The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1873-08-07
10. G. MAsTRRsoN.
COTTON WORMS AND THEIR DE
STRUCTION.

Until the summer of 1864 no serious
damage had been committed by the cotton
worms in this State. Then, after several
weeks of wet weather, they made their ap-
pearance upon the fiat coast lands in num-
bers sufficient to destroy the cotton crop
early in July. Not more than one-twentieth
of acrOp was at this lime made upon these
lands. There were serious failures again in
1865 and 1866; and in 1867, year long to
be remembered in Texas on account of its
general fatalities, there was again most
disastrous failure in consequence of the raw
agesof the worms. Again and again they
cut of the crop to third or a fourth of
whatsit should have been until last year,
when, in consequence of tie dry season,
they did not make their appearance until a
very good crop had matGred. The crop
upon the coast lands again having reached
respectable amount per acre, the hopes of
planters became buoyant, and belief was
entertained that change had commenced
for the better; but present prospects prove
that as signal failure is upon them as has
at almost any time before been experienced.
We have lately spent several days amid
the rich alluviaI lands of lower Texas, and
witnessed the sad misfortune of another
most promising crop becoming the prey of
the worms; and the immediate destruction
does not end upon the fiat lands of the
State As high up as Washington county
they have even now made their ap-
pearance in sufficient numbers to destroy
the crop, according to the judgment of ex-
perienced planters, in the next fifteen days.
Paris green and arsenic have been tried in
many instances to destroy them, and
according to the experience of many, the
trial has. proven a success, while others re-
port the contrary. Certainly much coed
has been effected in certain cases, to our
personal knowledge, and it may be that
those who have failed have used worthless
drugs; at any rate we would advise planters
to try these remedies to the last. 1t is only
through such trials that some day remedy
for the great evil will be discovered. The
foolish impression has gained ground, that
the application of these poisons to the cot
ton plant endangers the life of those who ap-
ply it. To this we have to say that we met
with an instance upon the lower Brazos where
one party "a white MANI had been using the
Paris green every day for two weeks, and
he was still sound and well, and keeping
the worms from doing serious damage to
his crop. Worms have already made their
appearance in Travis county, and it is to be
hoped that the means for destroying them
will be thoroughly tested. The potato bug
has been almost exterminated in parts of the
country by similar process, and we can see
no reason why the same cannot be the case
with the cotton worm. The loss to the
State this year from It's ravages will amount
to ten or fifteen millions of dollars, and
looking towards saving this vast sum, and
even more, we think it would be very adj
visable f5r the hext Legislature to offer a
large bonus to any one who would lay before
the people sure means for the destruction
of this, the greatest enemy to our rapid adj
vancement.