The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-01-29
THE COTTON WOEM.
WHERE, WHENCE AND WHITTIER.

WHERE, WHENCE AND WHITTIER.
The EARLY History OF the sVorm-Its
Natural Enomy-The Causes OF the
Destructivenoss OF tho WOrl.l.-The EE.
OF Early CroPs-Tho Pith Taeory--The
Worm ON Salt amd Rusty Lcnds.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEWS.
The annual recurrence Of the cotton worm is
by no means foregone conclusion. .
All results depend on exciting causes, and
this is manifestly so with the insect creation.
In one season we are annoyed By swarms of
flies, gnats and mosquitoes, whiss in another
we are almost exempt from them. In one our
orchards and gar lens are made a8noet value
less by the presence OF aphides and other in
sects. In another e-enjoy an entire respite.
Sometimes these swarms of insects are repeat
ed for several consecutive seasons, and then
suddenly they are gone, apparently without
cause, yet undoubtedly from some controlling
influence. 1t is thus with the caterpillar as
with all others. We may as well count on the
continuous recurrence OF extraordinary mala-
rial seasons as expect the constankrecurrence
of the cotton worm. Now, ID is known that
caterpillars Of all kinds, at the Ns<rth as well
as with as, were unusually prevalent during
the past season. In 1867, the ca5sina (Ilen
cassind) was stripped Of its leaves entirely
early in the summer by its own petaliar cater
pillar. This had not been known ID occur be-
fore in many years. observation ofsshe plant,
which. on account Of its use as, a lidge plant,
was in position to be closely watysled. Sea-
son after season the plant escapcs, Sut in 1867
it was attacked and overcome by it.sebwn pecu-
liar destroyer. And this summertime ramie
plant was attacked and stripped Of 1FsSaves by q
worm peculiar to it, and of very Singular ap-
pearance.
About the period of the Revoluts mary war.
the wheat fields were infested by tsA Hessian
fly, and such were the ravages comkst tied that
the raising Of wheat was almost dea,aired OF.
and the advent of the fly feared eyn in Eu-
rope. So, too, occurred the dissxse of the
grape, which so materially reduceH the vim
tages of several years. So, too, the ell-known
potato rot, which had it's thousands f victims.
requiring tho expectation Of cargo& of grain
from America TO Ireland. aS
The cotton worm is the insect pee Ear TO the
cotton plant, and will feed, as far az sssnown, on
nothing else. It is easily distinguished from
other worms by the experienced We. This
worm is subject to be developed 81 i1st, accord
ing TO the character OF the seasons And other
as it's Matching indi& ses. 1t is
itself, however, subject TO be pTRsed on by
some other insects, as well as BIRDS MY expe.
rience teaches me, however, thnt#t is not
readily devoured by our wild birds, I'D in this
think the most observant plant will agree
with me. When crushed IN tins 6agers, or
even whilst eating in field. III S1ks dsa-
Rreeable and nauseous odor. Nl& aiiTstet which
is supposed to be the most aeEt 2alQt ke to the
cotton worm is the iohneuIenn hls fiy ia
a very active insect, and can be seen darting
about in search of it's prey. 1t punctures the
living worm without apparent injury, and de-
posits it's own egg in the worm. The worm, at
it's appointed time, goes into the chrysalis
state, from which chrysales is hatched the
cotton moth, which in time deposits it's
eggs on or under the leaves OF the
plant. These minute eggs are Matched
into very small worms, at first scarcely percep-
tible, the egg itself not being larger than the
ordinary period mark {. OF penman. These
little insects, a thousand Of which may be pro-
duced by one moth, rapidly grows, SO that in a
very few days they may be even heard eating
in the fields. Now, when the ichneumon fy
pierces worm that worm goes into the
chrysals state, and instead Of katehing cot
ton moth an ichneumon fly is hatched, the en-
bryo fly having fed upon and eaten up the
worm within it's case. The presence of this fiy
or it's absence possibly has much to do with
the prevalence Of the cotton worm. Unfortu-
nately for us, very wet seasons, keeping the
wings Of our friendly fly clogged with mois-
ture, destroy much OF it's activity, whilst the
sams weather adds greatly to the growth Of
the minute cotton worms. which live at f1rst
almost like aphides l?) on the moist and sue
culent cotton leaf
When the worm is produced from exciting
causes, whether of moisture, warm and murky
weather, or some ether hidden climatic condi-
ton, not known to us, we have simply the be-
ginning OF the evil but like young chickens
or birds just hatched, the surrounding circum-
stances mus be favorable to their develop
ment, or the most II not all Of them perish. If
the season is too hot and dry. or the plant too
mature the lcnnsumon % n ay abounds; or if the
am convinced that we have the worm or
chrysalis with us always. subject to be produ-
duced by exciting causes. I saw the unmsta.
bic chrysalis turned from the fresh plough fur
ed it carefully. observed It's peculiar motion,
and was entirely satisfied as to its being the
chrysalis OF the genuine moth. Another gem
tleman in my community observed an unmis-
taxable worm as carry as April or the first Of
May. He had stake driven at the place, and
at that very spot the caterpillars first made
their appearance when they came in numbers
! have been credibly informed by another gem
tlemen that the moth has been seen ana one
seemed very feeble and, though carefully
handed and and kept, it soon perished. There
gentleman who took the moth was perfectly
familiar Herewith and could not have been
mistaken. This being the case, there is
ground to hope that our unusually cold winter
will destroy, to great degree, the cotton in
sects.
Let mo Also state that the prevalence Of
these insects in one season seems to have nor,
thing to do with their prevalence In another.
They made their appearance earlier in 1S46
than evar before or since, and the crops were
utterly eaten, and weeks earlier than they were
in the season just past. But the crop Of 1s46
vas vas mucs . earlier IN Its erowth than those Of
wet The crop was, therefore, Tar better than