The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1885-12-12
THE COTTON WORM.
Especial to the Avalanche |


the next two weeks there will be
published by the agricultural de-
partment here the first report OF
the chronological commission on
the cotton worm aud its rayages.
This will centain all the informa.
tion which the commission has
been able to gain by its three
years research. In fact, the work
was begun az early as 1873. The
commission consists of Profs. G.
V. Riley, A. s. Packard aud Cyrus
Thomas, aud their work will rem
der an invaluable aid to the cotton
producing regions.
The reports obtained thus early
from advanced proof sheets. This
summary of the contents of the
volume cannot he better intro
duced than by a quotation from
the preface.
The character of the investiga.
tion was novel. There was no
precedent to guide or warn. The
number of persons capable of
thorough experience of intelligent
field work in economic entomolo.
gy was, until quite recently, re.
markably small, SO that the organ.
ization of the force to assist in the
work was largely experimental
aud more difficult than it would
have been had trained observes
been at command. Under these
circumstance the satisfactory
manner in which. with rare excep.
tions, the different agents have
performed the tasks assigned to
them, is all the more TO be com.
mended. To all of them aud TO
the many correspondents who
have generously and willingly as
sisted, the commlssioA tenders Its
sincere thanks.
OF course the following synop
SIS must necessarily be brief, but
an endcayor is made to cover all
the points. To begin with, the
commission sent out a large mum
Der Of inquiries. BY these it was
endeavored TO ascertain tho past
history of the cotton worm, the
influence of the weather upon the
insect, the statistics of losses IL
the various loo cilitles, and the mi
grafton of the moths. In reply tt
these, and from the observation,
of the various commissioners, tn,
book was complied.
The first chapter discusses til,
destructiveness of the cottol
worm. The second chapter tako
up the habits and natural history
, showing that 1t has distinct state
of growth, that the egg is away
laid on the leaf and that the egg
of certain harmless insects are o
ten mistaken for the cotton worn
The real cotton worm rarely feed
, on anything but the cotton plan
1t has a peculiar jumping hab
aud never burrows in the groun'
The moth has wonderful prolific,
, cy the time averaging only mont
/, from one generation 10 anothe
, The former opinions in regard
the time when the worm appeal
!, were all erroneous. The dates I
appearance are variable, bt
worms of all sizes are found |
a southern Georgia and Florid
about March 20. The first al
, pearsnce isalway meagre and the
: increase according to the ssasoi
4, There are at least seven annuI
generations IN Southern Texa
The second generation is general
\ very injurious. The chrysal
never winters underground. Blu
ial would kill it. Many othe
I, moths are often mistaken for ii
:, cotton worm moth. After givir
: the history of the worm, and ii
= remedies that have been tried,
= complete anatomy of the worm
submitted and the general featur,
4 of the cotton belt are given. Til
first worms ever seen in th
= country were confined to the 10,
: lands. The worms are shown
have great immunity from the
eiemies in wet weather ants d
not fight them and the cotton ca
not be worked.
h A large number of birds and i
a sects feast upon the cotton worn
+ Among these are toads, lizard
wasps ants, beetles. lady bugs an
various parasites.
Remedies are largely discusse
in the volume. 1t is held that it
lmpracticable to destroy the egg
u There is also little chance fer su