The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-01-28


best, in fact, seemed TO take pleasure in
blighting our hopes, and cueumbers in de-
mand at six dollars a crate, too. What were
our losses?. Who can tell Half my crop
was ruined, and others Jared worse.
And now the cotton worm, par excellence
the caterpillar Three million dollars per
year would not pay of the South for its
ravages. How many poor souls will go scant
and hungry this year, because the crop was
eaten out. How many hours of labor are
given to the cotton plant, and wasted how.
many promises to pay made and broken, all
because of this extremely modest little moth
A lottery, draw poker, or anything synony
nous with uncertainty, would express the
chance cotton now has in running the gaunt-
let till the crop is made. Let me explain.
Had the cotton moth no insect enemies to
encounter from year to year, we could duph-
cate the Egyptian plaques, and cotton cultlva-
ton for all future time would be abandoned.
Let us figure on this: usually one female moth
lays 400 eggs, presumably onc-half males. II
she begins by March 1st, on the 10th of April
200 daughters are at work; June LIST there
are 10000 granddaughters July 10Th 16, 000,-
600 great grandchildren, and September LIST
three billion two hundred millions of crawling
posterity, enough to make string so, sos
miles long if placed in single line two
hundred and fifty Gar loads, 1892 cubic feet;
or-but gracious what horrible statistics, but
Just here, the ants, wasps, soldier bugs, mus
quito hawks and host of others, come in
and interpose, and thus save us little cotton
each year. When we know of the plots and
counterplots against us by insects, how often
we near the verge of total destruction of some
food crop and are saved ty some insect, par
aste or enemy, it adds more interest to the
Psalmist's exclamation What is man, that
thou art mindful of him, oh Lord.
'tPspa, dinner Is ready, said one of
number Of little cotton headed children, that
stood peeping in the door at the strangers,
and so we adjourned to the dining room to
discuss the number of dishes that were strange
to the tourists, but, nevertheless, very palata-
BILE to a hungry man. After dinner, as the
party were anxious to return 10 the ''Gander'
before night. Mr.. Davis hitched up his span
Of piney woods tackles horses. and trotted
away to the landing Goodbye all around
aud We are once more on board, TO dream of
worms, hob COLLINS and the like. The Major
dreamed his nose was being eaten off BY
huge caterpillar. and the Others hid their
heads under the cover, and gave thanks. that
none of these insects were ever found at sea.
The next morning Apalachicola was reach
ed, and they ran tine 'Gander close up to
the wharf. where she was visited by many Of
the citizens, 70 examine into her outfit, while
( those on board the schooner were delighted tn
I have q chance to view the sights Of 'Apalach.
/ They were shown by one OF the polite owners
of Coomhs 4 Emhns immense steam saw
( mill through their entire works, being greatly
edited by seeing ohe of the great mills that
are PLAYING havoc uith the forests of Florida.
. Orders were sent to them from all parts of Eu-
( rope. to saw out lumber in every width, length
and thickness imaginable. I he great gang
Z saws were IN full blast. A log is placed ON
( the carriage aud set Ca the widths and thick
ness desired aud in hess time than it takes me
TO write IL. il Is tnrned out plank. osher ma
chimes for planning lumber, making shingles,
{ iaths. crsss-ties weather boarding. flooring,
&c. were in their allotted places, and doing
their special work with astonishing precision
and rapidity. vessels from all parts of the
world were LAYING in the hay ready to load.
Cur party next visited the sponge stores.
Asalachicola Is headquarters for the sponge
trade That Is. il Is here that the spongers
Ave aud market their spongsS, but ] viii have
20 defer description 81 his great trade until
~ are further down the coast. where We viii
come tn the sponge reef. Stories that we're
told car tourists Of thu great number Of deer
Gsnnd on 81 James ISLAND st thaT season of
the war excited al aands - much, that they
dill rs,ss even wait 10 have On ossseF stew with
garlic, the preparation Of which those DeiEoS
are ~ expert, bat ''ali aboard, cast loose
the lines anal mp jb to throw the schooner's
head of into TIE channel. On our way int0
this hart0r W bad passed II. Georges Island,
and foF g, leas; forty miles further east St
Hinrssnts, II. James and bag Islands were
separated ifom the main land hy a beautiful
ban and itiled With hxh and oysters This Is
considered the best 6shiag groand the
Florida coast. surely one wnnid think 50 fo
see the barrels OF fish and oysters. with which
every stfarshs,as tlst PHYS the river, up a. far
rs Calanilias, Ga, Is loaded. Savannah, Ga.
aud Jack s.suyiile. Fla. arr mainly supplied
frBsn here The sail frosn ''ApAlaeh 10 ~.
Teresa = auc Of the lsveiicsl on the coast and
"a ossr tourists fosand H. Perfectly iatpi-leck
ell bv the Islands i : not subject 10 rough
sea. A leS koHrS brought the ''Gaudsr in
Alligator Harbor which Is a long hay making
up Coz THREE miles iuie ~. JaHsss Island At
she meath u this harboT a iot of the citizens
Of Tallahassee built rough houses for the paF.
pose 81 carrying sheir families during the
Iaonshs IL june, July and August and the 1T
tie village i called ~ Teresa, after the eldest
daughter of the nan who was the pioneer OF
this health resort, His daughter Teresa Was
the hrss voang lads brave enough tn stay al
this lsiatd home Of her fasheF. The writer
sg,eut several summers there with hls family,
aud can aitss, 10 the pleasant breeses and
health IL the place. The "Ia4seeF landed
It's iaarfv NJ this village az saadown and Mr.
ffaua being robbed dariag the abSeace as the
ownrrs. had several dogs and although the
moon was nearly new il had not vet disap
reared lseture he led thsm Unt for p0ssum
hunt, and Il seemed 10 the Major shai carry
ing tsss.ans yer ne shat be thought il Was
Ihsssad Of srampins ali night for one Of these
grey hiris his hands were soon 80 tuli that
be was willing to ''eal of the dogs
Major-..nid lever see 70 many P0sSHa's.
Mr.. Call-''Neyer ao, never
Nr. Smith-.HaElly ever
Cagsaia-.'Neser, neser.
In seemed that the tourists Inet with nothing
else but good luck 50 far, hat the best yet was
meeting with Smith and bis deer dogs other
wise the hunt aext dAy would not have been
snecess. But bright and early Smith was in
speCtins the splendid hreeeh. leaders that the
toarists carried with them. How be examin
ed. how be inspected. how he longed for such
a gun. Al the cartridges were prepared
Nothing ;n Do bgs ~ piece them IN the gun
aud pun che trigger. iils was an Old style
,lauhie barrel gun thai would chamber three
rial hlae whisllers. If not more. and when he
ran his eye along the barrel and pulled the
tFis.vr the object he aimed at was almost sure
60 fail.
II took d great deal of talking, arranging.
&c, 10 ses the party fixed at their stands, the
plaees where the deer was sure 70 pass when
The dogs got AFTER him The Major took what
was called the river stand, which covered
deer path between lake and the bay. TWAS
not long before the dogs barking gave notice
that the deer was mp aud OF; whose stand he
( intended 10 pass was uncertain, So VI course
everybody was excited 10 tbs utmost, and al
Though they wera atl crack shots with rest at
/ laha range, it was different shooting at u deer
running like streak Of lightning. But stop!
the leaves are cracking in the distance and the
MAJOR hears il. Up went his gun To his shout
der, aud his eye ran along the barrel, TO see,
long way off through the trees, great big
hpok, who seemed to be playing along. rs Il
he knew the dogs were q long way behind.
Z The Major tremhled as the deer can nearer,
and nearer, entirely unconscious Of his pres
enee At rifle range be fully covered his fore
head spot and fired. The deer increased his
speed and ran past him, bat to receive the
contents of the second barrel, which brought
him to the ground. Mr.. Smith coming up TO
see what success found, as he told the Major,
that the first ball did the work, and the deer
would have fallen within fifty yards even had
he not received the seSand slot. OF course
the Major ielt elated at having bagged his
game, and the dogs were put out again, but
III N.NW.