Studies in life history of Murgantia histronics in Tennessee

This thesis consists of the results of a number of studies in the life history of the Murgantia histrionica, Hahn. This insect was chosen first, because of its great economic importance in Tennessee and secondly, because of a lack of knowledge of control methods. It was believed that if more were known about the life history of the insect, better control methods could be worked out. The experiments were all carried on, in glass cages and vials, in room 400 Morrill Hall. The work was started in September 1927, and ended July 25, 1928. It was originally intended that the work cover only eight months, but on account of the poor results obtained in the winter, it was decided to continue the work through June of 1928.

The experiments are not as scientific as they should be, on account of not having any way of controlling temperature and humidity in the room where the experiments were conducted. I had no way of telling the daily maximum and minimum temperature, and the humidity of the room. Neither did I have a way of recording the hourly temperature of the room. In the winter the temperature of the room fluctuated a great deal. Sometimes there was practically no heat at all in the room; at other times the temperature was ninety. After the beginning of warm weather in the spring, I used temperature and humidity data furnished me by the Knoxville Weather Bureau.