The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-01-29

fects Of the Season and the Importanc
of EARLY Crops-Tho Pith Theory--Th
Worm on Salt and Rusty Lands.
IoTHE EDITOR OF THE NEWS.
The annual recurrence of the cotton worm i
by no means foregone conclusion.
All results depend on exciting causes, ant
this is manifestly SO with the insect creation
In one season we are annoyed by swarms o
flies, gnats and mosquitoes, whilst in anoth el
we are almost exempt from them. In one our
orchards and gar lens are made almost value
less by the presence Of aphides and other in
sects. In another we 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 az
with all others. We may as well count on the
continuous recurrence of extraordinary mala.
rial seasons as expect the constant recurrence
of the cotton worm. Now, it is known that
caterpillars of all kinds, at the North as well
as with us, wero unusually prevalent during
the past season. In 1867, the cassina Ter
cassina) was stripped OF it's leaves entirely
early in the summer by its own peculiar cater
pillar. This had not been known to occur be-
fore in many years. observation Of the plan t,
which, on account of its use as hedge plant,
was in position to be closely watched. Sea-
son after season the plant escaped, but in 1885, Z
1t was attacked and overcome by its own pecu
iiar destroyer And this summer the ramie
plant was attacked and stripped of leaves by q
worm peculiar to it, and of very singular ap-
pcarance.
About the period Of the Revolutionary war !,
the wheat fields were infested by the Hessian
fly, md such we're the rayages committed that
tho raising Of wheat was almost dsspaired of,
and the advent of the fly feared even in Eu~
rope. So too, occurred the disease Of the
grape, which so materially reduced the vim
tagcs of several years. So, too, the well-known
potato rot, which had its thousands of victims,
requiring the expectation of cargoes Of grain
from America 10 Ireland.
Tue cotton worm is the insect peculiar to the
cotton plant, and will feed, as far as known, on
nothing else. II is easily distinguished from
other worms by the experienced eye. This
worm is subject to be developed or not, accord
ing 10 the character of the seasons and other
circumstances, as its Matching indicates. 1t is
itsolf however, subject to be preyed on by
some other insects, as well as birds. Ny expe.
rience teaches me, however, that it is not
readily dcvoured by our wild birds, and in this
I think the most observant planters will agree
with me. When crushed in the fingers, or
even whilst eating in q field, it emits disa-
ereeable and nauseous odor. The insect which
is supposed to be tho most destructive to the
cotton worm is the ichneumon fly. This fly is
a very active insect, and can be seen darting
about in search of lts proy. 1t punctures the
living worm without apparent injury, and ee-
posts it's own egg III the worm. The worm, at
it's appointed time, goes into the chrysalis
state, from which chrysaios is hatched the
cotton moth, which in time deposits its
plant. Those minute eggs are hatched
into very small worms, at first scarcely percep.
tible, the egg itself not being larger than the
ordinary period mark (.) ofa penman. These
little insects, thousand Of which may be pro-
duced by one moth, rapidly grows, so that in
very few days they may bc even heard eating
in tho fields. Now, when tho ichneumon fly
pierces worm that worm goes into the
chrysalis state, and instead Of Matching o cot
ton moth an ichneumon fly is hatched, the en-
bryo fly having fed upon and eaten up the
worm within its case. The presence of this fly
or its 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 rois-
ture, destroy much OF its activity, VIII list the
same weather adds greatly to The growth of
the minute cotton worms, which 1.-Two at first
almost like aphidcs (?) on tho moist and sue
culent cotton leaf.
When tho worm is produced from exciting
causes, whether of moisture, warm and murky
weather, or some other hidden climatic condi-
ton, not known to us, We havo simply the be-
ginning OF the evil but like young chickens
or BIRDS Just hatcheJ, the surrounding crcum-
stances must be favorable to their develop
mcnt, or the most If not all OF them perish. II
the season is too hot and dry. or the plaut too
mature, tho ichnoumon fly abounds; or il tho
season is too cold the littlo iusect perishes.
am convinced that We have the worm or
chrys,lis with US always, subject to be produ-
duced by exciting causes. l saw the unmIsta-
bic chrysalis turned from the fresh plough fur
rough last spring; took 1t in my hand, examiu-
ed 1t carefully, observed its peculiar motion,
aud was entirely satisfied as to its being the
chrysalis OF the genuine moth. Another gen-
tleman in my community observed an unmis-
taxable worm rs early as April or the first uf
MAY. He had stake driven at the place, and
at that very spot the oaterplllars first made
their appearance when they came in numbers.
| have been credlbly informed by another gen.
tlemen that tho moth has been seen and one
taken about the 7th OF the present month. 1t
seemed very feeble and, though carefully
handled and and kept, it soon persisted. There
can be no doubt OF this circumstance, as the
gentleman who took the moth was perfectly
familiar Herewith and could not have been
mistaken. This being the case, thcro is
ground to hope that our unusually cold winter
will destroy, TO great deg. ee, the Cotton in
sects.
Let mo also state that tho prevalence of
these insects in ono season soems to have no.
thing to do with their prevalence III another.
They made their appearing; earlier III lS16
than ever before or since, and the crops were
utterly eaten, and weeks earlier than they wcro
in the season just past. But the crop OF 1916