Bulletin 130


Variety Maturing Damaged by the Caterpillar
Wakulla Very early Little
Alachua Late Considerably
Yokohama Very early Very little
Wakulla Very early Little
Florida Very late Heavily
Wakulla Very early Little
Alachua Late Badly
Wakulla Early Slightly
Florida Very late Very heavily
Wakulla Very early Little
Alachua Late Badly
Yokohama Early Slightly
Wakulla Very early Hardly touched

 The preceding discussion applies only to those cases where
the varieties are grown close together. When a large field con-
taining thirty or forty acres of Chinese velvet beans is compared
with another large field of Florida velvet beans, there is less dif-
ference in the damage. Even in this case, however, there is
usually a difference in favor of the Chinese.

 METHODS OF CONTROL
 EARLY PREPARATION NECESSARY

 1. The farmer should begin to fight this pest at planting
time. If Chinese or early Georgia velvet beans are as suitable as
the Florida, the main crop can be planted to them or to some of
the new early varieties originated at the Experiment Station,
such as the Osceola and the Wakulla. Because of early maturity
and probably less attractiveness to the moths, these are damaged
less severely than the Florida velvet. If the tendency of the
Chinese to shell is a serious objection (as when it is used as a cat-
tle food) one of the other kinds, such as the early Georgia, should
be planted. As a further protection some of the Florida velvet
beans should be planted in the vicinity to attract the moths away
from the early varieties. This trap crop should be distributed
about the fields so that it will not be too far away (certainly not
more than an eighth of a mile) from any part of the main field.
The trap crop should be planted in accessible places so that it can
be readily sprayed or dusted.
 2. A flock of turkeys will consume vast numbers of cater-
pillars and other insects, especially grasshoppers.
 3. Birds, wasps, and skunks should not be molested. All are
useful destroyers of insects. Birds and skunks feed on grass-