State journal & flag., 1846-10-02

ance, Spredd they GiH. ind them in dense woods and swnmps, miles from any cotton field so that there IS no reason 10 doubt that single moth may fly hundred miles or more. Some are of the opinion that,
 like the cicada, or locust they only appear at regular and distant intervals, generally supposed 10 be once in four years. But this is all mistake.
 Of those caterpillars which enter the chrysais state latest in the fall, many wind themselves amongst evergreen leaves, under strips of rough bark, and SO on, where they remain protected all .he winter; the moths making their appearance with settled warm weather, deposit their eggs and die. If the worms from these eggs escape the destruc. ton to which they are greatly exposed by the smallness of the plant and of their own numbers, it is evident that the second brood must be immensely increased and the loss of crop follows the production of third crop of worms. If good large flock sf young turkeys were kept going through the cotton field from the time of scrdping, an old woman driving and protecting them, the chances for the destruction of the first crop of worms would be greatly increased.
 MT. Seabrook, in his memoir of the cotton plant, says: livery effort winch the most scrutinlzing and active minds have hitherto suggested to prevent their propagation, or to render innoxous the career of these insatia- ble depredators, has utterly failed. From this consideration, added 10 their great te- nacity of life and extraordinary fecundity, 1t IS supposed that the or1innry means ofef fecting either of these desirable ends will never succeed. The caterpillar. after be- ing plunged into spirits of turpenline. or CO rosIve subimate, Is as ready for hs all.day meal, as though he had been dipped in pure water. If the section of ihe field in which the pupm only are seen. be burnt the pro gress of the worm, ns experience testfics, will scarcely be impeded. Lime will quick. ly produce death, and so will ol rubbed on lhe abdomen, but how can these be used eff, caceously on the lurym, when from five to ten hundred on plant are frequently scen1 Or, can the Pupm, reposing in their glutinous cells be affected by any external application? In this way the planter reasons, and when Che enemy appears, no means whatever are ever employed to preserve the fruits of his labor. As it is he will of Providence he assures himself, submission become duty. In relation 10 this matter, it may be asked IS the object at which the grower so long aimed. unattainably? Let the following statement answer. The caterpillar appear. ed in several parts of lhe field of John Town. send, of St. Johns, Coleton, early in Au. gust. last (1s43.) The plants were luxur- ant Tn growth, and tender in weed and leaf, and lhe weather being warm and rather moist, was altogether propitious 10 the spread and multiplying of the ~ortns. By the adop ton of prompt and vigorous measures, some of which are new, and a rigid persevei ance in their execution, his crop escaped uncealh ed, while many of his fellow laborers, who lacked faith in any remedy suffered greatly. In the attainment of his purpose. the means resorted to by Mir. Townsend were the fol-. lowing:
 l. His people searched for and killed both the worm and the chrysalis of the first brood.
 2. On the appearance of the second brood. he scattered corn on the field to in> vte the notice of the bird, and while they depredated on the worms on the 'ops of the stalks and their upper limbs, the turkeys destroyed the enemy on the lower branch. cS.
 5. When m the aurelia state, the negroes crushed them between their fingers.
 4. Some patches of cotton. where the ca- terPlllars were very thick, and the birds and turkeys could not get access to them, were destroyed.
 5. The tops of the plants and the ends of all the tender and luxurianl branches, where the eggs of the butterfly are usually depos- lted, were cut off.
 By these means, resolutely pursued, al. though at one time the prospect of check. ing the depredationswas nmost cheerless, ,not the slightest injury 10 the field was sustained (the experiment cost Mir. Townsend two and half acres ofcollon, about fifteen bush. els of corn, and the work of all his people for about five days. This gentleman was reused to unusual action by the reflection, founded on analogical reasoning, that, if one moth of feeble wing and tender body, which vigilant eye might discover and destroy. the progeny in six weeks amount ed to at least twenty six millions of worms.) As the reasons for the measures adopted by MT. Townsend are perhaps apparent, it be- hoves the planter 10 reflect that, on the first visit of the caterpilais, when their number Is few, they might be, if not entirely got rid of, materially lessened that in the pupe state they are easily detected and of course as costly killed and that while early and lndeiatigsble cxerlions may be crowned with success. delay or tardiness in his operations will certainly be fatal"
 Efforts of the same kind have been made in this region, during the present season, the success of which have been unable to learn as yet. My own crop was entirely over- run when first saw them. In "A sug gested lhe use of torches or small bright fires, scattered over the fields, at night, into which the moth would fly and be destroyed. These have been extensively employed this year. 10 the destruction of myrads of molhs. shall, in future, lay in few barrels of rosin, as part of tho regular plantation supplies, to be added to the fires which shall be kept burning at intervals through the entire sum. mer- Of course, if no moth is burned, it will beunnecessary 10 repeat or greatly mul. fiply the fires until they do appear. Rosin can be bought for mere tritle--some S2