Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1841-12-09
Rgtseeggasseesss.
Ercun tas Alilledgeriile Recorder.
WORN ~ COTTON.
Greene Couaty, Ga. Oct. s, lS4

Greene County, Gd. Uct. ), ioaa.
Msssrs. Gsieve s. Orme:-l have made
some experiments and discovery OF INC
worm in cotton. have heard Enany per-
sons undertake 10 describe ho" .he worms
were generated, but no description ieem-
ed 10 satisfy me. by crop having grea'
anan,i,y Of worm in i this year, was ire
euenily in i, and could see a fly resembling
the iy from silk worm. II was rather
smaller and more yellow. One evening
he,weer eun.sel and dark, followed one OF
,hose flies laying It's eggs. Every branch
ofcotton where the Hy made deposit OF
Its eggs, gathered aud put in glass ]nr.
from which the worm hn,ched; aud while
very sma.! pu, into small COTTON square.
andi, opened iu short time. II passed
from one square TO onoiher, producing inc
Same efTec, on the cotton as those 10 tue
field where gathered the eggs.
These worms, after getting TO certain
stage OF life, leave the cotton bolls and
burrow In the ground; bnt how long they
remaip in that slate, / am unable 10 say;
bu, beyond all doubt, they ore transform
ed into fly, and This fly lays The egg;
and as soon as the fly deposi'es all It's eggs.
j, dies similar 10 the silk worm ly. How
the worm frs, made its appearance last
year, am unable 10 determine, bat am
ineliued TO the belief that the lly was the
original last year aud was brought into cx-
istence from some unknown process.
One of these worms will destroy one
halfof, the squares and bolls in stalk OF
cotton and frequently more, before they
bur,ow in the Garth. Should this worm
remain in the ground during the winter. i,
no doubt would be good plan in the dead
of winter TO break up the bed in which the
cotton grew, so ,ha, they will freeze: They
seldom enter the ground in the middle of
the row. The number Of worms may he
reduced by making lights in different paris
Of the field jus, a, twilight. at which time
the av commences flying over the held;
aud like all other night ilies, will rush ,o
the Iieht aud in il. have caught these
Aics and pulled them asunder; aud sup
pose one fly will. from appearance. cnni"in
from lhree TO FIVE hundred eggs. have
also caught them when they had bnt few,
aud were small and sickly, and they then
soon die. From the fact that The worm
destroys SO much Of the square aud boil, J
have no doubt that great saving may be
had by worming the plant. oud detecting
them AT all ages aud sizes. This plan ]
adopted, and am sure from cnlculn
ton that made one days work, that mpsl
have ds,royed from forty to fifty thousand
worms in the space Of Eileen days. These
worms destroy more cotton when small
than they do when they are nearly grown
because they mostly prey upon the grown
boIis, aud frequently they remain III one
boil until they ges ready 10 go into the
Garth.
I will describe the Hy as nearly as cun:
II 10 about three -iourths Of an Inch long.
& of q Iich. brown yel!ow-wings spread
ou, wide pitched in leaf, anu a.,;;es awS.
warr,,y when iu The acf Of laying its eggs
has a email green head aud just between
shc socket Of liz wings soI browt red,
and has bill half an ipeiaiaugs oi.a hard
wiry slbataace, which il carya 1t carys IN
. coil.
I presume some may conclude that stub
bic or corn laud will not be attacked by
,hetn; bu, this makes no difference. as the
fly can travel very rapidly and will soon go
/, any part ofrhe plauation.
Cotton should be planted early, and
ihiunee on, 10 IL or IA inches. aud one
stalk. This will give The cotton air, aud
j, will form lis squares at much carrier
age, nud is less liable to The ravages oil the
worm. which appears from the 2O'h I" the
.ast Of Augus,. As the worm season IS
over, advise The reader 10 take care ol
this paper, and judge for himself next crop
AUGUSTlN GRhENE.