THE COTTON WORM IN SOUTH TEXAS. OWS, 
appearance of the worm here, as well as elsewhere, was coincident with 
plowing while the land was wet and temperature ruling high, thus indue- 
ing an abnormal temperature by disturbing natural capillarity. The 
present temperature, May 15, corresponds with the temperature of Madi- 
son County, Mississippi, in August, when worms make their appearance 
there. I here first tried the experiment of burning molasses placed in 
a pan over a lamp chimney, placing on the ground another plate con- 
taining molasses and coal-oil. First night caught two moths, second 
night caught ten. Would recommend in all cases, the burning of mo- 
lasses, as it is my belief that the aroma is more attractive than light. 
These were the first moths caught, though lights had often been pre- 
viously used. Will here remark that every field [ visited in Texas was 
infested with ants, varying from the largest to the smallest size, and 
differing in color. They are great pests and not only damage stands 
of cotton by cutting it down, as the cut-worm does, but one species 
sometimes excavates considerable areas with its subterranean houses, 
and thereby ruins both corn and cotton. They doubtless, from their 
predaceous habits, destroy a great many worms, and the farmers say 
they do. 
My next visit was to Columbia, Brazoria County, where I inter- 
viewed several of the most intelligent citizens, and visited a field on the 
Brazos in company with Col. John Adriance, an old and highly intel- 
ligent planter. Here I found the worm on cotton near the river bank, 
specimens of which [ sent you, though they had doubtless webbed up 
before reaching you. This brood was about to pass into chrysalis, as 
it was at Hempstead, showing it to be about contemporaneous. No new 
features to be observed here. The opinion prevails that the insect win- 
ters here. 
I next visited Judge William J. Jones in quest of Anomis exacta, but 
had a fruitless search, as he planted no cotton this season. As the 
specimen sent to you by him, two years ago, was among a lot of chrys- 
alids, gathered both on the Brazos und at his home place, and as he had 
never seen the larva of exacta, to know it distinctly from Aletia, he would 
have been unable to identify it. 
Next proceeded to Columbus, on the Colorado. The soil here was 
lighter colored and more sandy than on the Brazos, in fact so loose as 
to be drifted by the prevailing winds. It nevertheless possesses great 
fertility. I found cotton here of good size and forming, and soon found 
the worm. Saw here the same topographical features and physical 
agencies as elsewhere that seem to influence the life of Aletia. 
Went on to San Antonio and saw near Seguin in an upland field near 
the Guadalupe River some of the largest cotton 1 met with, but saw 
there nothing of interest to report. 
Would have continued my observations in Southern Texas until the 
end of June, but as I found the insect wherever I went, as far north 
even as Hempstead, I determined to return to Mississippi, to watch its 
incoming there, as that is still an unsettled question. 
