The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1878-05-31
HISTORY OF THE COTTON WORM.

HISTORY OF THE COTTON WORM.
In his treatise on the cotton worm
Mr.. J. Curtis Waldo gives the follow
ing as the history of that little pest:
The first appearance of these pests
as destroyers of cotton was in 1900,
and there is little reason to doubt that
they were entirely unknown until that
time. In 1904 the crops were almost
destroyed by them. A snow storm
and frosts, more severe than usual, &C.
Cured during the following winter,
but they were again found in 1905,
though in smaller numbers. In 1926
they were destroyed by storm. In
1896 they destroyed almost the entire
crop. Their first appearance in this
year was on the first of August, at st.
Helena. Soon after every plantation
on all tho sea coast from New Orleans
to North Carolina was infested, and
by the 23d of the same month they
had destroyed almost all the cotton
leaves, but suddenly left the plant.
The cause of their sudden disappear
ance was accounted for by the fact
that the weather was unusually warm,
and they were too much exposed to
the rays of the sun to continue their
depredations.
In 1888 the caterpillar appeared in
August and was particularly destruc-
tive in Florida, where, in many coun-
ties, after destroying the entire foliage,
they parked the limbs and stalks, and
ate out bolls nearly grown. In 1889
they were less numerous and did
little harm, but in 1910 they destroyed
two-thirds of the entire cotton crop.
From that time until 1852 it would
seem that on every third year the cot
ton worm was more general in their
appearance and more than ordinarily
destructive. The same fact in regard
to their visits being periodical has been
observed and commented on ever
since, but, as yet, there has been no
satisfactory reason given for the occur
ance.
That the cotton worm moth is a
migratory pest there can be little
doubt, and, as it is capable of flying
great distances, the remoteness of one
security to the crop. Mr.. f. Richards
of Cedar Keys, Florida, wrote some
years ago letter to the Agricultural
Department in support of this theory,
which is often denied.
"The last of July, these caterpillars
made their appearance in a small field
of three or four acres of sea island cot
ton, planted ON Way Key, an expert
| ment to see if cotton could not.be adj
vantageously cultivated on the keys,
no other cotton having been previously
planted within eighty miles of them,
but the whole crop was destroyed.
The caterpiilars at the same time were
destroying the cotton in the interior
of the country"
The habits of the cotton worm seem
to have been very little studied in the
section where its ravages do almost in
calculable damage, but so far as it's
ravages are known, wherever they
Carolina, they almost invariably came
from southwark, and had committed
ravages 80 or 40 miles off some weeks
before making their appearance in the
| places named !; the second and third
broods of moths travelling farther and
| farther north, spreading ruin and de-
vastation until killed by the frost. If
| this theory of northern migration be
| correct, SO arc the accounts we so fire.
quently hear of their journeys in other
| directions from one cotton field to an
other, when in any instance they have
exhausted the supply of their costly
! food. 1t is certain, however, that it
was from these reported changes of the
base of operations, whether truthful or
otherwise, that the cotton caterpillar
first received the name of ssarmy
WOrm.'
1t is said also that these interesting
insects have Partially for long-staple
cotton, and that the moth in its flights
will pass over II field of short-staple to
rest in n more remote, one where tho
long-stapled dainty is growing.
THE TEMPORAL POWER.
The Pope Demands the Restoration of
| the Temporal Power.