The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-09-11
THE SEA ISLAND COTTON CROP.
WIDESPREAD AND TERRIBLE RAvAGEs OF
THE CATERPILLAR WORM.
WHAT THE PLANTERS SAY

Day BIZ day the accounts which reach US
from the most trustworthy sources on the sea
islands in regard to the destruction OF the cot
ton by the caterpillar grow more gloomy and
appalling. The following letter addressed to one
ofour factors by an old planter of great expert
ence and intelligence, and whose statements
may be implicitly relied on, contains some
highly interesting details of the great disaster
which has befalen our seaboard. Writing
from Edisto Island, under date of September
8, he says
regret to inform you that I have nothing
| cheering to communicate to you on the subject
of the cotton crop. The caterpilars have had
undisputed sway for the last two weeks, since
we have abandoned, in despair, all attempts to
arrest them. The weather during that time
has been showery and sultry, and in the high
est degree favorable to their increase and vo-
raclousness. They have, accordingly spread
over our fields by millions, carrying destruc-
| ton wherever they 20. From five days to
week are quite enough to convert the golden
promise OF q vigorous field loaded with BIOS
SONS, forms and tender pods, into spectacle
of bare and empty plants, without green
thing to be seen. I think the ravages Of these
| vile insects equally rapid, and likely to be
equally destructive as those Of last year, with
| this slight difference-that we have few more
ripe fruit upon the plants, which they may not
injure, and which We therefore may save.
TO understand the condition and prospects
of crop this year, it may be useful to take
brief review of the season which we have had.
The loss OF our crops last year, enabled most
of our planters to plant their cotton much
earlier than usual. This was attended with
benefit. however, only on the high, warm, dry
lands; for the early spring, being very rainy,
and consequently cold, and the low and medi-
um lands being much sobbed, the cotton grew
very slowly; indeed, in many places it had to
be plented over. The season continued unu-
suslly wet and cool up to the latter part of
June, thereby greatly retarding the growth Of
the cotton on the lands just alluded to and
adding much to the difficulty Of working the
crops as they ought to haye, been. They were
consequently backward on all such lands. But
about the beginning OF July, there commenced
few weeks Of warm, dry weather, which ope-
rated like charm upon the crops. They be-
gan to put out their fruit beautifully, and held
out the Promise OF q very fair, if not very
large crop. But unfortunately, this warm, dry
weather was of short duration. Early IN Au-
gust, there commenced showery weather again,
N that warm month, which lasted ne rly two
weeks. This had it's usual effect-of causing
the cotton to take on q ne,o gro,cLh, and throw
ing oil much Of the lower or first fruit.
Now, it was from this ae,o 9roto'h on his
most vigorous cotton, upon his strong and
most fertile lands, that the planter was to look
for the largest proportion Of his crop. The
plants were putting out finely, gave promise
lin planters phrase) of good naedd.e and Top
crop, which, however, as the fruit was late in
putting out, needed warm, dry, late fall to
ripen it.
1t was liable, also, to two great risks-gale
and caterpillar either of which would be more
or less fatal. Unfortunately, the devoted plan
ter has besn visited by the latter pest; and
with it all his hopes of a crop (Which
will pay the expenses Of the venture)
have been destroyed.
II am asked what is my opinion Of the
final result, reply that it is impossible, at
this juncture, to make any satisfactory coniec-
ture. From the present aspect of my fields, I
do not feel myself justified in placing my .e1-
pectations at the third Of crop, whilst + fear
shall not make & fourth; and I have heard of
no planter who expects to make half crop
How discouraging is all this crop culti-
waited at great expense; everything done to it
which men con do; laid by, and only waiting to
gather 1ts fruits, when dlsgustin = contemp
our hopes, whilst We can only helplessly look
on unable to arrest it. Surely the unhappy
planters, struggling (as many now are for
bare subsistence), need patience and hope
above anything on earth, 10 support them In
their heavy trials!
L.
crop which have not seen for some time 1t
ID eaten clean out by the caterpillars, scarcely
a pod OF any kind being left. and the whole
field, high land as well as low lands absolutely
swarming with them
Of my own crop, write from pcrson.l in
spection; Of those Of Others I give ,oL tho
information derived from resp c;a.lc iadividu-
ais, who have given at lcas. as favorable an
account Of them as the circumstances will be
found hereafter to justify; since much of these
accounts bear the coloring Of those who have
received or depend upon 'adoances."
Another planter of high character, writing
from Edisto Island under date Of September 8,
says:
The caterpillars have eaten out nearly all of
the crops on Edisto. The destruction is
frightful. The crops are destroyed fortnight
earlier this year than the last, which Offsets
their greater maturity at this period. We
have had so much rain that the cotton opens
slowly. 1t is yet too early to estimate the
yield; but there are crops which will not make,
think, ten pounds to the acre, and doubt if
the island will average over twenty pounds.
In Florida the sea island planters appear to
be quite as badly off as those upon our own
coast. We give some extracts from Florids
letters addressed to one Of our business
houses
PROVIDENCE. FLA, September IL never
have seen such destruction Of cotton in my
life. The caterpillars have made almost q
clean sweep OF eyeryt ing. can't think that
there can be made more than third of 3
crop. have been through plantations, and
they are almost destroyed.
EL1Isv1LLE, September 2.-Some weeks ago
you requested me to give you my opinion
about the cater, ,illars. They are eating The
cotton badly. I have just rel urned from Gains
vile, in Alachua County. l luust say never
saw such destruction by caterpillars before in
my life. There are some plantations that will
not make more than one-third of q crop, and
those that planted late will not do that. So it
is all over the country.
MADISON. September 4.-The cotton in Cur
section of country, think, will be cut off at
least to one-third OF q crop, as the caterpillar
is now general.
LAKE. CRY, COLUMBIA COUNTY, FLORIDA, Sep
tember 81 have thought word or two with
reference to the cotton prospect might be in
teresting to you. Up to the middle OF July the
prospect for good crop was very favorable;
but about that time the caterpillar made its
appearance. Coming 30 much earlierin the sea-
son than they usually do, they have done more
injury to The plant than last year. There is
not now IN this country cotton field but what
is entirely stripped OF leaves, buds and tender
bolls. Young and half matured bolIs have been
attacked. and the skin or outside bark so badly
damaged as to cause them to rot. do not re-
member to have ever seen the ravages of the
worm so terrible before Their work Of des-