Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-06-02
Interesting Notes On the Cotton
WOrms

We have already published an account from
Prof. Riley Of the early appearance of the cot.
ton worm In Southern Alabama. We give now,
with Prof. Riley permission, the substance of
late report from Mr.. E. A. SchWarz one of
the agents OF the U. s. chronological commits
sion, who is now making systematic investi-
cation of the cotton fields Of the Colorado bot
tom IN South Texas. He did not succeed In
finding any trace Of the insect up to May 26th
ult. on that date he visited the farm of Mr.. T.
and situated in the bottom. Mr.. A has cot.
ton field OF about 100 acres, and in one corner OF
1t is depression, or rather a hollow, about
three i, acres In size and with very wet SOIL In
this depression Mr.. SchwarZ found four chrys-
allos OF the cotton worm, two Of them already
empty, the third occupied by the larvae OF a
small Hymenopterous parasite IA chalcid), and
the first generation Of moths "a very few specI-
mems which have succeeded in hibernating)
deposited their eggs at least as early as the 1st
had previously been examined in the same
locality without success, Prof. Riley attributes
the appearance OF the worm at that particular
Schw arr that the gin house Is on the edge of it.
The gin houses In Texas are much more sub.
sta1tially built than east Of the Mississippi,
place OF the moth In winter time.
Mr SchwaZ continues: "On the same day
where found the first Alet,d at Columbus had
arranged with Mr.. Geo: Whiting an expedition
the reputation OF always having the first cotton
worms OF the season on his place. Mr.. Gerrits'
farm Is situated about eight miles north Of
Halletsville. The country is open prairie land,
very rolling and intersected by numerous
creeks. each being lined with narrow strip OF
timber The farm is on the top OF one of the
higher than Columbus, and about so feet above
the Layaca creek, which is half mile distant.
Mr.. Gerrits said that he had seen the worms last
hpay eS ay 5t On the same spot in his
spot taDout one-third OF an acre) at the northern
edge OF the field has nothing peculiar whatever.
the plants are the same size as those OF the rest
o.! Of the field, and had been Iplanted at the sam
tlne. put the worms were only to be found in
ms snall spot. The worms were quite numer-
tn;, Gus here. re found six on one plant, and abou
tnan one hundred on this little spot. saw ais
moth, which escaped in the adjacent corn
field. failed to find any trace OF Aletia on tw
fields in the Lavaca bottom; but on the next
day tMay 2sth) while examining the field o
Mr.: Ladew1g, three miles from Gerrts' farm
almost fullgrown worms on a little patch which
had been planted TWO weeks later than the res
OF the held. The task OF looking for the
eggs OF Aletia at this season is greatly aggrava.
underside OF the leaves. / had ample Occasion
TO convince myself that this Aphis is most Sc
lious enemy to the cotton plant. 1t attacks tue
and young leaves often kills whole fields, so that
farmers are sometimes obliged to replant twoOr
three times. II less numerous, this Aphis re-
tards the growth OF the plants, thus rendering
While Prof. Riley believes, from the facts al
ready reported, that the worms will be abun.
dant enough to permit Of practical experiments
with them; he says that 1T would be unsafe and
premature to anticipate a bad cotton worm
year. On the contrary the appearance of the
worm In such restricted localities Is favorable
augury, and ne does not believe that 1t is any
earlier than in other years. It is reported
carrier simply because special observers have
Deen sent to seek 1t, while normally its appear
ance Is not reported till by the second or third
generation, 1t becomes numerous and attracts
general attention