The Mississippi Creole. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1841-1851, 1848-08-18
CANTON, MIssIssIFPI, FRIDAY, AUeUsT Is, ls4s.

Herobject is the discovery ofa nucleus for her
eggs. IN search'of this she may be seen In
constant motion upon the plants where they
are most usually to be met with, and having
found the object Of her search, she inserts her
sting into its body and there deposits one or
more eggs. The active ichneumon braves ev-
cry danger, and does not desist until her cour-
age and address have insured subsistence for
one or more Of her future progeny. Perhaps,
however, she Discovers, by a sense the exist
ence Of which we perceive, though we have
no conception Of its nature, that she has been
forestalled BY some precursor .ofher owntribe,
that has already buried an egg in the catter.
piller she y examining, and if 90 she leaves il.
In this strange and apparently cruel operation
one circumstances is truly remarkable. The
larvae Of the ichneumon though every day, it
gnaws the inside Of the catlerpiller, and though
at last il has devoured almost every part Of it
except the skin and intestines, carefully all the
time avoids ipjuring the vital Organs, as il
aware that its own existence depends on that
Of the insect on which il preys; thus the cat
t~erpiller continues TO eat, To- digest, and to
move, apparently little injured to the last and
only Perishes when the parasitic grub with il
no longer requires it's aid. of the Counter
checks thus provided. i know Of none, that
act a more important part than the Ichneumon
flies and the lacy-bug .,aa.1 Is..4asss am
h The difference in the seasons, early and late
planting early blowing and hoeing, are at least
circumstances indirectly connected with this
matter, and should not be overlooked. am
aware that in this position, | differ from the
most Of my neighbors; for the general rule
with us, is to plant by the Goth Of March, and
to finish by the LIST Of APriI, if possible, | be-
lieve in the truth Of the old maxim that, there
is no general rule without an exception, so fat
as planting is concerned. Then | contend
that, as circumstances alter cases, so should the
nature and location Of soils determine the
time of planting, AnG whilst am willing to adj
nit, that a rich virgin soil, on creek bottom,
if entirely above high water, and of great fer
tility Of soil-may do to plant as early as the
20th of March, | do contend, when the land
is old and much worn, or the soil low, wet and
cold, planting should be deferred until the 9th
Of April, at least. The advantage Of late
planting, is that we are more apt TO secure
vigorous, healthy plants, and they are less like
" TO be attacked; and if attacked by aphides,
are more lik ely to survive the loss Of a portion
OF their juices. Am | wrong in this belief! If
SO | want some planter 10 correct me-for my
object is not to provoke discussion, but TO
elicit information. sin a multitude Of conn
} sellers there is at least safety" If we ne
gIec, so important a duty, who will interfele'
who point Out the remedy? seWg sae's o'
1t does really seem to me, Mr.. Editor, that
in this county and state, politics absorb not on
ly an undue portion Of our time, but of the
" honors whose fame is sweet to mortal ears"
sFEIe who causes two or more blades of grass to
grow where only one grew before, is more de-
serving Of his country than many politicians
was the sentiment Of q noble spirit, who has
long since passed away from the scene Of acc
ton; but il | am not mistake as to the signs
Of the times, it will shortly beendorsed by the
judgment Of all enlightened nations. Never
theloss, IS sit is laudable for the citizen Of a re-
public to be versed in public affairs" PlularcF.
No one can shut his eyes to the inference to
be drawn from these facts. Then is it no: an
error to suppose, that we may avoid our part,
by surrendering it to others. Now, Mr.. Edi-
tor, it is with this view Of the subject, that ]
present my own observations to the readers OF
your paper, for the very letter am now writ
ing, faulty as it may be, printed and transport
ed by stage and steam, will be no sooner pub
lished than it will be waited to every reader Of
the Creole, so that every idea suggested, is
soon made known, and thus it is that the
knowledge Of every planter may become the
knowledge, Of each one.
Respectfully, af
A PLANTER.
o. R, Madison, August, l848. sgd .st.5
P. s.-SInce my last we have had frequent
and heavy rains; nor has the SUMS bright face
been seen with US, more than two or three
days in succession for the last FIVE or six weeks.
/ see but little sign Of improvement, and look
for q continuation Of such weather for some
days to come, perhaps weeks. hear much
complaint Of the boil worm, and not without
cause. Were | TO say they are in this field OF
that, ! should do them injustice, for they are
! every where The catterpiller is said to have
appeared in the cotton fields on Red river; il
this be true, we may look out for them in the
course of the next month, From a letter re-
ceived last week, il would seem that the boil
worm and rust had combined to destroy the
cotton crop of South Alabama, Healthof the
neighborhoOd very fine. 3 altnu
| must close or weary your patience, ss
III = t4sr F..4. MA A. pT.A INTER-. +