THE COTTON WORM IN SOUTH TEXAS. oo 
J next went to Virginia Point, to visit Judge William J. Jones, a 
former correspondent of the Department. My interviews with him 
were most interesting, and were made exceedingly agreeable by his kind 
and affable manner. His experience with Aletia has been extensive, 
and has embraced a number of years, during which he has watched its 
coming and progress closely, and has contended with it most vigorously 
and persistently. He is regarded on this subject as high authority, and 
is the originator of an improved variety of cotton, Texas sea-island. 
I questioned him closely in reference to his having observed Aletia 
larva descend by aweb to the earth to pass through chrysalis. Although 
observing that as a rule the chrysalis is made on the plant, he has nev- 
ertheless seen it make the descent and pass into chrysalis on the earth. 
This would be an exceptional case. Although not using scientific meth- 
ods in his study of Aletia, he has been a close observer, and has made 
himself familiar with its habits. He has used lights extensively, and 
believes strongly in their efficacy. He has also experimented largely 
with poisons, always with the result of killing the worm, and occasion- 
ally killing his cotton likewise. This led to careful experiments, con- 
ducted by himself, and to the adoption-of the following formula, viz: 
To 5 pounds of pure, unadulterated arsenic add 1 pound sal svda; boil in a tin 
vessel holding 5 gallons of water till the whole is thoroughly dissolved. If dry, one 
quart of this mixture to be put in 40 gallons of water well strained. This will spray 
one acre. If showery weather, add an additional pint. This will not cost over 3 
eents an acre, and will kill in twelve to fifteen hours. 
As this place has suffered from the Cotton Worm in past years, no 
cotton being planted there this season, it will not be amiss to mention 
some of its topographical features. Judge Jones’s plantation is located 
on the extreme southeastern point of Galveston County, bounded on the 
east, south, and west by Galveston Bay, and extending to its margin. 
It forms, in fact, a peninsula, and is comparatively isolated. The soil 
jsrich, black prairie, abounding in shells and lime. The banana, orange, 
eleander, and cape jessamine, and other tropical fruits and flowers grow 
luxuriantly. The Gulf breeze is perpetual. The temperature in winter 
rarely descends below 52° EF. The shrubbery as well as the native 
larger growth and matted weeds would afford admirable shelter for 
hibernation. It is Judge Jones’s opinion that the insect hibernates here 
and does not come by immigration. He believes likewise that it hiber- 
nates as chrysalis, but offered no facts in support of this theory that 
could be regarded as conclusive. 
The next place visited by me was the plantation of Col. L. A. Ellis, 
at Walker’s Station, Fort Bend County, situated in the Brazos bottoms,: 
3 miles from the river, having in cultivation 3,000 acres, 1,000 of which 
was in cotton. The season being a backward one, the cotton was small, 
and an examination furnished nothing of interest. 
As the crops here are annually visited by the worm, which, in seasons 
favorable for its propagation, does great damage, I noted the topog- 
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