without doubt this will ultimately be found to be the ca e "'jth the pecan, also. Those in ects which are most injurious at the present timc have been indicated, as haye tho e which eem to posses. habits and characteristics which may cause them to become of etlou importance later. With regard to om in ects, at lea t, it ha. already beeu pro\'en that ucce ful. commercial p can culture must inc Iud th pra~'iJlg of the trees. At first this seems a big item-something special which must be done. If the grower, however, will simply include spraying in his list of the year's operations, expecting to spray his trees at a certain time, just a he expects to plow at given periods, he will soon find that the matter adjusts itself naturally, and quickly becomes as little of a bug-bear as is planting or cultivating. All dates given -in thi bulletin are for Thomasville, Ga. . 6 PECAN INSECTS.* PECAN LEAF CASE-BEARER. (Acrobasis nebulella Riley.) This insect is,. at the present time, one of the most serious enemies of the pecan, probably causing more damage, in Georgia, than all other insects together. Fortunately, the species is, thus far, confined to south Georgia. It is present in injurious numbers about Thomasville, Cairo, Valdosta, Fitzgerald, Blackshear and Nashville. It has not been found in any numbers in the Albany district, however, and we have no reports of it from central Georgia. Since it has already been present in Florida and south Georgia for several years we have abundant grounds for hope that it will not become of serious importance in regions north of those in which it occurs at the present time, yet so many other insects have demonstrated their ability to adjust themselves to unfavorable conditions, particularly of climate, that it is possible the Pecan Case-bearer may do so eventually, and become a pest in portions of the pecan belt where it does not occur at present. The principal damage is caused in the spring. The insects become active at the time when the buds begin to burst. The caterpillars or "worms" feed voraciously on the opening buds and tender shoots, frequently boring into and 'killing them. Young trees 'are often stripped entirely and, in bad outbreaks, trees as old as 12 and 13 years may be defoliated. This defoliation checks the growth of the trees and destroys the crop for the year. Since the larvae also attack the stems which bear nuts the crop is frequently destroyed even when the damage to the trees is not particularly severe.t Later, when the trees are well leafed out and the larvae can no longer feed on buds and young shoots, they attack the bases of the main leaf stalks and the leaflets themselves. This feeding is not as serious as that done earlier in the season. As Indicated In footnotes. the portions on three or four of the Insects were written by Mr. C. S. Spooner. formerly with the State Board of Entomology. tStlll a third type of Injury was noted on one variety of trees. the Young. In the spring of 1916. Two trees about 30 ft. In height were under observation. par tlcular notes were made on April 22nd. On these two trees practically all the cat klns. or male blooms. were destroyed by the worms. which fed at the base of these catkins. Very little injury of any other sort was.notlced on these two trees. On trees of gther varieties. near the two trees In question. little or no Injury to the catkins was observed but the larvae were feeding. as Is their usual habit. at the bases of the main leaf stalk and on the leaves themselves. The crop of these two trees was a failure. 7 LIFE mSTORY AND HABITS. The adult insect is a mottled grey moth which, when its wings are spread, measures about five-eighths of an inch across. (Plate 1, fig. 1.) When at rest it has a habit of sitting on a small twig with it head raised, the body forming an angle of about 30 with the twig and th.i.s position, together with the coloring, makes it very difficult to see. (See cover.) It seldom flies during the day time, but is very active at night. Egg laying commences about the first of June and a few moths may lay as late as the first of August. The majority of the eggs are laid from abo.ut the middle of June to about the end of the first week in July. These eggs are small, soft, semi-transparent objects and are laid, almost invariably, along the .main rib, on the under side of the leaf. In rare cases they are laid in angles between the side veins and one of the largest of the veins which branch off from these. We have never found eggs anywhere except on the under urface of the leaves. The eggs hatch in a few days. This hatching commences, at Thomasville, about the middle of June and continues into early August. Most of the eggs hatch, however, during the first three weeks in July. The young larvae, or "worms," are very small and usually reddish brown in color. They imm~diately commence feeding, eating only the lower surface of the leaf. From-the frass and excrement they form a little tube, spinning silk with which to bind the particles together and line the case. This case is attached quite firmly to the leaf and runs along on the under-surface of it. Commencing at the spot where the egg was laid the larva reeds outward, working back and forth so that the spot is fan shaped. The upper surface of the leaf turns brown. As the larva feeds it builds its case outward. The case itself is very firmly and tightly made, but at the outer end the larva builds a loose fan-shaped tent, under which it feeds. As Soon as it eats all the green which it can reach fro~ this tent it draws the baCK portion of it together, prolonging the case, or tube, and extends the outer portion in such a manner as to cover more green leaf. Since it also moves back and forth across the edge of the spot on which it has fed the case is curved, S-fashion, and -finally, by fall, becomes very erpentine in form. (Plate II, fig. 2_) From one to twenty or more egg may be laid on a single leaf. -Each la,rva consumes only a small portion of the surface, usually .{'emaining between the side rib near which the egg wa laid, and the next one toward the tip. A larva may cross one of these side ribs, however, and while it usually feeds outward toward the tip, an occasional worm will turn back toward the base of the leaf. The feeding spots are very noticeable from both the upper and lower surfaces and in cases of severe outbreaks infested trees can be picked out from a considerable distance. Some of the larvae die during the summer, especially when there are several eggs laid on one leaf. Such larvae can always be located during the late summer and early fall, from the fact that the feeding spot is small and the end of the case does not reach to the edge of the brown spot. The tent usually .is mis ing or the case may have been broken off entirely. This summer feeding of the larvae is not particularly serious, in itself, except in the case of very severe outbreaks on young trees, when the growth of the trees is checked so~ewhat._ As has been said, each worm does not eat very much and ince the leaves are hard and do not furnish much nourishment, especially toward the end of the summer, the larva grows very slowly indeed, being only about one-twentieth of an' inch long when it is obliged to cease feeding in the fall. The impQrtance of this period lies in the fact that, up to the present .we have found it the best time to control the insect, as will be shown later. In the fall, shortly before the leaves drop, the little worms leave their cases and crawl down to the buds. Here they form tiny, round, flattened cases, called hibernacula, and in these they spei:ld the winter. (Plate II, fig. 1.) The hibernacula are most frequently located in the little groove where the bud touches the twig. When abundant, however, they may be anywhere about the bud, or even on it. As has been intimated, there is a close connection between the time of this migration and the time when the leaves drop. At Thomasville, in 1916, the migration began late in September and continued till frost, on November 16th. On October 24t~, observations showed that about 50% of the insects had left the leaves. The migration commenced earlier on Mobiles than on any FRONTISPIECE. Map showing the distribution of pecans, by counties. Each dot represents 100 trees. The actual distribution of the trees In each county is not shown. (Figures from the 19th Ann. Rept. of the State Entomologist.) PLATE 1. Fig. 1. Leaf Case-Bearer. Fig. 2. Nut Case-Bearer. Fig. S. Cossld moth. Fig. 4. Bud worm. FIg. 6. Fall web-worm. Adults of some Pecan Insects. (Slightly enlarged.) PLATE II. Fig. 1. Pecan CaseBearer. Win ter cases on bud. (Enlarged.) Fig. 2. Pecan CaseBearer. Summer cases. (July 15.) (Enlarged.) Fig. 3. Pecan CaseBearer. Spring cases on main leaf stalk. (Natura! size.) PLATE 111. Fig. 1. Pecan Leaf Case-Bearer. Late spring feeding. Fig. 2. Pecan Leaf Case-Bearer. Early spring feeding on opening buds. 9 other variety, Mobiles shedding their leaves before the other common varieties do. Thus, on October 1, 1916, many hibernacula were found about the buds of the Mobiles, while none were found on other varieties. The little larvae spend the winter in the cases on the buds, only leaving them in the spring at about the time the buds begin to burst. They then commence feeding on the opening buds and tender shoots, often boring into them. (Plate ill, fig. 2.) A new type of case is now formed, this being the case most commonly noticed by the growers. It is cylindrical, open at both ends, and is carried about by the worm, as it moves from place to place, always standing out from the surface on which the worm is feeding. The young larva sometimes leaves one case entirely, building a new one in another location. When the larva bores into a shoot it usually fastens the ca e at the entrance of its burrow with silk, sometimes feeding with part of its body in the case and part in the burrow, at other times with .its body entirely insIde the burrow. At first the color of the case is a dirty grey, most of the outside being composed of frass. Later, when the larva is nearly full grown, more silk is used on the outside till finally the case is a light, silvery grey in color. It is always lined with silk. These mature cases are nearly always found out on the leaf stalk or on the under side of one of the leaflets themselves. (Plate II, fig. 3.) The worms grow very rapidly at this time, becoming, when full grown, about three-fourths of an inch in length, while the case is about one inch long. The larva varies from a reddish green to olive green, the color depending somewhat on the portion of the tree on which the worm has been feeding. When the larva is full grown and ready to pupate, it almost invariably fastens its case on the main stalk of a leaf, between two leaflets. These it draws together, fastening them loosely to the case and to each other with silk. It then builds two silken flaps, or lips, at the outer end of the case. These press together in such a manner that they crannot easily be opened from the outside, since any pressure simply closes them more tightly. On the other hand a very slight pressure from within will open them easily. The larva now rests in its case for a few days and then pupates, with its head toward the outer end of the ~ase. This pupal stage, 10 the period during which it transforms from a worni to a moth, lasts on the average for about 16 or 17 days. In 1914, the period lasted, in two cases, only 14 days, while one insect required as much a 20. This pupal period commences about the middle of May, a few insects probably pupating even earlier. It continues as late as the first of July. At the end of this period the moths emerge and are soon ready to lay the eggs for another generation. CONTROL. Up to the present time the only successful method which has been discovered for controlling this pest is to spray the trees with arsenate of lead between the middle of August and the last of September. All attempts to control with arsenate of lead in the spring have failed. This is also true of efforts to kill the worms in the winter cases by spraying during the winter with lime-sulphur. The formula which we would now recommend is as follows: Arsenate of lead (powdered) 1 lb. Lime _. . . . . . .. 2 Ibs. Fish oil soap .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 2 Ibs. Water 50 gals. The lime is added to this mixture in order to prevent the arsenate from burning the foliage. When it is not used the trees may be quite seriously injured. The soap is not absolutely necessary but its presence makes the spray mixture spread much more readily and evenly and, during the season of 1916, it was found that mixtures which contained the soap adhered to the foliage somewhat better than did those without it. In groves of young trees, up to five or six years of age, an ordinary barrel pump may be used. In the older groves, however, the most satisfactory results can oniy be obtained by the use of a power sprayer. (Plate IV, figs. 1 and 2.) The most important point to rememqer is that the trees must be thoroughly sprayed. While it requires only a very minute quantity of the poison to kill the tiny worm it is absolutely essential that that poison shall be placed where the worm will reach it. Therefore, for good results, care must be taken that, in so far as is possible, the "If arsenate of lead paste Ie used, the amount must be doubled; that Is, 2 Ibs. to 50 gale. of water. 11 under side of every leaf is covered with the material. If this is done the grower will have no trouble in controlling this pest. WINTER SPRAY. Growers irequently ask why winter spraying cannot be employed against this pest. Several experiments have been conducted in which the trees were sprayed with lime-sulphur, and . during the winter of 1916-17 we made extensive tests, using limesulphur, miscible oils and home-made oil emulsions. These sprays were absolute failures. The same was true of sprays containing nicotine sulphate and soap, applied in the spring just at the time the larvae were leaving their winter cases to commence feeding on the buds. Apparently the hibernacula are so tightly woven that the spray materials do not penetrate them thoroughly. The failure of the spring treatment to produce any appreciable effect seems to be due to the fact that no one time can be selected when a large enough percentage of the" worms" are exposed to the poison. NATURAL ENEMIES. 'fhere are several natural enemies which aid in controlling the Leaf Case-bearer. These consist of parasites, including several species of minute wasps, and at least one fly;t predaceous enemies, including two or three species of bugs which attack the larvae and suck out the juices; and birds, as blue jays, which tear open the cases and pick out the "worms." Rather limited examinations in one grove, during the season of 1916, gave the following results: 8.7ro of the larvae in the cases collected were destroyed by parasites; 12% had been killed by birds, while 14.2% were "sick." Some of these "sick" larvae may have contained parasites but this point was not definitely settled. In 1917, several lots of ca es were collected from five groves at various intervals between May 18th and July 27th. These were examined carefully and the results are recorded in the following table: t~Habrobracon varlabilis .Cush., Macrocentrus sp., Exochus aplcalla Cr. Several o ter species were reared In 1917, but these have not yet been determined. Exorlata pyste Wlk. 12 Table 1-Percentage of Worms Killed by Natural Causes. Grove I Total I I Cases Parasites No. % I I Killed by Birds Dead & Dried Total Dead I I No. % I No. % I No. % I 304 27 . 8.8 5 1.6 9 2.9 41 13.4 II 365 24 6.5 8 2.2 15 4.1 47 ' 12.9 III 614 18 2.9 12 1.9 27 4.4 57 .' 9.2 IV . 90 15 . 16.6 4 4.4 4 4.4 23 25.5 V Ttl. Avg. 50 7 14.0 2 4.0 1 2.0 10 . ' 20.0 1423 -- 91 --- -- 31 -- -- 56 . - - -- 178 - - 6 T - - 2":1 - - 3T - - 12.5 In view of the fact that extensive examinations, including several thousand individuals, have shown that there may be a total annual mortality of nearly 95% of this species, due mainly to the fact that large numbers never form cases on the buds, while many also die during the winter, and that in spite of this the species caused severe injury to the very groves in which the data was obtained, it is evident that little can be hoped for in the way of control by either parasites or birds. Some very interesting data were obtained during the past season on the value of a predaceous bug, AriLus c1'istatus, in the control of the Leaf Case-bearer. Three bugs ate a total of 76 "worms" between May 11th and June 5th. At this latter date other food had to be provided since no more Case-bearer larvae were available. The larvae were removed from their cases before being fed to the bugs, so these figures must be considerably in excess of those actually obtaining in the field, where the bugs are obliged to search for the "worms" and to attack them in their cases. They indicate, however, that this species may be of considerable benefit wherever it occurs in any numbers. As with the parasites and birds, however, predaceous bugs cannot be relied on to control the pest and wherever Case-bearers are abundant artificial means of control must be employed. 13 VARIETIES OF PECANS ATTACKED. C. S. SPOONER. There is another most intere ting point in connection with this insect and that is the freedom from attack enjoyed by many varie- ties of pecans. This is very evident and easily observed. In the same grove with trees of different varieties planted next each other, the one will be heavily infested and the other almost free from attack. It was first noticed that the large leaved varieties were most subject to attack, while the small leaved varieties were, to a large extent, free from the insects. Further examinations showed the probable reason for this. It will be remembered that the eggs of this insect are laid in the angles made by the secondary veins with the midrib. Now in the large leaved varieties the veins are also large and form a deep pocket at this angle. In many cases the entrance to this pocket is hidden by hairs. This forms an ideal place for the eggs of the Case-bearer. They are hidden and pro- tected from weather. The small leaved varieties lack these pockets and the egg must be laid directly on the surface of the leaf. There is little doubt but that the presence of this pocket favors the at- tack of these insects. The moths would search for them in prefer- ence to depositing their eggs on the small leaved varieties. Notes were taken on the numbers of Case-bearers found on the different varieties. Trees in the same groves were compared and the insects were there in sufficient numbers to seriously infest all the trees, had they not selected the varieties most suitable to them. The following varieties were severely infested: Capitol, Frotscher, Van Deman, Taylor, Schley, Alley, Nelson, Appomattox, Stuart, Delmas. The following list had very few of the Case-bearers on them: Money-maker, Mantura, Hassen, Rican (none), Georgia, Teche, Curtis, Young. Russell, 14 The following varieties seemed to be intermediate between the above two groups: Mobile, Senator, Creole, Teddy, Success, Bacon, President, Hadley. Pabst, These lists do not by any means include all the varieties, but are simply those which have been under observation. The question may arise as to whether freedom from the at- tack of this insect should be considered in selecting varieties for planting. In cases where the varieties are about equal in other desirable points it would be well to .let this point influence your choice. This insect is, however, so readily controlled that the free- 10m from attack would not outweigh any serious faults in a va- riety. PECAN NUT CASE-BEARER. (Acrobasis hebesceZla Hulst.) The Pecan Nut Case-bearer is a comparatively recent comer to 'Georgia, having been here for probably only four years, or five at the most. It has been in Florida for a somewhat longer period and is of quite common occurrence west of the Mississippi, where it appears to be native. As far as we know, in Georgia the species is now confined to groves about Thomasville and Cairo, though it may occur elsewhere along the southern edge of the state. This insect, as its name indicates, is particularly an enemy of the nuts, themselves, altho in certain stages it attacks the shoots and swollen bases of the leaf petioles. While the Nut Case-bearer is not of great economic importance in Georgia at present, because of its very limited occurrence, it seems very possible that it may eventually become our most serious pecan enemy. In one grove near Thomasville, during 1916, the worms destroyed 50% of the crop on the Frotscher trees and over 35% of the Teche before June 20th. The species always causes most of its damage early in the season, as will be explained later, but the total damage to the grove for the year was undoubtedly as much as 50%, including both varieties. 15 LIFE mSTORY AND HABITS. Unlike the Leaf Case-bearer, this species has three generations during a single year. It pends the winter as larvae in hibcrnacula attached to the buds, just as does the Leaf Case-bearer. The larvae, or "worms," leave these winter case as soon as the tree commences growth in the spring, and complete their growth by boring into the new shoots and feeding within them. The larvae look very much like those of the Leaf Case-bearer, varying ill color from a yellowish brown through various shades of greenish brown and greenish grey to a pinkish olive green. The head and thorasic shield are dark brown. These larvae become full grown and pupate about the first of May and the moths begin to emerge and lay eggs about the middle of the month, at Thomasville. The moths are about the size of the Leaf Case-bearer moths. Their fore wings are darker in color with a ridge of black scales at the base of each wing. When the wings are folded these ridges give the moth a hump-backed appearance. The hind wings are lighter grey. The abdomen is grey while the head and thorax have a more brownish cast. (Plate I, fig. 2.) The eggs, which are very small and greenish or pinkish white in color, are laid at the blossom end of the newly formed nutlets, which at this time are about one-fourth to one-half of an inch in length, depending on the variety. These eggs hatch in a very few days and the tiny "worms" crawl down to the bases of the nutlets and bore into them, usually close to the line where the nut is attached to the stem, although occasionally entrance holes are found elsewhere on the nuts. The young worm usually h0110ws out the nutlet in which it is feeding, eating out the portion which would later become the nut and leaving the portion. which would eventually become the husk. Having finished one nutlet it leaves it and attacks another in the same clust~r. Occasionally the larva migrates to a second nut before it has eaten very much in the first. One larva may feed on as many as four or five nuts before reaching its full size and it is for this reason that the damage is so severe at this time of the year. The hollowed nutlets soon turn brown and dry and may be seen hanging from the stems by threads of silk used by the worms in 16 making their cases. These empty nuts frequently hang on the trees throughout the season. After becoming half grown, or even sooner, the larva usually builds a short tube or case, perhaps one-sixteenth to one-eighth of an inch in length, about its entrance hole. (Plate V, fig.!.) This is formed of silk and frass. Frequently a worm will also build a tube from the base of the nut on which it has been feeding to the base of the next one which it attacks and these tubes may be one-half an inch or more in length. This habit, together with its feeding habits, suggested the name of Pecan Nut Casebearer. In the laboratory the first larva reached full size, in 1916, about June 6th, and one had pupated by June 9th. The great majority of the insects had pupated by June 24th. The larva when preparing for this stage faces with its head towards the ent~'ance burrow and transforms within the little nut which is just about large enough to hold the pupa. The moth emerges through the entrance burrow, which is of. good size. This is due to the fact that the insect pupates, of course, in the last nut attacked and that the "worm" was nearly grown when it entered this nut. The first adult emerged, in the breeding cage, on June 18th in 1916. In 1917 moths appeared as early as June 10th. Emergence continued till July 9th, 1916, and to July 12th, 1917. These moths, in turn, lay eggs at the blossom ends of the nuts, which are much larger now, being fully half or more than half grown. Each "worm" feeds only in one nut, and does not clean that one out. As a result each larva of this generation destroys only about one-fourth as many nuts as does a larva of the first generation. (Plate V, fig. 2.) The entrance burrow is still made near the base of the nut. Since it is made by the worm just after it has hatched it is usually very small and in many instances there is no case about it. Also the adult frequently cannot emerge through it and consequently in such cases another method for emergence is provided. Before it pupates, the larva eats a hole almost through the husk of the nut, leaving just a thin layer of the surface, to cover it. This hole is usually in the side of the nut near the base. The larva then forms *Thls name was suggested by Mr. A. C. GlJI. of the U. S. Bureau of Entomology. PLATE IV. Fig. 1. Spraying for Case-Bearer. Using a Bordeaux Nozzle on one line. so that the tower is not needled. .,.. t. P'Ullng tank from a well. by means of a barrel. PLA1'E V. Fig. 1. Work of flrst generation on small nuts. (Much enlarged.) Fig. 2. Work of second generation on nearly grown nuts. (Slightly enlarged.) PLATE VI. Fig. 1. :summer case (much enlarged). Fig. 2. Winter case near bud. Fig. 3. Summer case on leaf; note dark area, where Insect has fed. Cigar CaseBearer. PLATE PlI. Fig. 1. Web-worm moth covering eggs. Fig. 2. Same egg batch with moth removed. Fig. 3. Egg batch of walnut, or pecan, caterpillar. 17 a cocoon of silk and frass, with the head end open and attached about the exit hole. It pupates in this cocoon and later transforms into a moth. This moth simply pushes out the flap and escapes. The nuts attacked by the second generation seldom hang on the trees as do the nuts attacked by the first, since they are much heavier and are not held by silk. They frequently drop before the moths have emerged, and the worm complete their feeding and transform to adults in these nuts on the ground. The second generation pupated between August 3rd and 20th, 1916, mostly about August 16th. Moths began emerging about August 15th and apparently all had emerged by about September 1st. In 1917 one moth emerged as early as August 10th. The larvae of the third generation feed little, if at all, on the nuts. Instead they attack the swollen bases of the leaf stems, feeding in these until it is time for them to form their winter cases on the buds. It will be noticed that the "worms" of this generation feed on leaf and stem tissue throughout their entire life (both in the fall and spring), while those of the other two generations feed on nuts. CONTROL. We have not conducted any experiments, as yet, for the particular control of this species, for this reason. During 1916 one grove, rather severely infested with Leaf Case-bearers, was sprayed as recommended, with arsenate of lead, between August 22nd and 25th. In 1916 fully 50% of the nuts in this grove were destroyed by the Nut Case-bearer. In 1917 this species destroyed only 5.8% of the nuts on the worst infested tree in the grove. These results seem to indicate that the spray used for the Leaf Case-bearer, if applied at the proper season, will also control the Nut Case-bearer. However, this cannot be definitely stated, since another factor, to be mentioned below, complicates the situation and may be sufficient of itself to account for these results. This decrease in infestation further precluded the possibility of control experiments in 1917, as no groves were found in which the insects were present in sufficient numbers to furnish reliable data. As previously noted, winter spraying with various materials 18 has not yet proven efficient against the Leaf Case-bearer, and cannot be expected to be any more so against this insect. NATURAL ENEMIE . The natural enemies of this species appear to control it more efficiently than i the ca e with any other important insect attacking pecans. To return once more to the grove already mentioned as losing half of its crop through the work of the Nut Casebearer, during 1916, it was found that 50% of the first generation was destroyed by parasites. Of these there were reared two species of Hymenoptera, which together killed 23.5%, and one Dipteron,t or fly, which accounted for 26.5%. As will be seen, this is the most important of the enemies of the Nut Case-bearer as yet recorded. This fly al 0 attacks the Leaf Case-bearer to some extent. As a result of this parasitism the second generation was much less abundant than the first. The percentage of "worms" destroyed in this way wa also less, in the second generation, but still about 10% to 12% were killed. This difference is probably due, for the most part, to the fact that the larvae of this generation live entirely in a sheltered position, while tho e of the first generation are frequently exposed, when migrating from one nut to another and before they are able to burrow within each new nut, thus giving the fly, which is the most important enemy, an opportunity to lay its eggs on them. In 1917, as stated in the discussion on control, the infestation in this same grove was only nominal, one tree, the most severely infested, losing only 5.8% of its nuts, and the damage to the entire grove being about 1%, or less. Since this grove was sprayed, in 1916 at about the time the young larvae began to attack the bases of the leaf stems, many of them may have been killed by the spray. Neverthele s, the results for the early part of 1916 indicate that parasites exert an important influence on the abundance of Nut Case-bearers. In 1917, of the insects handled in breeding cages, 17.3% of the first generation were destroyed, 13% by the fly and 4.3% by the *Habrobracon varlabliis Cush., Mlcrobracon sp. Other species reared in 1017 have not been determined. t Exorlsta pyste Wlk. 19 wasp parasites. .AB a result the second generation was not at all abundant, only an occasional infested nut being found. Growers should bear in mind the fact that parasites are almost never entirely satisfactory as a means of control of injurious insects. They never absolutely destroy their host insect, as to do so would be to starve themselves to death. However, during years when the host insect is scarce, great numbers of the parasites cannot find food and consequently die. Thus they become scarce, in their turn, and the host insects being almost free from enemies begin to increase in numbers, rapidly, the parasites also becoming more numerous as their food insects become abundant, but never quite catching them. Finally there is a climax year when the pest is extremely abundant and injurious, at first, while the parasites are also abundant, and finally destroy a large percentage of the injurious form. As a result the pest will be scarce the next year and the parasite, abundant at first, will themselves become more and more scarce as their food becomes harder and harder to find, till they too are rare, and the whole cycle begins over again. It is for this reason that insects having important insect enemies, such as is the case with army worms, are abundant only periodically. This will undoubtedly prove true WIth the Nut Casebearer and consequently it will probably be necessary to supplement the work of parasites by artificial control during some seasons. VARIETIES OF PECANS ATTACKED. Very little has been noted on this phase of the problem. In the spring of 1917, however, in a grove containing Frotscher, Teche and Alley, it was observed that a few infested nuts were to be found on almost every Frotscher before any could be located on Alley or Teche. Later, however, the two latter varieties were attacked slightly. THE CIGAR CASE-BEARER. (iColeophora ooryaefoliella Clem.) This insect is a leaf feeder like the Leaf Case-bearer. It is a much smalle~ insect than the latter, the adult being a small, shiny 20 brown moth, which, with its wings spread, measures something under half an inch across. The wing are very narrow with a thick fringe of long hairs on the hind margins. The case is entirely different from that constructed by the two case-bearers which have already been discussed, in that the latter construct a case, bit by bit, from particles of frass bound together with silk, while the Cigar Case-bearer makes its case of pieces of leaf, fastened and lined with silk. (Plate VI, fig. 1.) While this insect is widely spread throughout the pecan belt of Georgia it has not been found, as yet, in sufficient numbers to cause serious damage. Infestations have been observed in Florida, however, where tEe damage was very severe. The life hi tory of the insect is very similar to that of the Pecan Case-bearer. The young larvae spend the winter in small cases around the buds, usually in the angle between the bud and the twig. (Plate VI, fig. 2.) In the spring, when the buds swell, they leave their nesting place and feed upon the buds, destroying them. Later they feed on the leaves. When feeding on the leaves the larva mines into the leaf, eating out the interior, but leaving the upper and under surface intact. In doing this it fastens its case at a right angle to the leaf and make a small hole through tbe surface, directly under the mouth of the case. It then eats out tbe interior of the leaf in every direction, as far as it can reacb. Having exhausted one spot it moves its case to a new place and repeats tbe operation. (Plate VI, fig. 3.) rbe insects pupate during tbe :first part of May and tbe adults emerge the last of May and the :first of June. Tbe eggs are laid on the leaves, during tbe middle and latter part of June. Upo:p. hatching the larvae mine into the leaves and spend some time there, entirely between the two surfaces. Tbey tben cut out tbe dry brown portions of tbe leaf, tie them together into a case and move about, feeding as previously described. In tbe fall tbey migrate from the leaves to the buds where tbey attach themselves for the winter. This insect seldom does sufficient damage to warrant control measures. In case of local severe outbreaks we would recommend spraying tbe trees with arsenate of lead, in the spring, using tbe formula given for the control of tbe Leaf Case-bearer. 21 THE PECAN BUDWORM. (Proteopteryx bolliana Sling.) Altho it attacks trees of all ages to some extent, the budworm is particularly a pest of nursery trees and of trees newly set in groves. Like many other pests, while it occurs throughout the pecan growing region of Georgia, it very seldom is present in sufficient numbers to cause serious injury. This species spends the winter in the adult, or moth stage, hiding under loose bark or elsewhere about the fields. The moth is about the size of the Leaf Case-bearer moth, measuring about five-eighths of an inch with the wings spread. The general color of the front wings is grey mottled in a very pretty pattern with black, while the hind wings are dark grey without markings. (Plate I, fig. 4.) These moths are very abundant in the fall, especially during November, when they may be found resting on the trunks and larger branches of the trees. If disturbed they fly only a short distance, perhaps four or five feet, returning immediately to the same tree. The larvae are greenish white in color, with black head and thorasic shield when young-these becoming dark brown in the older larvae. The fuli grown worm is about five-eighths of an inch long. These grown larvae of the first generation usually leave the bud and migrate to the trunks, where they pupate under loose bark. This habit seems to be very strongly ingrained, since in at least one instance under observation the larvae were forced to travel more than thirty feet from foliage to trunk, which they did in large numbers. There are at least five generations of this species in South Georgia. The later generations, not having the 'new and tender shoots to feed on, pick out the youngest foliage present on the trees. This is particularly noticeable during the late summer when the trees put on their second growth. At this time the work of these worms, which has been scarcely noticeable for two or three months, becomes very evident again. In feeding on the foliage the larva folds over the edge of the leaf, fastens this loosely with silk and feeds within, or at the ends of this fold. These larvae do not migrate to the trunk for pupation, as do those of the first generation, but transform within the folded leaflet. 22 CONTROL. Under ordinary conditions no control measures are required against this pest. In severe local outbreaks, however, it woulJ be well to spray the trees with arsenate of lead in the spring. I PEOAN SHUOKWORM. (Laspeyresia (Enannonia) caryana Fitch.) This insect occurs throughout the pecan belt of Georgia., While it is not found in injurious numbers in all localities, practically no grove in the state is entirely free from it, and it may become serious, during some seasons, wherever it occurs. The young, or larvae, burrow in the outer shucks, or husks, of the pecan nuts. The damage is of two sorts. If the insects attack the young nuts these fail to develop. If they attack the larger nuts they may fail to fill out, so that when gathered they contain merely a shriveled kernel. The principal injury to the large nuts, however, conSIsts in staining the shell with dark blotches. This materially reduces the market value of nuts. Considerable trouble is caused also by the fact that the infested husks often stick to the nuts and must be removed by force. The life history of this species is not completely known, at present, but enough is known to suggest a sure method for suppressing the pest, as will be shown later. The larvae spend the winter in the shucks, on the ground. Toward spring, that is in the latter part of February and through March, they pupate, or go into the resting stage during which they change from the worm to the adult moth. This stage, also, occurs in the husk of the nut. The insects become adult and emerge from the husks early in the spring. A few have been reared as early as March 22d (1914) and emergence may continue at least as late as April 28th (1916). The time of greatest emergence was from April 7th to 14th in 1914, and from April 3d to 10th in 1916. The adult is a small moth about onehalf to five-eighths of an inch across, when the wings are spread. The color is mottled brown and bronze. In the early spring, when the moths of the overwintered generation appear, the nutlets have not yet been formed and the activ- 23 ities of this species during the weeks intervening between the emergence of the moths and the appearance of larvae in the young nuts have not been definitely determined. It had been thought that the larvae might attack the young shoots, but whether or not such is the case we have not been able to determine as yet.- Beginning in late June the larvae of this species are found attacking the nuts. These larvae are creamy white in color, with light brown heads. They feed on the husk, or shuck, of the nuts and during the early part of the season, before the nut shell is hardened, they frequently eat into the nut itself. Moths again appear in August. These lay eggs on the nuts or leaves and from these hatch out the worms found in the shucks at gathering time. These worms are not full grown when winter arrives but continue their feeding in the shucks on the ground till about midwinter or even later, when they pupate, as noted previously. CONTROL. The best method of control is to gather and burn the shucks when the nuts are harvested in the fall. This is an economical and very effective method of reducing the l1umbers of the pest.' If the nuts are beaten from the trees on to large sheets, laid on the ground, the nuts can then be picked out and the shucks gathered and put into racks and carried off to be burned. In this way a very large per cent of the insects will be destroyed. Late fall plowing will also prove effective. Experiments have shown that 75 to 80% of the insects buried to a depth of three inches will be killed and over 95% of them killed when covered to a depth of six inches. Pasturing hogs in the groves during fall and winter will undoubtedly be beneficial, also. NATURAL ENEMIES. Parasites have been reared in considerable numbers from this insect. t The percentage of parasitism is often very high, altho there is no present indication that natural enemies will control the pest sufficiently to warrant stopping the artificial measures mentioned above. ~GI1l states, In a recent bul1etin, that these first generation larvae probably at. ~teskstpmigonthust s t and hlcl'" """"'''s,.0.:...:.. ";l,P'"o ~lt) :>~ i':" i:'g :::l", ",lIJ ;'"l .E~ 2l ...;Po s::>. 8:1 ~;l~", -a3 ~E ... ~ P"-<','s':': Dixie ............................1 352 I 368 1 1120 I 1840 I 8 Cook ..........._................. 160 288 352 800 17 DeSoto ........................ 384 736 1024 2144 3 Toole ............................. 384 736 992 2112 3 Bank Account ...... 320 192 128 640 13 ..... Lewis 63 ..................... 608 896 960 2464 1 o Poulnot ........................ 224 480 592 1296 9 Dillon .............................. 320 576 1088 1984 7 King ....._.......................... 256 224 96 576 15 Dillon-Hybrid ......... 352 672 960 1984 5 Half and Half......... 192 352 400 944 12 Dix-Mifi ..................... 288 768 1136 2192 4 Webber ....................... 96 368 224 688 16 Express ....................... 256 368 400 1024 11 Covington-Toole 192 752 1408 2352 6 Cleveland .................. 224 416 928 1568 10 Council-Toole -_.... 384 1056 1184 2624 2 Simpkins ................... 128 368 4% 992 14 Modella ........................ 288 736 900 1924 5 9 15 5 6' 17 2 11 7 18 7 14 4 16 12 3 10 1 13 8 35 38 35 38 34 36 36 37 34 36 38 32 32 31 38 37 38 34 37 644 304 750 803 218 887 467 734 196 714 359 701 220 317 894 580 997 337 712 10 $182.32\$44.85 $227.17\ 9 I 97 IS 85.12 18.60 103.72 17 50 5' 210.00 52.27 262.27 6 98 4 224.84 49.08 273.92 5 95 18 61.04 15.82 76.86 18 50 3 248.56 58.76 307.32 3 98 12 130.76 31.08 161.84 12 45 6 177.52 46.87 224.39 10 97 19 54.88 14.25 69.13 19 45 7 199.92 47.62 247.541 7 94 13 100.52 20.93 121.45 14 65 9 266.38 55.91 322.29 2 98 17 88.00 17.55 105.55 16 55 15 100.95 26.51 127.46 13 65 2 250.32 55.17 305.49 4 94 11 162.40 40.80 203.20 11 75 1 279.16 61.01 340.17 1 98 14 94.36 24.56 118.92 15 55 8 199.36 45.45 244.81 8 95 Dlx-Afltl lint valued at 38c. Webber 40c. and Express 35c. per pound. VARIETY TEST, VIE NA, GA., 1917. This cotton was planted March 30th in rows 4% feet apart, and the cotton thinned to about two feet apart in the row; fertilized with 400 pounds of 9-3-0 guano per acre. Type of soil, sandy loam, typical of much of the soil of Dooly county. This cotton followed corn and velvet beans. Prior to this it had been in cotton for several years. This land was badly infested with the nematode worms before it was planted in corn and velvet beans, the cotton being much stunted and a large per cent. dying with the wilt disease. SUMMARY OF VARIETY TESTS, VIE NA, GA., FOR 1914, 1915, 1916, 1917. Table o. 2 on page 12 gives a brief summary of the variety tests at Vienna for the last four years, 1914, 1915, 1916, and 1917. From this test we find the following facts: Lewis 63 ranked 1st in yield of lint one year, 2nd two years, and 3rd one year. The Dillon ranked 1st in yield of lint for two years, 4th one year, and 5th one year. Council-Toole ranked 1st in yield of lint for two years and one year, 4th. In comparison with the above wilt resistant varieties, notice the rank of the varieties that are not wilt resistant. Thus, King ranked 6th in yield of lint for two years, 9th one year, and 10th one year. From these results, covering a period of four years, we may conclude that for wilt infected land in that section of Georgia, the Council-Toole, Lewis 63, or Dillon' are well adapted. The Dillon is a semi-cluster cotton, and for that reason is not planted very extensively. 11 TABLE 2. SUMMARY OF VARIETY TESTS, VIENNA, GA. VARJETY Dixie Imp............... Lewis 63................. .... '" DeSoto....................... Council-Toole..... Modella..................... King.............................. Bank Account.... Simpkins.................. Half and Half..... Cook............................ Cleveland................. Dix-Afifi.................~. Express...........~......... Webber...................... Dillon.......................... Toole........................... 1914 Q..".., Ul~ ..<.=. '.".. :::~ :S O~J ~ .... 0<= -;::: ,!<'tl iii ... HA ,0", I ;3 ~ Ul... ~~- 1:- ~.~ 1829 677 97 2 1829 686 97 1 1829 640 97 1 1829 677 95 2 434 154 15 9 775 310 15 7 899 346 20 5 341 109 20 10 1519 577 90 4 1915 Q..".., UlO ol iii ... ;3~ .... ., :S <= ... :::10 OJ .... -<;:=:0: ol iii ... HA ,0", .0:= '" Ul ,!<'tl ~~ ~1.:~- 2292 826 2310 843 2310 808 2205 816 2292 826 980 343 96 3 96 2 95 5 95 4 95 3 50 10 175 70 1680 638 1785 553 1750 525 805 250 2310 855 2117 783 I 10 12 85 7 95 8 88 9 30 11 96 1 90 6 1916 Q..".., Ul~ I'l ~bJ) ;g ~I: 1'l >-,8 - "1::2 .>:p, 1,j ... p:;~ -8I'l ..... ~~'a~l ... I'l ...:::l ".~ Po< ... Il) I:la ..... -I:'l=P :::lol '>:'tl ai .. .oil) HPo ~1:~- ..... I:l ~:9 :> ';d P~ 'tll'l "' .<<1>1>...0.. . :<>1>P'"o ...'..;. '0".- ,.... ... I:'tl ;:::~ 1l)0l ~m'tll: Pm .O..J Il) mI'l :> ,.;'a E~ .~>~:- I~':l;l., So...; P"o<','<':'l Dixie ................................................ 1040 320 1360 1 1 35 476 4 $133.28 $33.15 $166.43 3 97 Cook ...........~................................... 480 128 608 11 16 38 231 17 64.68 14.13 78.81 19 50 DeSoto .......................................... 960 320 1280 3 3 35 458 6 128.24 30.82 159.06 5 97 Toole ................................................ 1040 224 1264 1 4 38 480 3 .134.40 29.40 163.80 4 90 I-" Bank Account ........................ 640 128 768 8 14 34 261 16 73.08 19.01 92.09 17 55 ~ Lewis 63 ....................................... 1040 320 1360 1 1 36 490 2 137.20 32.62 169.82 1 97 Poulnot .......................................... 880 352 1232 4 5 36 444 7 124.32 29.55 153.87 7 90 Dillon ............................................ 640 160 800 8 13 37 296 14 82.88 18.90 101.78 15 96 King ................................................ 768 160 928 6 11 34 316 13 88.48 22.95 111.43 14 60 Dillon-Hybrid ........................ 880 220 1100 4 7 36 396 9 110.88 26.40 137.28 10 96 Half and Half........................... 800 224 1024 5 8 38 389 10 108.92 23.81 132.73 11 85 College No.1 ........................... 768 224 992 6 Covington-Toole .................. 960 256 1216 3 9 37 367 11 102.76 23.43 126.19 12 85 6 38 462 5 129.36 28.27 157.63 6 97 Cleveland .................................... 800 160 960 5 10 37 355 12 99.40 22.68 122.08 13 80 Council-Toole ........................ 980 320 1300 2 2 38 494 1 138.32 30.22 168.54 2 97 Modella A Dix-Mifi ..................~.................... 800 700 300 200 1100 900 5 7 37 407 8 113.96 25.98 139.94 8 95 7 12 32 288 15 109.24 22.95 132.19 9 95 Webber ......................................... 500 90 590 10 17 32 189 19 75.60 15.28 90.88 16 55 Express ...............~.................._.. 550 100 650 9 15 31 202 18 70.70 16.80 87.50 18 65 SUMMARY OF VARIETY TESTS, LUMPKIN, GA., FOR 1914, 1915, 1916, 1917. Table No. 4 on page 16 gives a bIief summary of the vaIiety tests at Lumpkin, Ga., for the last four years, 1914, 1915, 1916, and 1917. This test shows that Lewis 63 ranked 1st in yield of lint for two years, 2nd one year, and 3rd one year. DeSoto ranked 2nd in yield of lint for one year, 3rd one year, 4th one year, and 6th one year. Dixie Improved ranked 1st in yield of lint one year, 2nd one year, 4th one year, and 8th one year. In comparison with the above wilt resistant vaIieties, notice the rank of the ordinary varieties that are not wilt resistant. Thus, King ranked 9th in yield of lint one year, 10th one year, 11th one year, and 12th one year. Cleveland ranked 6th in yield of lint one year, 7th one year, and 10th one year. From the results of this test covering a period of four years, we may conclude that for wilt infected land in this &ection of Georgia, the Lewis 63, Council-Toole and DeSoto are very well adapted and should give satisfactory yields. In 1917 the top dresser of nitrate of soda was applied July 5th. This caused the cotton to grow very rapidly about the time the boll-weevil was becoming numerous and not many of the squares formed at this time matured. If a top dresser is to be u&ed under boll-weevil conditions it should be applied about June 15th to secure the best results. 15 TABLE 4. SUMMARY OF VARIETY TESTS LUMPKIN, GA. 1914 VARIETY ...d '"en~ l1i .. ,00-1P", ... ", 1': .. :::~ l1i .. 0,-01 A" .>s. i "'.<:.!<: ~~ -;;r:l'" .1>'::'_" ~~ Dixie Imp................... 1054 389 96 1 Lewis 63..................... 918 344 95 3 ..... DeSoto.......................... 1088 381 96 2 '" Council-Toole......... Modella......................... 884 327 94 4 Covington-TOOle. 816 298 90 5 King................................. 476 171 15 9 Bank Account....... Half and HalL..... 272 109 15 10 Cook................................ 850 327 18 4 Cleveland................... 680 258 12 7 Dix-Afifi....................... 850 272 96 6 BJxpress......................... Webber......................... 680 221 18 8 Poulnot......................... Toole.............................. I 1915 >. .d.., en~ l1i .. ,00-1P", .- " .1..':" "-ol l1i .. ,0", 0-1P, =01 '" "' .<:.!<: 01 ~;;; .sg .1!<'::'"- pt:i:l';";' 825 293 96 2 840 307 96 1 823 288 95 4 805 290 94 3 735 265 92 6 665 236 75 10 648 246 85 9 840 260 673 202 612 184 735 272 718 262 96 8 85 11 85 12 90 5 85 7 1916 d..,. ui~ l1i .. ,0-01."p, ... ., 1': .. :::~ l1i .. ;38, >. :i i "'.<:.!<: ~t0;1 ... .1_;'::1::':: .1>'::'_" pt:i:l "~ 1917 '" .- d ... $ " e'n,o"-l 1':'-til 2:U ;l1i3.~. 0-1P, >. 5 ... r:ll': i "'.<:.!<: ~~01 '~;::l .~1!<.'::'~"- 810 284 90 8 1360 476 97 4 972 350 90 1 '1360 490 97 2 945 331 92 3 1280 458 97 6 714 264 85 9 1300 494 97 1 1100 407 95 8 1216 462 97 5 486 175 40 12 928 316 60 11 351 119 36 14 768 261 55 13 820 328 75 4 1024 389 85 9 850 332 82 2 608 231 50 14 785 298 80 6 960 355 80 10 702 225 90 10 900 288 95 12 648 211 70 11 650 202 65 15 378 121 35 13 590 189 55 16 864 292 78 7 1232 444 90 7 837 310 76 5 1264 480 90 3 PlJATE I. Fig. 1. Variety test, Vienna, Ga., 1917. Two rows on left Lewis 63; two rows in center King, two rows on right DeSoto. Original. PLATE II. Fig. 1. Variety test, Lumpkin, Ga., 1917. Part of a row of Lewis 63. Yield 1360 Ibs. seed cotton per acre. In comparison with this see Plate 2, Fig. 1. Original. PLATE 111. Fig. 1. Field of cotton near Americus, Ga., 1917, wbere a poor fight was made against the boll weevl. Yield 350 Ibs. seed cotton per acre. Original. PLATE IV. Fig. 1. Weighing scene in variety test, farm of Mr. E. Eo Chance, Waynesboro, Ga., showing Mr. Chance, the owner of the farm, weighing the cotton, and his foreman, MI'. E. D. Thompson, and the writer recording the weights. TABLE 5. VARIETY TEST BRUNSWICK, GA., 1917 VARIETY ...,. =" a.,lA~ u"'j.~s .0 .... ..:l8 :5! ~:><:.g: -<::8.... ~'<;'::$:'0., .,.; <:: ".... p..,.>;:::: Dixie ............................................................... 975 2 35 Cook ................................................................ 972 3 38 DeSoto ......................................................... 820 10 35 Toole .........................;.................................. 850 8 38 ....... Bank Account ....................................... Lewis 63 ................................................... 825 1000 9 1 34 36 Poulnot .................................................... 1000 1 36 Dillon ......................................................... 865 6 37 King ...................................................'.......... 810 11 34 Dillon-Hybrid ....................................... 970 4 36 Half and Half ....................................... 810 11 38 Covington-Toole ............................ 960 5 38 Council-Toole ...................................... 970 4 38 Cleveland ................................................ '860 7 37 Modella ..........."......................................... 800 12 37 Dix-Mifi ....................................~.............. 820 10 32 Webber ...................................................... 800 12 32 Express ...................................................... 810 11 31 Sea Island No. 24........................... , 270 13 28 Sea Island lint valued at 70c per lb. .. ..<.:.: .0.. ;=:~ ai .. ;S~ -<;:::t::l ~~<.':~:O-. .. .0 .,.<::- ;::: .,p, ~=t' .i >~ ..'..0,, 0<:: .,lll .. .,p, .8 ~~ .. ., ;.<:,:::,:3,'0,l =' -<:::>'d .>o81'01: -a'd ~ed under boll-weevil conditions it should be applied about the middle of June for the best results. SUMMARY OF VARIETY TESTS, BRUNSWICK, GA., 1915, 1916, 1917. From the tests conducted at New Hope for three years, 1915, 1916, and 1917, it is apparent that on wilt affected land in Glynn County, the wilt resistant varieties should be planted. The following wilt resistant varieties gave the best results and are recommended for planting on land affected with the wilt disease: Council-Toole, Lewis 63, Dixie Improved, and the Dix-AfifL This section is very well adapted to the growing of long staple, upland cotton, such as the Dix-Afifi, Webber and Express. Judging from the results f>ecured in the variety test and also from different fields in the county, the DixAfifi is the best variety to plant. On new land or land free from the wilt disease, the Webber may give good results. 18 TABLE 6. SUMMARY OF VARIETY TESTS BRUNSWICK, GA. . 1915 1916 1917 VARIETY ..,.. '".."00,,0,...."1..,,.. .Co ;"3'I:: .... ., .... .- "1::'" -01 oi ... .H0o .1_:;::1:::: ~-1".=::'~0- ..,..., ..,.. .,'0"0 ~...... ~~ H.o0i.l.0.:. .... ., .... :Ea 1::1:: cd H.o0iC..o.,. -~1"'=:;4";"j' '0..""0,,0'..P."1.,..o,.. oil:: ;3 .... ., .... ;1:::::c'"d" 1:1: '-;::::j oi ... H.0C.o, -1"=:"_" ~01~" Dixie Imp..................................... 728 255 Lewis 63 .......................................... 1092 393 DeSoto ............................................. 936 328 Council-Toole ........................... 1092 404 Modella .......................................... 728 262 Covington-Toole ..................... 884 327 Half and HalL........................... 416 166 Cook ................................................... 780 304 Toole ................................................ 520 198 Poulnot ........................................... 978 352 Simpkins ....................................... 832 291 10 1170 410 1 975 341 5 2 1000 360 6 1000 360 4 4 1066 373 3 820 287 10 1 962 356 7 970 368 2 9 728 262 5 800 296 9 C> ,...; 5 ................_..... ....._.............. .................. 960 365 3 14 988 395 2 810 308 8 6 ...................... ....._... ......... ~ .................. 972 369 1 13 962 366 4 850 323 6 3 . .................. .................... .t. 1000 360 4 7 884 309 9 .................._..... .....-.............. .................. Bank Account ........................... ........................ ..................... ..................... 676 230 11 Cleveland ............._........................ ........................ ..........._.....-.- ..................... 520 198 13 Dix-Afifi ......................................... 780 250 11 1040 333 8 Express ....._................_................. 676 209 12 806 250 10 825 281 11 860 318 7 820 262 12 810 251 14 Webber ............................................. 832 266 8 624 200 12 800 256 13 Sea Island No. 50, in 1917 No. 24 ........................... ........u _....._...........-.. ..................... 468 126 14 270 76 15 TABLE 7-VARIETY TEST PINEHURST, GA. ONE ACRE PLANTED EACH VARIETY VARJEJTY '"'"Ol w~ ... uiBi """'Ol ..:I8Ul '"Ol Ol w~ .... ."u."i:1.3..8."0.; '"'Q") .O..l w.0~o"S $~~ ..:I<>lO. 'Q"j ...... ~: ~d ~-o0 I.~~,) ~~~'" P"-<':~::: ...~ "..,. .--oS<> oi ... .t:J", ..:IlO. ~i: '-;::l ;~~..:-'"~ -._-..... <::"" "::>,l'.O"... <>gag" o~ ",'" ""W''OlIO.l. -~O:.:>,l~.o0; '""::>'w~ ~_'o"~S .5 .... o~ 8:::: .5 ~po<'<:S::":~>- Dixie .................................11033 I 442 114751 1 I 35 1 5161 1 1$144.481$35.961$180.441 1 Lewis 63 1 911 319 12301 4 36 4431 3 124.04 29.51 153.55/5 ~ <:> Council-Toole 952 307 12591 3 38 4781 2 133.84 33.03 166.87 4 DeSoto 725 301 10261 7 35 3591 7 100.52 25.01 125.531 7 Cleveland (Wan- namaker) 770 372 1142 6 38 4341 4 121.521 26.55 148.07 6 Dix-Mifi Express 873 309 1182 5 32 378 6 143.64 30.15 173.79 3 I 1 965 357 1322 2 31 4101 5 143.501 34.201177.70 2 On a 5-acre field of Dix-Afltl planted near tills test a yield of one bale per acre was made. RE1I1AHKS All varlties were a. good stand except the Desoto and Cleveland. The wilt disease did not 'show up to amount to anything. All varieties shed theil' leaves about Oct. 1. The cotton was planted Aprll lOth in 4 1-2 foot rows. thinned to about 2 feet apart in the row; ferl!llIzed wi th 300 lbs. 9-3-0 guano pel' acre. YIELDS OF FIELDS OF WILT' RESISTA T COTTON. Many times we are asked "How much per acre is made on a large field under boll-weevil conditions?" Mr. J. F. Humber, of Lumpkin, Ga., had a field of 90 acres of Lewis 63 on which he made 58 bales, averaging 500 pounds. This field was planted the last of March and the first week in April. Two hundred pounds of 9-3-0 guano per acre was applied at planting time. The weevil appeared early in June and the infested squares were picked up once a week for five weeks. The picking of the weevils and squares cost about $2.50 per acre. It should be E.tated that the bollweevil infestation in Stewart County was very heavy. In many fields only a mile or two from Mr. Humber's place, where no fight, or else a poor fight was made, against the weevil, the yield was about one bale to ten acres. On his plantation at DeSoto, Hon. M. B. Council, of Americus, Ga., made 15 bales of cotton on 9 acres planted in Lewis 63. This field was planted with seed from a few rows of cotton which two years before came from one good stalk. This cotton was fertilized with 500 pounds of 9-3-0 guano per acre, and in June 100 pounds per acre of a top dresser was applied. On 200 acres of wilt resistant cotton, 100 acres of Lewis 63 and 100 acres of DeSoto and CouncilToole, 175 bales, averaging 500 pounds each, were made. The boll-weevil struck this farm in June and the infested squares were collected once a week for four or five weeks. On the Howell plantation, J. D. Hendley, Manager, Vienna, Ga., about 175 bales were made on 225 acres of wilt resistant cotton. The following varieties of wilt resistant cotton were planted on the plantation: CouncilToole, Lewis 63, DeSoto, Dixie and Modella. The bollweevil appeared on this plantation in a few spots in June. The infested E.quares were collected once a week for four or five weeks. In a few places, where the infestation was heavy before they were discovered, the squares were collected every five days. An exact record of the cost of picking up the infested squares was not kept, but it was estimated to be from $2.50 to $3.00 per acre. Dr. William Rawlings, Sandersville, Ga., planted about 500 acres in Lewis 63 and Council-Toole, on which he averaged one bale per acre. This cotton was planted on land where the year before 25 to 50 per cent. of the cotton died from the wilt disease, and only a few stalks of this cotton showed any signs of the disease. Judge John S. Candler, of Atlanta, Ga., grew on his plantation near HawkinE.ville 90 acres of the Lewis 63, 40 acres of Council-Toole, and 90 acres of DeSoto, with very gratifying reE.ults, yielding 1000 to 3000 lbs. seed cotton per acre. Daniel Sons & Palmer Co., Millen, Ga., grew 200 acres of DeSoto and 50 acres of Dix-Afifi and are more than pleased with the results. 21 Variety Tests Conducted in East and North Georgia. During the year 1917 variety tests have been conducted in Burke, Hancock, Fulton, Hall, and Whitfield Counties. On account of seriom. damage by hail and early frosts the results of the tests in the three last counties named will not be published, but all data collected on these tests have been recorded and are available through correspondence with this department. With the exception of the extreme drought during August and September in Hancock County the weather conditions here and in Burke County were fairly good for the production of cotton, and the results of the tests in these localities seem worthy of publication at this time. In conducting variety tests earliness, disease resistance, and yield are the most important considerations. Unlike most variety tests conducted with this crop, which have only a very small fraction of an acre in each kind and the acre yields calculated therefrom, these tests include from one-third to one-half of an acre in each variety tested and are conducted under as nearly actual farm conditions as it is possible to run them. Because of the slight inequalities in soil conditions of the test patches the varieties are grown in either one or two-row plats, which are repeated until the desired acreage is planted. In planting and picking these tests the work was done under the personal supervision of the writer, and all the remaining work involved in conducting them was directed and inspected from time to time during the entire growing season by him. Tests conducted in this manner should result in reliable information as to the local adaptability of the different varieties, which, after all, is the ultimate purpose of making these tests in so many communities of the state. In order to take into consideration the seasonal and other annual effects upon experiments of this kind it is absolutely necessary to continue the tests in the same localities through a period of at least three years. The average results at the end of such a period should indicate the best varieties to grow under the local conditions and similar conditions elsewhere. After the best varieties have been determined in this way they are to be improved from Under direction of C. A. 'McLendon, Expert in Cotton Breeding. 22 year to year by selection and the seed multiplied as rapidly as possible for distribution for planting purposes. This is only the second year that these tests have been conducted, and, therefore, the results are not conclusive; but in view of the approaching boll-weevil menace and fOl;" other good reasons it is deemed advisable to publish the results of these tests at the end of each season, E.O that all possible information as to the adaptability of the different varieties under present conditions can be ascertained as soon as possible. VARIETY TEST IN BURKE COUNTY. During the last two years this test haE. been located on the farm of Mr. E. E. Chance, Waynesboro, Georgia, and the same patch was used for this purpose both years. This land has been in cotton continuously for several years, and it is more or less affected with wilt. The soil is a good sandy loam and is fairly uniform in character. The preparation and cultivation was the same as that practiced for the general crop of cotton on this farm, and no extra attention was given the test patch except in planting and picking the cotton. The rows were four feet apart and the plants thinned to an average of one to every eighteen inches. It was planted on the 10th of April and a good stand of all varieties was obtained shortly thereafter. A, E.mall application of stable manure was made in the drill, 800 pounds per acre of a 9-2-3 fertilizer was applied at planting time, 50 pounds per acre of nitrate of soda on the 12th of June, and 100 pounds per acre of nitrate of soda on the 7th of July. The total yield on this nine-acre patch was 12V2 bales in 1916, and in 1917 it was 13Vz bales, all 500 pounds each. The difference in yield of seed cotton between the higheE.t and lowest-yielding varieties in 1916 was 345 pounds per acre, or a money value of about $43.00; and in 1917 it was 800 pounds per acre, or a money value of about $117.00. Nearly all of the varieties that have been tried out in this test are being grown more or less in this locality. Therefore, it can easily be seen how the farmers of this community will be benefitted by taking advantage of the results obtained in the work that is being done on this farm in their midst. Detailed results of this test are given in Tables 9 and 10, and it will pay every farmer in Georgia having conditions similar to those obtaining in this county to study them very carefully before deciding on the variety or varieties of cotton that he will plant next season. The wilt is rapidly becoming a f>erious factor in cottonproduction in this section, and on land affected with this (Continued on page 25) ~ TABLE S._Notes on several characters of the eighteen varieties tested at- Waynesboro and Culverton. ... VARIETIES STUDIED ~'$ ...."Q) l.ll ... 0.Q'0Qll ~1Il zS8 ~e:9.l. :s: ~...3... Qll:: Il<:=:: Cook ................................................ 67 38 Z' .... 01:: ~--;QI)II I:: PoJ:l '"'Q0l Ql .V.,ev,.I ..-..., 'Q"l 1::'" ';0~>8' ~I::~ "...S... o., ... 0 co be. '8 ~ 8'" ~'t:S ~s Ql5" HIIl.= Q)Qlol ~blJC I::Ql ::>5; .... 0 .Q"'.".l'., oIll/) ~":'=o:S: u,8 III III oS () ... 0 Po ;:l ~ fbJ~:l ... 0 ..0.. 'l"l/) .~ P1:: o.... % 3783 82 Poor........ Medium. Big Boll.......... Medium. .!."C..' oS SQl r:t: Cook 30'7-6 ...............:................. 67 38 % 4136 93 Good........ Medium. Big BolL....... Medium. Tri-Cook .....,................................. 65 37 :~t 4136 84 Poor........ Medium. Big BolL....... Poor........ Hybrid Cleveland (Williams) ...... 65 37 % 4136 76 Medium. Medium. Big Boll.......... Medium. Originally from ... Cleveland (Wood) ............... 67 36 % 3783 97 Poor........ Medium. Big Boll.......... Medium Wannamaker .... Cleveland (Wannamak'r) 63 37 % 3492 94 Good........ Medium. Big Boll.......... Good........ Christopher ............................. 62 34 % 3492 86 Medium. Medium. Big Boll.......... Poor........ Half and HalL......................... 70 38 % 4540 97 Poor........ Medium. Semicluster.. Medium. Sawyer ........................................... 67 37 % 4136 90 Poor........ Medium. Big BolL........ Medium. King ................................................. 82 33 % 4136 74 Poor......... Medium. Early................... Medium Simpkins' Ideal ..................... 80 34 % 4136 78 Medium. Medium. Early................... Medium Petway ...........,.............................. 89 34 % 4540 93 Medium. Light........ Early................... Poor........ E~press ........................................ \ 871 30\11-16 4540 98 Medium. Light........ Long Staple. Medium. 18135 Dlx-Afifl ....................................... 86 32 1 3-16 4540 86 Medium. Medium Long Staple. Medium Wilt resistant Dixie Improved .................... % 4540 97 Medium. Medium. Peterkin........... Medium. Wilt resistant Lewis 63 ....................................... 85 36 % 4540 88 Medium. Medium Pet.erkin........... Medium. Wilt resistant DeSoto .......................................... 80 35 % 45401 92 Medium Medium. Peterkin........... Medium. Wilt resistant Council-Toole ......................../ 851 38 % 4,540 94 Medium. Medium Peterkin........... Medium. Wilt resistant For sources of seed used in these tests see page 30. dreaded disease none but the best wilt-resistant varieties, such as Council-Toole, Dixie Improved, Lewis 63, DeSoto and Dix-Afifi, should ever be grown. In fact, no other varieties will produce a profitable crop of cotton under wilt conditions. The Dix-Afifi is an upland staple variety and it is the only wilt-resistant staple variety that has been developed. For definite suggestions as to the varieties best adapted to this locality the reader is referred to the recommendations offered on pages 6 and 7. VARIETY TEST IN HANCOCK COUNTY. During the last two years this test has been located on the Energy Farm, Mr. B. F. Morris, Manager, Culverton, Georgia. It was not possible to locate the test on the same land each year, but in both locations used the conditions were about the same. This land is supposed to have been in cotton continuously for the last few years, and it is slightly infected with wilt in spots. The soil is a sandy loam and fairly uniform in character. The preparation and cultivation was the same as that practiced for the general crop of cotton on this farm, and no extra attention was given the test patch except in planting and picking the cotton. The rows were four feet apart and the plants thinned to an average of one every eighteen inches. This cotton was planted on the 12th of April and a fairly good stand of all varieties was obtained. An application of 300 pounds per acre of a complete fertilizer was made at planting time, and 400 pounds per acre of "this same material was applied about the middle of June. The yields in this test have been rather lower than expected both years, owing to unfavorable weather conditions, but the results should be comparable, even when obtained under such adverse circumstances. Ordinarily, the varieties best suited to a locality can be determined by running a test during a period of three years, but in this case it will likely require a longer period in which to obtain the desired results, since the test has been conducted under unfavorable conditions two years in succession. The seasonable variations are very marked, especially in the case of some varieties, as will be seen by exa.l]lining Tables 11 and 12, giving the detailed results of thiS test. The difference in yield of seed cotton between the highest and lowest-yielding varieties in 1916 was 616 pounds per acre, or a money value of about $63.00; and in 1917 it was 465 pounds per acre, or a money value of about $70.00. early all of the varieties included in this test are being grown more or less in this locality, therefore the importance of taking advantage of the work that is being done on this farm. As to the best varieties to be used in 1918 (Continued on page 30) 25 TABLE g.-Variety test, farm of Mr. E. E. Chance, Waynesboro, Burke County, Georgia, showing rank in earliness, yield per acre, and money value per acre of the eighteen varieties tested, 1917. VARIETIES TESTED (lh acre In each variety) OIl ~ Earliness, as Indicated by pounds of seed cotton at first two pickings ..0 ... . .; Po I I Ij '"f1.I .... 0" :3 0 E-t '$ ;;l ~c-E. ai~'tj :38;; t- ":"> 0 Z .4) 'g~ 4) .. "'4) ",Po 'tll'l :1>'1..0. p0.'8" ... 'tl ~... ~ ~() ::34) -" "'0 =", g.. ,!('tl 'g .. p0.P"o, ai ~~ .00..4.) ,!,j .<..dP~.AI~II ::: .ed: .s..:::-'tcl(.,..). C>":d,:.~.s0...-:(w). <~- ...... I'l '"00; >~ .... ~ 4) :::l~ ~Po :> 'iii ;> ~'al -'"'" .5 ,!( ~~~ .5'tl'" ~ ~ Cook ............................................................... 1294 560 1854 12 90 1944 14 73911205 $206.92 $45.19 $252.11 12 Cook 307-6 .............................................. 1244 720 1964 8 150 2114 10 8031311 224.84 49.16 27 4.00 9 Tri-Cook ........................................._........... 1434 700 2134 4 180 2314 3 8561458 239.68 54.62 274.30 4 ~ Cleveland (Williams) ..................... 1414 690 2104 5 110 2214 7819 1395 229.32 52.31 281.63 6 ." Cleveland (Wood) .............................. 1324 590 1914 9 90 2004 11 721 1283 201.88 48.11 249.99 13 Cleveland (Wannamaker) ......... 1474 710 2184 3 90 2274 4841 1433 235.48 53.74 289.22 5 Christopher ..........._................................... 1284 610 1894 10 90 1984 13 675 1309 189.00 49.09 238.09 15 Half and Half.......................................... 1464 770 2234 1 110 2344 2891 1453 249.48 54.49 303.97 3 Sawyer .........._............................................. 1014 410 1424 15 130 1554 17 575 979 161.00 36.71 197.71 17 King ......................._._.................................._.. 1184 470 16'54 13 130 1784 15 589 1195 164.92 44.81 209.73 16 Simpkins' Ideal .................................... 1064 460 1524 14 120 1644 16 559 1085 156.52 40.69 197.21 18 Petway ......................................................... 1308 560 1868 11 130 1998 12 680 1318 190.40 49.42 239.82 14 Express ................................:........................ 1404 510 1914 9 90 2004 11 601 1403 204.34 52.61 256.95 11 Dix-Afifi ...................................................... 1394 644 2038 7 100 2138 9684 1454 259.92 54.52 314.44 1 Dixie Improved .................................... 1284 850 2134 4 130 2264 5792 1472 221.76 55.20 276.96 8 Lewis 63 .................................................._.. 1274 830 2104 5 120 2224 6801 1423 224.28 53.36[ 277.64 7 DeSoto ............................._.......................... 1364 680 2044 6 104 2148 8752 1396 210.56 52.35 262.91 10 Council-Toole ................._....................... 1344 850 2194 2 140 2354 1895 1457 250.60 54.71 305.31 2 TABLE 10.-Average results, variety test, farm of Mr. E. E. Chance,. Waynesboro, Burke County, Ga., showing rank in earliness, yield per acre, and money value per acre of the seven varieties tested in both 1916 and 1917. VARIETIES TESTED ""-'I Cleveland (Williams) 1916 1917 1916 & 1917 1916 1917 1916 & 1917 1916 U17 1916&1917 h'""'"c''.''.'.~ J:J s:: - gf'g~:g "C'.o..lCA ::::CJO ~"'.:l ~~ ''"" '''""" ~ <>"'I..l.'".c~ s:: ;::l ~oS gfJ':Jg~:sg:: CQ,o)~lS::-A ;::;CJO .>: ~ r;r;1a.S~g0~ "'sI:: Q.b..I3.I....'.=.".. -~~o+l-o'l", etiEs:g:b~II ~'doB C","A ~rr1'~'t~l"~'", .o~.. '": s:: ~ s:: il 0 " '3""'""''e~'l''l 0" <-<8- --- . 'Q"j ~ 'g~'" "'"'1;; 'Q"j ~ oS .>: C ~ ellA ~C "'... 0 > ...... <8 oS .>: d til ll: >.b'" ",til '"::I (3 >",<.'."I".I. 8~ SA -> C ~ SA (3 ell .>: ... ::1 ~~ C .~ 3~ ~i '"e::;I > oS .>C: ~ ~e S::" s00.1. beIlIl'A" til", >:PEtil <> e:':";I > .5 -C"= ~ 1740 5 2104\ 3 1922 41820 62214 42017 4 $172.24 6 $281.631 31$226.931 5 Express ................................. 1785 4 1914 6 1899 51885 42004 71944 7 179.17 5 256.95 6 218.06 6 Dix-Afifi ................;~.............. 1680 6 2038 5 1859 61825 52138 61981 5 189.07 3 314.44 1 251.75 1 Dixie Improved ............... 1980 1 2134 2 2057 12190 12264 22227 1 196.09 1 276.96 5\ 236.52 3 Lewis 63 ............................. 1795 3 2104 3 1949 31970 32224 312097 3 179.63 4 277.64 41228.63 4 DeSoto .................................... 1605 7 2044 4 1824 71800 72148 511974 6 161.10 7 262.91 71212.00 7 Council-Toole .................. 1875 2 2194: 1 2034 22075 2/2354\ 1\22141 2 192.81 2 305.311 2 249.06 2 It will be noted that the Dixie Improved and CouncilToole bave led in this test for these two years. TABLE 11.-Variety test, Energy Farm, Mr, B. F. Morris, Manager, Culverton, Hancock County, Ga., showing rank in earliness, yield per acre, and money value per acre of the eighteen varieties tested, 1917. VAl1JF.TJES TESTED . (1-3 acre In each variety) Earliness. as Indicated by pounds of seed cotton at first two plcldngs i I~ j I I :3 0 E-t '0' ., ~C":l b.O ... ",l:l: rn+0o'l-~ ., ... ..~ .0:l "0"''-'' '.0,0"1 "'C11 .... ~ '). z~. ",Po '01: ..."'l:lo p0,,'8" '0 ~:... l: .... CJ ~ ~"lC:'1'"g1 "'., ~ '..0,, ;=l !l' "' ... ~a 1:: 01 r"g,'~" '" ... P0".o,. P0" ...,. ..i.i.i, ...., .", 01-.0~ . ., .,.'0, O'"J -'"",., ~'O f :> .5 1::" O....,l."..o..!. ~ l: 01::., 01 E-t:::Po ~ Cook .....................~............................................... 756 471 1227 4 24 1251 4 475 776 $133.00 $29.10 $162.10 5 Cook 307-6......................................................... 840 411 1251 3 21 1272 3 483 789 135.24 29.59 164.83 3 ... Tri-Cook ............................................................. 804 381 1185 5 27 1212 5 448 764 125.44 28.65 154.09 6 00 Cleveland (Williams) ........................... 783 471 1254 2 21 1275 2 472 803 132.16 30.11 162.27 4 Cleveland (Wood) .................................... 795 339 1134 Cleveland (Wannamaker) ............... 834 462 1296 9 1 1158111135121 8 1 415 737 485 826 116.20 135.80 2Ui4 30.97 143.84 10 166.77 2 Christopher ...................................................... 720 330 1050 13 27 1077 12 365 712 102.20 26.70 128.90 14 Half and Half ................................................ 799 318 1077 11 18 1095 11 416 679 116.48 25.46 141.94 11 Sawyer ...............................................................1 921 252 1173 6 9 1182 6 437 745 122.36 27.94 150.30 8 King ........................................................................ 735 234 969 17 6 975 16 322 653 90.16 24.49 114.65 17 Simpkins' Ideal .......................................... 657 183 840 18 6 846 17 288 558 80.64 20.92 101.56 18 Petway .............................................................. ~ 774 210 984 16 15 999 15 340 659 95.20 24.71 119.91 16 Express ............................................................... 840 327 1167 7 15 1182 6 355 827 120.70 30.51 151.21 7 Dix-Afifi #0 879 258 1137 8 30 1167 7 373 794 141.74 29.78 171.52 1 Dixie Improved .......................................... 666 345 1011 15 33 1044 14 365 679 102.20 25.46 127.66 15 Lewis 63 ...........~............................................... 771 297 1068 12 33 1101 10 396 705 110.88 26.44 137.32 12 DeSoto .................................................................. 690 336 1026 14 36 1062 13 372 690 104.16 25.87 130.03 13 Council-Toole ............................................. 753 339 1092 10 3~ 1128 9 429 690 120.12 26.21 146.33 9 TABLE 12.-Average results, variety test, Energy Farm, Mr. B. F. Morris, Manager, Culverton, Hancock County, Ga., showing rank in earliness, yield per acre, and money value per acre of the six varieties tested in both 1916 and 1917. 1nl6 1917 1916 & 1nl7 1916 1917 1916 & 1917 1916 1917 1nl6 & 1917 ., .... --- VAlUETJES ':I.'ESTED "" .,rrnn ~ ....r~nrn rn >.i: oS-" e~ e ::l .e geu j~ aJ~.~_ ;@_~..g.. Ao r.1E8~ .!eG oS ll: .,".",.... UJUJ .'3 ~ -:>" ~e ..~aJ ~.- eu~ oS.-_a ;~gA r~il;Ea~()..~.. ., f:E rn ern .~_ bIlrn ., :.:J .~, .5 cn~~cn o~~S-aJ 0~8C.x5~-0 .>: ~ ll: '~-+0~1'g!? ril;;; 3lt e~rn ~ ~ .~~ ~ :; ll: e ~0 () "0"; "" .~ r$n(e) .5 8.t0.i.l.A..e.,.ll .>e: ~ e ..0.B.. () al "rn4.>.. () 8.O0.J.A...o.,S. ...,. "" ., 0; ".",o(S) ., ';;' rn'" .5 -e'< oS ll: 4>"'- .,bile e.o... ;> .... <8 't:l 0; .~ E .!eG &1 4> ., ~~ ::> .~ a; ;> EA .5 3~ ., "2 8o:O>j oS ll: ...,. >.() .,ell 0Ee A...,. <....;l:':"> ~~ ., ::> O>J E e" ~ c~(f) Eo.S.. ~~ oaS;4~> <;>~- ., ~ O>J .5 .e'~ 0: ll: t-=> "" Cook ..........................A .............. 1308 1 1227 2 1267 11368 11251 21309 1 $131.82 1 $162.10 3 $146.96 1 Cleveland (Williams) 944 5 1254 1 1099 3 972 61275 11123 5 91.81 6 162.27 2 127.08 4 Express .................................... 1052 4 1167 3 1109 21076 41182 31129 4 102.42 5 151.21 4 126.81 5 Dix-Mifi .....A .......................... 900 6 1137 4 1018 61028 51167 41097 6 106.51 4 171.52/1 139.01 2 Lewis 63 .............................. 1124 2 1068 6 1096 41184 21101 61142 3 107.94 3 137.32 6 122.63 6 Council-Toole .................. 1080 3 1092 5 1051 5118013 1128 51154 2 109.69 2 146.33 5 128.01 3 It will be noted that the Cook has led both years in this test. in this locality the farmers should take the suggestions offered under the head of recommendations on pages 6 and 7. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. The co-operation of Mr. E. E. Chance, Waynesboro, Georgia, and Mr. B. F. Morris, Culverton, Georgia, on whose farms these tests were conducted, is acknowledged, with due appreciation of the important part their untiring efforts have played in the success of the work. SOURCES OF SEED USED IN THE TESTS, 1917. Cook-Lee J. Williams, Carrollton, Ga. Cook 307-6-W. J. Bridges, otasulga, Ala. Tri-Cook-M. R. Hall, James, Ala. . Cleveland (Williams)-Lee J. Williams, Carrollton, Ga. Cleveland (Wood)-H. A. Wood, Pinehurst, Ga. Cleveland (Wannamaker)-Model Seed Farm, St. Matthews, S. C. Cleveland-H. A. Wood, Pinehurst, Ga. Christopher-W. G. Cleaveland, LaGrange, Ga. Poulnot-J. E. Bradbury, Athens, Ga. College o. I-College of Agriculture, Athens, Ga. Sawyer-E. E. Chance, Waynesboro, Ga. Half & Half-J. J. L. Phillips, Tifton, Ga. Petway-A. P. Petway, Eastman, Ga. Toole-J. W. Mathis, D'awson, Ga. Bank Account-H. G. Hastings Co., Atlanta, Ga:. Simpkins-H. G. Hastings Co., Atlanta, Ga. King-H. G. Hastings Co., Atlanta, Ga. Simpkins' Ideal-W. A. Simpkins, Rale~gh, N. C. Express-Felix Williams, Villa Rica, Ga. Webber-J. D. Hendley, Vienna, Ga. Dix-Afifi-J. B. Wight, Cairo, Ga. Sea Island No. 24-ValdOsta Experiment Station, Valdosta, Ga. Covington-Toole-H. A. Petty, Dawson, Ga. Council-Toole-M. B. Council, Americus, Ga:. Dixie Improved-M. B. Council, Americus, Ga. Lewis 63-M. B. Council, Americus, Ga. DeSoto--M. B. Council, Americus, Ga. Modella-J. D. Hendley, Viemna, Ga. Dillon-J. D. Hendley, Venna, Ga. Dillon-Hybrid-J. M. Council, Americus, Ga. 30 .".. - VARIE Y TEST .CONDUCTED '"UND.ER DIRECTION GEORGIA STATE BOARD OF - ENTOMOLOGY