Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1846-09-02
THE COTTON CROP.
EXTRACTS FROM LATE PAPERS.

Of this State and Louisiana,
The continued rains, during the entire
spring and summer up to the present
time. had thrown the cotton crop OF the en-
fire sou,h.west at least three weeks in ar
rears, besides having possessed the growth
of n succuency aud richness which now
induces the worm to prey upon it with
unusual devastation. The worm has made
its appearance at least four weeks earlier
than known before, which, added TO the
three weeks which the crop was thrown in
arrears by the rains of the spring and sum
mer, makes inll SeU6R sCeeks later than
usual. That these ale facts any of our
most intelligent planters will testify. We
saw several IN town yesterday, and they
all agree in their conclusions.
In various parts of our own, Adams
county, the caterpillar is at work making
great havoc, while in other parts he has
not appeared in person, but has sent fer
ward the moth as herald TO announce
his coming.
The officers of the Paul Jones informed
some our citl zenS, as the boat passed down
on Wednesday, that all the Plantations al
which they stopped on their last trip up,
from Walton Smiths, SIX miles below
Natchez, to Miikin's Bend, % miles
above Vicksburg-in all a distance of 40
mies-the presence of the caterpillar was
reported to them. most excellent far
mer who has valuable plantation some
% miles above this, on the Louisiana side,
reports that they had entirely ate off the
tops of his cotton, and that of several of
his neighbors.
A gentlemen Just from Bayou BG11,
La, reports that there they had attacked
the cotton, and carried destruction into al
most every plantation. And such is the
melancholy condition of crops in Louisiana
as far rs we have been able to hear. The
appearance of the destroyer in our own
Stale betokens his spreading throughout
the entire cotton region. And II such
should be the character Of the visit, not
"a half crop Of cotton will be made the pre-
sent year We heard two or three large
planters say yesterday, they would COM
pound for half crop.
We arc no aIarmst, and would not for
several crops Of cotton, get up false i'm
preston to deceive a single person, yet
the present Indications are unfavourable,
We would fam wish better fortune to our
farmers, but now the prospect is gloomy.
However, a few days may produce
change. aud favourable one; if so we will
repor, It. At ell events, we will soon
know more fully the extent to which the
enemy is going.
The probable extent Of the damage may
be inferred from the loss in former years
when the caterpillar has abounded. Any
of our best informed planters would take
one-third for a crop visited by them.
TNatchez Courier, Aug. II.
TIE WoRM-Sincerely do we regret
our duty to announce that the worm is
now working ruid IN our best cotton fields.
For the last nine or ten days this destruc-
ton has been spreading and the amount
OF cotton very great Before we went
to press, last week, we were informed
that the dreaded worm was amongst the
cotton on several fine plantations close
at hand, but we felt an aversion TO stating
the important and unwelcome intelligence
until we might ascertain that the worm
was there, beyond the possibility of
mistake. This we did, before the ink on
the sheet, of our last number was dry, and
we discovered, also, that IT was the verta-
bic cotton eater that was so industrlously
at work.
From the mouth of Red River all the
way up to Vidaia, the river fields are suf
fering from its ravages. From various
points in the interior of the parish, We
have the same lamentable accounts
Across the river, on the Hills in many
parts Of Adams county, and portion OF
Wilkinson, the ruthless yisiter has given
unmistakeabIe evidence of his presence,
while, up the river, on both sides, many
planters have already seen it pursuing
the destruction of his cotton and are re-
duced almost to desperation by the dis
appointment which it has brought upon
them. ConcOrdid Intelkgcncer.
The Red River Republican, after deplo-
ring the ravages of the Caterpillar in Ra-
Pldes and adjoining parishes, says:
Last year, we had no caterpilars I'M
al late in September, and they did no harm.
in 1874, we first announced their appear
ance on the Sd of August, and few plan
iers made that year two-thjrds of crop.
This year we announced ,heir appearance
on The nth Of July, and the crops are not
so far advanced now by about two weeks,
ps they were at this time, 1874. From
these facts, our readers can form an es-
Innate OF the crop for themselves.
TEXAS COTTON CRoP.-We regret to
learn that the worm is extending lis rava-
ges along the lino of the Trinity and Bra
zns: and il IS feared that the COTTON cron In