Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-04-13

THE EoNNEILY WAsHBURN CAsE-The House
committee on elections discussed the Donnelly-
Washburn case to-day with a view OF deter
mining the manner in which the action of the
committee snail be reported TO the House, and
instructed Representative Manning TO submit
to the House in behalf OF the committee and
recomlnend the adoption OF the following reso-
lutlons; First. That VIM. d. Washburn is
not entitled to his seat" for the reasons sub
mltted. and which are embodied in the majority
report already published; and second that
ignai1ls Donnelly is not entitled to seat in
The House from the Sd Wisconsin district" for
the reasons embodied in the minority report.
which has also been published. 1t is under
stood that Mr.. Manning will report the matter
10 the House TO day upon the call OF the COM
mlttee. and Will endeavor to secure an early
vote upon the case.
COTTON WORN AND COTTON CULTURE IN For
E-GN COuSTRIES.-ln order to ascertain all the
facts possible regarding the original source and
present movements OF the parent OF the cotton
worm. Pr0f. Riley, in pursuit or the inVeStiCa-
ZION ne Is making on behalf OF the L. s. EntO-
MOioglcal commission, found it necessary to
communicate with all countries where cotton is
grown. ana especially Mexico, Central and
south America. In answer to a circular letter
sent out last fall the state department has late
ly transmit ed TO him some very interesting re-
ports which not only tend to show the VERY
primitive modes OF culture that prevail in most
countries compared with our own but also con-
tain much other matter Of interest. The con-
sui VERA SluI cues historical accounts OF
the growth and utilization OF cotton in Mexico
as far back as the twelfth century, most in
teresting fact for American historians. The
worm aflecllng cotton at Bahia, Brazil turns
OUT 10 oe distinct species from that which so
ipJurlouSly affects US, though closely allied and
THIS is interesting, because 1t suggests a posi-
ole error In the reference OF our own species TO
tne Atttd 1tGdbdced figured by Hubner which
came from Bahia. But, according to Professor
Riley. the most important facts brought out by
the reports from our foreign consuis. are that
In all countries to the south OF us, where the
cotton plant Is perennial. the cotton worm is
injurious at irregular periods only and that
tnere are periods OF immunity lust as in the
states; further that the prevailing winds in
Mexico would not bring the parent moth to us.
This Is all against the theory of those who be-
neve that the insect is brought to us by flight
every year, and confirms the correctness OF 2ha
professors conclusions that the absence OF the
cotton worm in certain years Is apparent: thai
the worm Is always TO be found In small num-
Ders, and that its undue multiplication duIinp
other years Is due to natural causes and ia mar
alleled by similar phenomena in respect of
many other injurious insects, and notably or
the northern army worm, the apparently Sud.
den appearance and disappearance of which
over vast regions In certain years is even more
marked, though the insect is always to be found
In limited numbers In years when its presence
Is not suspected by the farmer