55 



sects. Both of these species are more prevalent in low fields, the higher 

 fields being less subject to their attacks. 



Another beetle, found to be seriously injurious to cantaloupes and 

 sweet-potatoes, in this region, was aChrysomelid, Systena elongata, Fabr., 

 which we found swarming in numbers, skeletonizing the leaves and fre- 

 quently killing the young plants. Mr. Porter stated that he was com- 

 pelled to replant on account of them. 



On a neighboring farm, owned by Mr. Z. Rouch, almost as much 

 damage had been done by the Army Worm, as on the former place. A 

 large corn-field and a field of timothy were totally ruined. A wheat- 

 field, farther advanced than thai of Mr. Porter's, was less seriously 

 affected, although it did not escape entirely, the blades of the Wheat 

 and the young Timothy being entirely eaten up by them. 



It was on this place that we saw the effects of the worms on Barley. 

 Quite a large field already in head was completely ruined. 



In the afternoon we visited probably the largest farm in the county, 

 that of the Hon. D. N. Dennis, comprising 500 acres or more. 



No better place existed for the proper study of the pest, as the worms 

 were swarming in all the fields by the millions, and we had hit upon 

 the proper time of day to see them most advantageously, 4 o'clock p. 

 m. The ground was literally black with the crawling worms. Mr. 

 Dennis had made no especial efforts to destroy them, although, like 

 some of his neighbors, he had surrounded some of his fields with ditches 

 in an attempt to keep them out of adjoining fields. I believe it would 

 have been quite practicable to have destroyed many thousands with 

 poisonous washes, or, as Mr. Porter did, by burning straw in the ditches, 

 as the bottom of the ditches were black with worms. 



This farm is divided by a central lane, on either side of which are 

 fields of wheat, corn, grass, oats, etc., and in passing through this lane 

 we found the worms quite plentiful, crawling almost invariably in the 

 direction of the prevailing wind. 



One of the first fields we passed w^s an immense wheat-field already 

 in the head, and the worms could be plainly discernable on the ground 

 all through it and on the stalks and heads. The worms having already 

 devoured the young timothy and other tender plants usually found 

 growing there, the blades of the wheat, the husks, and a goodly por- 

 tion of the kernels, evidently could not find sufficient food and were 

 now migrating to pastures new, the sides of the field being black with 

 moving hosts seeking more nutritious food. 



These, as well as all the others observed, were moving in a south- 

 westerly direction, the direction of the prevailing wind. They were 

 apparently in all stages of growth, from little fellows not more than a 

 quarter of an inch long to the fully matured larvte, and all got over the 

 ground and every obstacle in their way with the most surprising rapid- 

 ity. The fences, posts, and other obstacles in their way were no ob- 

 struction to their migratory instinct, or their search for food. The 

 7940— No. 2 2 



