The St. Louis Republic., 1901-07-28
Worst Ravages on the Crop Are
Made by Bugs and
Worms.
ARE HARD TO ExTERMINATE.
Cotton States and United States
Government Have Spent Mil
lions of Dollars in Fight
ing Them.

REPUBLIC SPECIAL.
New Orleans. La. July 27.-That the cot
ton crop is materially damaged by the
drought is beyond question. Statisticians
differ as TO the amount of the damage. but
not as to the fact of the damage.
And SO the cotton crop is hit hard again.
If it is not drought it Is worms. and If 1t IS
not worms it is too much rain or an early
frost.
But drought nor rain nor frost holds first
place as a damager of the cotton crop.
That distinction belongs to worms and
bugs. A local statistician has been going
over Government reports. and making fig
ures on what he learned. He says that the
greatest damage ever done to one cotton
crop was before the Civil War when worms
caused loss Of sl2,00o,e0o.
There are two kinds of bug, one kind
of weevil and one kind of dew, and they
Gre all enemies to the farmer man., and
not one of them Is pretty.
All OF them kill the cotton crops.
They cost the loss of religion, as we'll
as money, for it is next to impossible for
anybody TO see his revenue disappearing
without indulging in good strong English.
These destroyers. with one exception, are
absolutely impartial They are not pecu-
liar to any section OF the cotton belt or to
any State. They play no favorites. They
thrive in Texas as well as in Louisiana, and
the Georgia and South Carolina man gets
his shafo. In fact, 1t is like the rain which
falls on the snst and unjust
Their Enormous Appetizer.
And each and everyone OF the pests has
the appetite OF PantagrueL Every lit
tie caterpillar and every little beetle wants
the whole Drop. They are not willing to
eat up one stalk or one boil and quit, but
YhRv want the eftirA Outnut Thpv the
bulls Of the world. because they are per-
petually and manfully trying to cut down
the size of the crop. Thousands and thou
sands OF dollars have been spent by the
Government and by individuals in an effort
to rid the country OF these gourmands. but
the effort. according to the returns Of the
experimenters, has only been moderately
successful
Notably in the case Of the Mexican boil
weevfl. the very mention Of which causes
a Texas farmers hair to stand. the at
tempted determination has been a failure.
But the department has not given up hope,
nd Tnsrs Is os OF IN the
plenty Of kicking agrtculturists TO make
them go whether they want to or not.
What the bugs and the beetles think of
all this commotion cannot be ascertained.
because none OF the gentlemen OF science
has yet learned enough of the bug and bee
lie language to find out. II their thoughts
could find expression they would probably
voice their keen enjoyment Of the spectacle
OF a great big government engaged in a
war VIII little ol0 green worms.
The Oldest DestrOyer.
Perhaps they would be found to be in
dulginG In paeans of victory over the ina
biiity OF the Government and Its men of
good square meals every day, and one be-
tween times for good measure.
hut they are raising enough OF racket
without talking, and their d0ings are cabled
to Liverpool and the extent OF their appe-
ute IS posted every day on the exchange
at New Orleans and on the New York eX-
change rQy nfh fhar oxr,k,,
Tne Oldest destroyer OF cotton is the cat
erpilar, or aletia, more commonly known
as the cotton worm. just how he got to this
country nobody knows. Nor IL the date O!
his first appearance accurately recorded.
When first seen Ia Louisiana and Georgia
ne was eating away at thu stalk as IL he
time the farmers did not know what tbese
things were, but they continued to eat ant
cat and eat. totally Indifferent to the opin.
ton OF anybody.
These caterpillars were In South Iou,si.
ana and Georgia in 1S0L They were moi
worrying the planters OF any OF the othea
southern States at that time. or IL the,
were. the planters failed to keep any rec.
Crd Of it.
Professor ]. H. Comstock, the great en-
tomoi.gist. who was employed by the Gov
preyirg on cotton. thinks that the worn
vas imported to the United States b,
@ErenGh @ emigres from the West Indies abou
1So0. He traced the arrival of two nartie.
OF these emigrants, who went to I4ouisian,
and Georgia, and in about two years afte
their arrival at their destinations the pes
began to make itself felt.
Its Rapid Spread.
Even at that early day cotton was yer,
generally grown. Professor Comstock as
eerts that cotton was grown in Virgini;
Under the name OF cotton felt 1t ade il
appearance in the Cape Fear settlemen
shortly after its Introduction into Virginia
And at the time that the worm or cater
DlIlar f1YDt began dQvOlfriuO yJo q