Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-09-12

Fortunately, however, that blow WIS the
1t rained furiously. / have distinct rec
objection of that rain. 1 worked all day
setting tobacco. paid two men $500 each
TO help me. Our clothes were pretty
thoroughly soaked, and our skins too, for
that matter but we didn't mind it-at least
not then. We got the whole field nicely
stocked. That night felt very much G.
lated. The next morning thought should
sneeze my head off. Sharp, darling pains
chased each other up and down my limbs
and spinal column, and played hide and
seek among the convolutons of my brain.
My joints articulated like rusty door him
ges.
Improvising a crutch, however, / hob
bled out TO see my tobacco. found about
ono-thrd of the plants cut square off at the
top of the ground. BY investigation 1 as
certained that the mischief was done by
greasy, brownish looking worm. We went
TO work and dug out and dashed about
peck of those worms. We then 1aitered
ourselves that the rest of our tobacco was
safe. The next morning another third of
the plants were cut off in their youth and
vigor. If there is anything that will make
a man forget his early religious training it
is to 60 into his tobacco field and find his
largest and finest plants thus stricken down
before their time.
For ten days we wAgod relentless war
against those worms. We set new plants
in the place of those destroyed until we
had reset the whole field five times. About
the 4th of July the worms retired from the
field and we took breath. But we didn't
have long TO rest. Soon another sort of
worm made its appearance and set about
having good time at my expense.
This worm is known TO science ias the
Carolina sphinx or some other sphinx, and
the only object of its existence seems to be
to chew tobacco. They are greenish, strip
ed fellows, and look. somewhat like anima-
ted barber's poles. They grow to he sew
eral inches in length and thick as ones
finger. They arc quick tempered and
when.angry will jerk their heads about
and snap their teeth in an extremely vic
ious manner. The usual mode of treat
ment is to grasp them with.the thumb and
! ing the finger back with quick sliding
motion TO twist their heads off. 1t is rath-
| er trying to the nerves at first, but one gets
used to it.
| These worms stay until the tobacco is
harvested, and sometimes. hang round a
week or two after it is housed. / have seen
| them after the tobacco had begun 10 cure,
thin, dirty and fororn, crawling up around
the barn and begging each other for a
"chaw."
The boys and l spent nearly the whole OF
our time during July and August irving
to exterminate those worms, but The more
we killed the thicker they became. Then
the grasshoppers took to chewing. l bought
a flock of turkeys to catch them, but my
expectations were not realized. The tur-
keys would eat grass fed-hoppers readily
enough, but they didn't seem 10 like the
flavor Of the tobacco chewers. Consequent
ly the hoppers had things pretty much
their own way.
| Towards the last OF August, when the to-
bacco was nearly ready TO harvest, a vio-
lent wind and hail storm visited us and
converted the most of the tobacco in my
neighborhood into "fine cut" The storm
was followed by cold snap and frost. A
good deal of the tobacco was badly frozen.
One of my neighbors plowed in his whole
crop, not considering it worth harvesting.
l harvested mine. In the barn it pole
sweat badly.
During the Winter stripped, sorted, and
| packed il into boxes II wasn't difficult
lot to sort. After throwing ont that which
was spoiled by the frost and sweat, it all
ranked as filters. 1t weighed exactly 9lS
pounds.
Mr.. editor, l am still proprietor Of that
tobacco. have twice refused five cents
per pound for it, but don't think shall
again. Five cents is about one fifth what
it cost me. Probably shall grow beans in
the future. j. SPENCE.
| RoIyo,pc Lo,Ue 1r,noe