The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1868-07-18

an imponderous force, not to be seen, and
orr lights shall be lit with a substance
which Shall burn without being Consumed
The principle reported to-day to this as
sembly for consideration, in behalf Of the
cotton interest of the whole South, practi-
cally speaking, is contained in these naked
propositions:
/. The fly produces the c~aterpill; It.
2. The fly is attracted by light.
8. Fire destroys it
If these are true, then to any number of
flies there being adapted an adequate NAM
Der Of fires, their determination shall n ces-
sarily follow. Indeed, it would be a pro-
miscuous deStruc ion Of all winged insects,
some of which, although they do not prey
uron the cotton plant, still are the natural
enemies of our gardens, our cattle, the fruit
trees and agriculture generally.
These fires should be made with discrim-
%ination, much blaze, with as little heat as
possible; because ifa large area Of heat is
created. the fly will not penetrate through
it. They shoIld be made On an elevated
position, higher than the surrounding plants,
and at a distance of $50 yards.
Any light combuSti,le material will serve,
old shingles, picux, dried branches, or twist
ed cotton dipped in tallow, and if none of
these at hand, the weeds in the turning
rows and alleys should be cut down, dried,
and will make p very good fire indeed.
A more philosophic system of illnm1na-
ton could be suggested, with reflectent
lights and receptacles to receive the fly and
rno,,,., tic .,,nrt,yt ,}ar tr,c = ~ -. h,tf Hl1p No.
cuniary resources are so limited that, al
though approved and accepted, these i'm
proverncnts are for the present beyond our
means. Moreover, / believe that the ds-
play Of these fires can be made a source Of
amusement, and attractive to the younger
people, who will ever be :eady to join in
this delusive chase and pyrotechnical dis
play of fire works. They should not be
continued too late at night, commencing at
dusk and kept burning until 8 or 10 O.
clock. Again, a person may 60 about on
foot or horseback, with a torch in his hand !;
for, if it should be found that these insects
are nearsighted, a fact which know not
that any one knows, this method will bring
the fines within the range of their vision.
AS long as the cotton fly does not appear
GU "tHSse, tutSc lutS SAouIu NC III regularly
twice a week, every Wednesday and Satur
day, fora promiscuous burning of all in
sects. But if the fly should appear. then
they should be lit every night. hose who
can couvenien ly do So, would be benefited
by lighting these fires every night, except.
ing on Sunday. But no one should abstain
from d ing SO on Wednesday and Saturday,
the regular days, so that each one may wit.
ness that his neighbor is on the watch and
does his duty.
I repeat, these fires should not be made
too large much heat would destroy their
efficacy.
Many years ago, a gentleman of this Par
lsh tried this system Of fires, but without
success, simply because he committed This
error: his fires were too large and created
too muc, heat. The flies were indeed at
tracted from all quarters. but failed to reach
the fire, on &C cunt of the circumambient
heated air. They took refuge in his field
and there generating caterpillars in untold
numbers, his crop was most thoroughly
destroyed. If Teach of these fires had been
into 500 fires, each being placed
at a proper distance, the result no doubt
would have been quite different.
lndead, the species itself can be destroy
For i stance, q friend of mine did, du-
ring the prevalence of the fevers of last au-
tumn, light numerous fires around his
premises. He had planted cane and tobac.
CO. All sorts of insects. were burnt, and at
this date, although he has gathered one
crop of tobacco and the second is shoulder
high, he has not seen a worm in it.
However these things may be, we have
entered into a career of investigation and
practical experiment, and this work should
go bravcly on. The experience related
teaches us, that fires should be made so as
to create as little heat as possible, yet with
sufficient blaze; that the fly will 90 to
Ii ght that they arc not near-sighted, but
can be attracted from a long distance by
this optical delusion. Indeed, the general
fear and objection to this system, seems to
be, that the fires on ores plantation might
attract the flies from his neighbours field,
who makes no fires. This, very likely,
would be the result. Hence, the impor-
of this assembly the object of which
is to organize Il crusade en- naasse against all
insects. Everybody should co-ope-
ra'e in this good work, and if not believing
implicitly, the general desire should be &C
luiesced in.
An idea can be conceived of the inpor-
Of the destruction Of one fy at this
moment, by tho following cyphers: one fly
Of to-day will be reproduced by $50, 900 on
The 18th August; then by 1875. 600, 600 on
The 18th September; then by 50, 500, 900,
300 on the 18th October. And startling as
these figures seem to be, yet 500 to ! lave
been taken as the quota of reproduction, |
md 80 days incubation instead of 81 DAYS,
is the period generally conceded.
Moreover, can we not also indulge in the
lope that these fires shall also destroy large |
quantities of malaria. which lurking on the
of the ground, all around our habi-
is the occult source of SO many of
TUT pallndian fevcrs. 1t is generally be-
that fires consume these mephytic
yases, and every one lights them in times
# epidemics. Indeed, a well established
act is recorded of the effect produced by
he great %coniagration Of 1865, destroying
ne half Of the city of London. The plague,
was then ravaging that city, vanish
d, and it is certain that no visitation of
hat disease has taken place since.
what VIII De the sanitary effect OF so
many fires among US for it is very proba-
lie that they will be regularly made, be-.
aGse it is to be believed that the man who
industriously worked for the last six
and has now a crop with nearly
aatured bolls' will take upon himself this
be additional task to protect and secure
hen grantingaG1hat in the Parish, there
1000 peria estly engaged in the
eHssted. At n fire per
Did create and set to work 80,
tive agencies. So much, for the
danger Gent crop.
q * proposed. 50 as 70 sub.
lit u n to the frosts apd ice of
ne winter. zA harning of all the cot
and corn sta!Es!Ry other vegetable
ubstance which might DR. the larvae of