New-York tribune., 1874-08-17
The COTTON WORM OF THE SOUTHERN
STATES.
pY pRoF. 4. r. GRorE OF BrFTALO.

jacob HuDncr WIS tue UI-i W HdLl' 'h'
cotton worm scientifically Re described the cotton
worm moth under the name alehd argiGcea ana figured
tim two positions This is fixed by priority OF
DESCRIPTION The different stages OF the 4std as found
throughout the belt of the Southern states nave
been faithfully portrayed by Prof Townsend GoVcr OF
the Agricultural Department at Washington the WORK
il as vet unpublished and would be OF great value, as
IL also describes the habits and the insect enemies OF
the cotton worm. The publication Of this work should
be taken in hand by the State Legislatures IN the cotton
Prof C. Y Riley OF Missouri has noticed the 4ieha and
furnished q GrawIng in the second Report on the
Insects of Missouri of the moth representing IL heti
downward. a. In state Of rest Ia the sixth Report
ne again the insect and the moth Is repre-
sen;ed IN normal position Heelalms that the COTTON
worm hyDcruatcs moth. The present paper VIII
undertake show that such view is erroneous, ana
will give particulars respecting tue haols Oh tue
insect Prof. Grote has observed the cotton worm ai-
ring live seasons Contra Alabama ana on many az
fcrrnt plantations. II hcl0u-s 10 the Npet"t = II.J
OF nocturnal moths. Tue genus Is one Oh Hhoet VI
ntertroplcal or southern iOlns related 10 the more
northern genus Pusia. and has on our own sol. tue
genus AROIHs for IT, more lnneilate any. duI moi
Is half lOOpcr" The cAry ysa.ls Is he'd Wfhn an tA
ceedugly loose web on the plant and s vl.pe tAr0ngn
moth have b.cu very fully described ei,ewiere. ~ -
designed here 70 trace the consecutive history o tue
Prof Grote has observed the worm ia Mlrengo and
Greene Counties. on the IombigDee ana BACK warrior
Rivers. There cotton Is 73Wu III Sa4CH ,. i'in %
gins bloom iu June and July ana prrsA' .H ''Neu
ucr. The earliest period at "hich fioi' Tto,o no'T.t
the Young worm was the ast week IN June, lis Hi-J
appearancc varying IN Ae same locality 10 Tue miuuo
OF July. The multiplication oi me nrsl Ooo CaU',' @ e
greatest loss To the planter lHc app u NJ 49,. va
worm Is always her1ided by the advent OF thc PeiIect
moth the latter coming to Esht N houses 80 F,St
week before the worm appears ~ IAe Lt tus. -. 49,
making this OJservailon-that the worm Is t4e progeny
moths appearing FOR the INST IN June ana m &
which skps some and visits other plantations over
fufy univ made up by later brood. and saosequen'
ncrease The feature observed was that tne worm
/, AWAY, heard first 10 the southwark Oi any gwen
locality 10 comes army frOm the sOut the oroods
arriving consecuuyeY ds long as the season Ists lIe
thing that was all -0ft about the cotton pant-tie
flowers, the persistent calyN the very yoans 1o 5he
ciihslAE 70 VIZ nj f,rild worms perighlnc Tuis
southern army was killed by the Advancing Winter ana
tue decelse OF ,neIr food plant PROT Grote Hs II ,le
f.w specimen, Of the moth visible IN sunny days "a the
Winter were OF hyDernatOn or merely accdCutal
6ner Describes the moth a. originally Bahia.
Brazil Its destruction OF perennial couun n tIe west
indies Mexico uud Brazil il established. From sticu-
t, roinf fl insect n OF southern type OF it- family.
Prof Groe believes tnaC the Insect dies out with 10
food AZ the eud II each year 10 the c1utcI >ae' ana
ma lis next anDearance is due ia every instance toa
fresh tmmg grafton from more southern regions. For
many years after cotton was cuuVtted III Idc cphJh
The insect ala not make IT, appearance. Its earliest
date un Central Alabama Was not much preceding me
war Il does not appear year, uOr does IL al the
sane time OF tn year IL any lucaJy. IAe moth is
ptbe OF EXTENDED lights Prof Packard hd, s.cu u lu
the Eastern States, PROF. Grole ana Dr. l. T. hdtNs III
Buffalo Prof Riley says has been taken Ia Chicago
II probably foIws the coast Inc and courses
emptyIng iniO the Gulf or MeXicO--he water sned OF
Mississippi extending TO within 81 nile OF BHio.
There evidence OF extended hEns on me part or
other nOcturId insects. Spreading anus rapluy ioh
the south 10 escapes It's natural parasites
II the hyperhaug theory Is adopted period o. sew
eral the history OF the usrc, cannot Dt ac-
counted for TIE worm has never Jeeu seen On any
thing but the cotton plant, aud pcr-hes by thoUsais
rather than eat anything else remaining 50 lOH- dH lne
plant furnishes food. aud turning 10 cnryss on the
leaves stems at last TIE wandering accidental as
tne worm u not ereEarous Ae INC IeAs e"etpl.'ts.
There proportion between the few that survy. IN
Winter, ana the swarms OF the hrst appearance
Ihc permanent Residence OF tue dttW J., u"ue V' O4i
belt Prof GrOe concludes that II II not lndgen-
with U.s. but al annual; not irnLeu 1lt a visit
ant, unable 10 contend with the VARIATIONS Ol our cI-
and he believes that the process OF arn'dl eA-
termination may slmpiied limiting the period OF
successful attack and doing with certain proposed
remedies. The OF destruction must Ds directed
against the first brood IN each locality, and concerted
action on the par OF the planters where the reuedy Is
10 be applied, VIII be necessary.
Prof Riley began the discussion OF the paper on the
cotton by saying that he had recently received
number Of letters from men who had investigated this
subject asking for definite Information 20 the cotton
worm. He thought Prof Grote's paper would In meas
answer those inquiries satisfactorily and be would
simply make When the essay ist implies
said he that have tohther conclusions anfs taes
that the moth hibcrnatcs simply from analogy have
done from recorded facts than anything else
"A moth. The conclusions Of Mr. GrOte are thit t!le
moth hibernates and dies necessarily. | think Mr..
GrOe's facts show that Il does. Now the question II
how wide does this moth perish every
Winter. Can 10 be possible tudt IN TIE buI
states the moth cannot survive the inlId hlhttrs'
Must every year an insect oe Druu-Ht ueces
slry from the tropical regions OF the s'utA /
think where tue instances OF the moth iuIther uOrth
are concerned the facts brought fOrWhrd
that II perises. especially where there are no cotton
plants But there are analogous cases oI motus dnd
butterflies in the temperate zone where they III
bernate aud their Larvae does not appear untA June or
July
Prof. Mann also made a few remarks rectng par
allel case Ia the West after which Prof ward :.
Morse read an interesting paper on "Ihe Ascending
Process Of the Astragaus Ia Birds"