The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-09-15
PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY.

LAND >t.E>-RAvAGES OF THE T0BACCo-FLE
AND li0EN-wORM-now TO DESTROY THESE
FEST S-lNTERESrING DESCRIPTIONS OF
rllEM--TuE CROPS OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.
CORES ondrncG Of lie Richmond DiSpatch.l
PEuSrECT, VA. September II, 1876.
III a recent sale OF real estate in this
county. Il Bakers Mill, on Spring creek,
40 acres II land. with the mill, sold for
5000. Samuel l.. Crute. purchaser also,
lie home tract OF William b. Bakers
,.;atc. comprising 2US acres. was purchased
f,v samuel l.. Crutc for Sl.2I5. The Guar
."r tract. embracing 3S55 acres. was sold to
William y. Rice for $3.50; also 1888 acres
was bought by James VI. Dillon for $4Gl.
Til" crops on Spring creek have not sui
tered for rain but little ii any during this
summer. Many farmers in that portion OF
III" covinty have full crops OF tobacco, and
i, i looking well. There is Il general COM
plaint a} over this and adjoining counties
about ir unusually large number OF horn
worms. y many rs thirty and forty are
SOMETIMES found on one plant. One farmer
caught riiv-three on one plant. Even in
small crops. Wit! good force, it is almost
impossible To keep them down, and the
ragged appearance OF the leaves proves that
they hay" Gained the mastery in some places.
The farmers feel the necessity OF combina-
lion against the tobacco-ty by using as q
poison cobalt in the blossoms Of the James
Town lGimp>on) weed. This is a matter for
II" Changers TO handle. uniting with all
farmers VINO are not members OF their order,
% u Ia insure 4 universal destruction OF
!hr i!y That deposits the eggs.
The is may lie seen near dusk OF evenings
dying about the Jamestown plant and suck
J ly.. tl>o -.
of lumE.in@-hirds, but not so active, though
they G2r; about with remarkable rapidjty.
Il j. >GiG that moonlight night is the most
favorable time for depositing their eggs.
one ilr. Ike the silk-worm. can lay great
usually kid on the under side OF the tobac-
co-Ir.N">. they soon hatch. The little
worm when il first comes from the egg is
ahour -" eighth of an inch long, and as
small ~ q cambria needle. 1t begins to eat
While IA" shell OF the egg is hanging to it.
II r&', & ''ni" Just where the egg was laid;
and T. ihr hole grows the worm grows;
and il lit 10 do its own destruction
without MoieStation before the tobacco gets
rip, singh" worm has eaten it all up eX-
r"!t IL. roarscst fibres, thus consuming at
"a>l 2,"1Q square inches Of tobacco. II man
Ind ,Hr capacity OF such digestion what
Would become OF the world: A microscopic
examination Of the horn-wOrm shows that it
@a> two small feet near its mouth that it
l>c' II hands 10 wipe It's mouth. IL has two
very small eyes very near to its. mouth, set
loW IN l. head. 1t has III all eighteen legs
tWo iur hands-SiX corner-iOrmed or horn
shaped nearest the front, two behind with
claws Ike The hind claws OF bear, and ten
III 'he aHdir Of the body, similar in shape
70 The two behind. The horn on the big
end "I l4.c worm seems to be intended for a
,iI. though il i not exactly where the tail
oU-Ht 10 he. Before cold weather sets in the
IW--ro"n worm burrows in the ground,
ana make, IL bed below the reach OF frost. |
iNi> i il winter home. Here it goes
.:t'G-a = remarkable transformation. In |
ID" >lrI!- OF the year it leaves behind it
mex Shell somewhat similar to what the |
.a:-Ay aid the locust leave, and it comes |
IP'j4 lyc large fly that has been mentioned
"'o'"a y Inc dcpositor OF the egg. II the |
farmers generally would contend against |
i'' ny instead OF the worm they would |
nave les labor TO hire and more pounds Of
''oac'o. ana their crops, when put in the
MARKET, would not be dciaced with holes |
anu RACED leaves.
ne cf"i,"i tobacco in this portion of the |
SDUnlE' estimated by good judges, will not |
",F"-" more than from one-third to one
-'.'i crop. c-plantcd tobacco has inn
proved bat little, and cannot now possibly |
GONE IN III time. Owing to the drought OF |
Juno and Judy, the Highland corn was cut |
~, 4''' there j. ~ average crop in the flats.
I"c wheat "ropl> better than usual Spring
'''> nave failed here for several years win
~ oiHH have generally done well, especially
"Heh '"Wed IN the fall. The turnip crop |
.I"i!!>'S well. Nearly all the early Irish !
!,''a'ocs folt"d either in the patch or after
,IlrS We're dug. except in patches that We're |
.Ds'rea with litter, thus protected from the |
ia politics We 90 for reform. H'+t.+.