Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-08-20
CONCERNING THE BOIL WORM.

There seems to be an idea among those
who nterrogate you that your knowledge
of things in general should be universal ;
that your replies on each and every inter
rogation, no matter how widely different
the one might be from the other, should be
both definite and specific, whether these in
terrogations come within the boundaries OF
chemistry, botany, physiology, ornithology,
entomology, or any kind of ology.
Being without doubt no exception to the
rule myself, and like a drowning man
grasping at straws,' | am ready to fly to
the sanctum for information as TO the
best mode of destroying the detestable boil
worm, If there is any such made.
Boil worms have commenced on our cot
ton in full force, and are row laying waste
everything before them in the shape of a
square or boil II is estimated by the
most knowing ones among US that the
worms are destroying at least bale day
on every fifty acres of land in cotton, and
this, too, while the worms are Yet young.
They are working the most serious damage
on late cotton, and it is upon this cotton
that they have commenced operations. They
are in greatest numbers on the largest
stalks, but they do no harm whatever SO far
as relates to the growth of the plant, in
deed they rather accelerate the growth of
the plant. seemingly, than retard il.
The worms make their appearance on the
smallest squares" at the ends of the limbs
of the plant, which fact is known by the
little 'square' spreading itself wide open.
At this stage the worm is so small as to be
scarcely visible-visible only on the closest
scrutiny. But the little fellows diminu-
ton cuts no figure in the case as to his
grinding and boring capabilities. As he in
creaSeS in size these capabilities increase in
proportion. The growth is very rapid, and
the insect usually remains on the same
plant until every yeStige of its fruit is de-
when a chance is made q rhp NEXT
plant.
Now. since the bOll-worm depredateS on
the fruit OF the plant, only. and all of the
Young fruit is completely enveloped in
trifoliated sheath or covering, |, and l
might say all other cotton raisers, would
like TO know if there is any way, means or
process by which these worms can be de-
stroyed while in the worm state! Some of
my neighbors say that Paris green or Lon
don purple sprayed or busted upon the
plants will kill the worms: others say
poison will not kill them. owing to the fact
rhat they are hidden away in the square or
boil. / wish also to know what causes
these worms whether or not they come
from a moth or miller fiy2 If so, how does
the fly or moth look-what is its color2 VIII
placing lights in the field at night destroy
the fyl Will the worms here ROW make
more flies this seasoni
Upon closer examination / have found
cotton bolls: one is semi-transparent
worm of pale green color with legs on it
from end to end. while the other is of
blackish-brown color with legs fore and aft.
and with travelling gait something like
that of the measuring worm.
These worms are now doing their great
est damage in portions of the country
where good rains have fallen-in dry re-
gions no worms have appeared as yet So
it seems that if the farmer will not curtail
his production of cotton purposely, nature
steps in and makes the crop short by ex-
cessive dry weather in some localities and
worms or something else where the season
is more favorable. This Is the way il works
despite the efforts of man to the contrary.
L S. MILLER.
The Grove, Mofat, Tex.
According TO Professor J. Henry Com
stock, by far the best chronological author
ity in America, there is lying in the ground
somewhere about the field, through winter,
a small mahogany-colored cErysaiis about
three-fourths of An inch in length. When