The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1886-07-08
The Cotton Caterpillar.
y noDo.rry

The Cotton Caterpillar.
Editor Times and Democrat:
AS the time is fast approaching when
the appearance of the cotton caterpillar
may reasonably be expected, some In
formation relative to the habits OF these
destructive pests, together with a
means of their prevention, may prove
of value to very many Of your readers,
who like the writer, suffered so severe
~ last year from their ravages:
"The cotton worm is the caterpillar
of an owlet moth of the tribe OF noe
ture. The perfect insect is Of a TRAN
gular shape, about an inch in length;
the upper wings reddish gray, a dark
spot with whitish centre in the mid
die; the under wings are darker. The
caterpillar have 16 legs, but the fore
most prop legs are so short that IN
creeping they arch up the back like the
geometers or span worms; the color is
green, with light yellow stripes and
black dots along the back; the second
and third generations are darker than
the first; they grow to the length of an
inch and half. The eggs from ten to
fifteen, are deposited on the under sur
face of the tender leaves to which they
are firmly attached, and of color re-
sembling the leaf, the period OF incuba-
tion is variously stated from six to
fifteen days, depending probably on
the heat of the season; the time OF
Matching is at night and the young be-
gin to eat very soon, growing very
rapidly; the skin is changed several
times before they attain their full
growth. In fifteen to twenty days
after attaining the full size they cease
to feed and form an imperfect cocoon
of d leaf and silk; in this the chrysalis
state is passed, from ten to twelve
days; after this the moths lay their
eggs and die after period Of about Il
week, or, according to some observers,
survive mild winters. These insects
were first noticed as destroyers of cot
ton about the year 1900 since which
their ravagts have been more or less
serious almost every year; it is believed
by some that they appear 1T intervals
Of three years in the same districts,
and that their greatest ravageS occur
after intervals of twenty-one years; the
years 1904, 1925 and 1916 were remarka-
BILE in this respect; the time of year
varies from June to October. y moder-
degree of cold is sufficient to kill them,
the moisture. and strong winds do not
appear to disturb them. They devour
both the short-staple and long-staple
cotton, and rarely, if ever, touch any
other plant. When they appear early
in the season there are usually three
broods. DR.. Burnett is of opinion that
this insect comes from South America
and that the last brood perish entirely,
either from cold or starvation leaving
no progeny behind them. Fires in the
fields have been recommended as at
tracing and destroying this moth;
white cotton flags, about yard square
are said to attract it, and to be used as
deposits for the eggs, great numbers
may be caught by molaSseS and vinegar
spread on plates. But these and SINH
lar contrivances will be of little avail
until the exact appearance of the first
moths is ascertained, then their speedy
destruction would prevent the produc-
tion Of the second and third broods and
thus limit, if it did not arrest, their
rayages."
On the Sea Islands Of our State these
insects have been most destructive
scourge, and after much experience
with hmany preventives the most pro-
gressive planters are now using with
great success, a combination of calcin-
ed mari and Paris Green, in proportions
of forty pounds to one pound. The
Marl is vastly preferable to wheat flour
formerly used, costing but eight dollars
per ton, compared with forty dollars
for the latter, and besides, after having
effected its purpose as destroyer it is
a fine fertilizer for the land. Used
alone it has been found very effective,
but the slight increase of cost by the
addition of Paris Green wouldstrongly
recommend the use of the mixture.
The correctness of the foregoing de-
scription of the habits Of the caterpil-
lar was fully demonstrated last year by
the writer, by series of experiments
under glass, and should they appear
this summer, it is his purpose to
thoroughly test this remedy, the etlica
cy of which has been fully guaranteed
and its use warmly recommended by
many of his friends on the Seaboard,
among whom are numbered some Of
the most progressive farmers in our
State. y FARMER.
Edisto Fork, July 1st, 1886.
Primary or Convention.