New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-05-02


Professor A. R. Crete, general secretary
of the American Association for the Ad-
vancement of Science, in letter to the
New York Tribune, says:
The appropriation passed by Congress
to investigate the injuries done by the
grasshopper in the West contemplates the
expenditure of $4,000, and the appoint
ment of three commissioners or entomo-
logical experts. Originally the number
of experts was fixed at five, and the
amount ct $25, 900; in conference, how
ever, the amount and the number of COM
missioners were both reduced. Ia ques-
tons like the present the first considera-
ton always is as to whether the outlay of
public money is justifable. Assuming
that this is answered in the affirmative in
the present instance, let me briefly point
sut what the commission can do. The
facts hitherto brought 10 light with rela-
ton TO the grasshopper are not on the
whole disslmilar from those stated by my
self in a paper read before the Hartford
meeting Of the Assc citation for the Ad-
vancement OF Science, in 1871, Gich le-
gard to the cotton worm. l showed then
from personal observations stretching
over series Of years that the cotton
worm was migratory in its habits, and
that it spread from the South to the North.
I also showed, and in this contradict
Mr.. Riley and DR.. Packard, that it feeds
exclusively upon cotton. The gradual
spreading from the South to the North can
be watched any year. was able in my
district to fortell the advent of the worm
on the plant by the appearance of the
moths in numbers to the lights in win
dows, as is the habit of the class ofinsect
to which the cotton worm (Aletid drgindced)
belongs. Mr.. Riley propounds the ques-
ton as to the condition to which this in
sect hibernates as an important question
to be answered in the manner of eradi-
eating the pest. This has been answered
by myself. In the cotton belt the last
brood of moths Matched out in November
are partially destroyed by the frost, but
may in part be found in sheltered corners
of gin houses, fodder stacks and houses.
These alternating moths of the cotton
worm can not produce progeny the next
spring, for they have then no cotton plant
on which to deposit their eggs, To I'M
derstand the worm one must understand
the plant upon which it feeds. Cotton is
planted after all the alternating insects
of this class has perished in the spring.
Young cotton never shows the worm. The
cotton planted in March or April is of
slow growth, and it is May before the
plants reach any size. Now, the worm
never appears in the cotton belt before
June or July. 1t is obvious that action
should be taken against the first brood
when it strikes the States on the Gulf.
There extraordinary efforts should be
made to check its advance by artificial
agents of destruction. As the worm adj
vanees by successive broods it increases
in numbers, and by the time it has reached
Columbus, Georgia, it is far too late for
the single planter to avert the calamity.
1t is evident then that the States of Flori-
da, Alabama, louisiana and Texas should
interest themselves specially in the mat
ter.
The locust or grasshopper of the West,
Cllopteaus sprettts, differs usually from the
Eastern species, Cdloptenus fenlltr-Uerbrln,
by the shape of the thorax, but more
constantly in a greater length Of wing.
That they are derived from the same
stock is not improbable. The objective
point of the proposed inqairy must be
that of their original swarming. That
they come from the Southwest and the
Rocky Mountain region seems assured,
but is to be tested by the commissioners.
1t will be in order to ascertain the locali-
ties where the grasshOppers first appear,
and, these fixed, to recommend the best
means 10 check the first advance. The
States north or east Of this point should
then contribute TO provide means 10 stop
them. It is too late when the grasshop-
pers have reached their borders. / do
not call upoH the farmers Of any Of these
regions % ''thank the wise Providence"