3^2 EEPORT OF THE COMMlSSIOI?iER OF AGRICULTURE. 



tion tbc otlier uioIIks wbicli are'thiis captured jaic more or lej,s injurious 

 to vegetatiou. 



Ill tlie s])ecial report we piiljlished figures and descriptions of many 

 lanterns wliicli have been ])ateuted. Our space will not admit of 

 reproducing tbe figures and descriptions. Any planter can devise a 

 trap wbicli will answer tbe purpose. Tbe principle is as follows: Place 

 a ligbt above a pan containing fluid, wbicli may be eitber viscid or 

 poisoned. Tbe motbs attracted by tbe ligbt fall into tbe pan, 'and are 

 tbus destroyed. 



THE BOLL-WORM. 

 IMPORTANCE OF THE SUBJECT. 



Scarcely inferior to tbe cotton-worm in tbe esteiit of its injuries to 

 tbe cotton crop is tbe so-called "boll- worm" {ReUothis armigera,Ilnlm.). 

 Every year, and, it is almost safe to say, in every plantation in tbe wbole 

 cotton-belt tbis pest makes its appearance, and, altbougb its ravages 

 during some years are insignificant beside tboseof tbe cotton-worm, yet 

 the periodical api)earances of tbe latter, tbe confining of its bibernating 

 area to tbe more soutbern portions of tbe cotton-belt, and its numerous 

 parasites, all combine to render its superiority to tbe boll- worm as a cot- 

 ton enemy very sligbt. Tbere are, moreover, difficulties in tbe way of 

 destroying tbe boll- worm — difficulties arising from its peculiar metbods 

 of work, and from tbe great number of its food plants — wbicb do not 

 exist in tbe case of tbe cotton-caterpillar, and wbicb beip'to render tbe 

 former as formidable as tbe latter. Indeed, in a large part of tbe cotton- 

 belt tbere can be no doubt but tbat tbe boll-worm is tbe one by far tbe 

 more to be feared. Tbis is especially true in tliose more nortbern por- 

 tions, wbicb tbe cotton-worm reacbes only late in tbe season ; too late, gen- 

 erally, to do more tbau clear away tbe too abundant foliage, and allow 

 tbe sun to ripen tbe bolls more quickly. Even in many parts of the 

 more soutbern regions we find planters expressing tbe opinion tbat tbe 

 boll-worm is tbe more to be dreaded of tbe two. 



NATURAL HISTORY. 



Nomenclature. — Of popular names tbe boll-worm bas one for almost 

 every plant upon wbicb it feeds and for e\ery country wbicb it inbabits; 

 and as it is almost cosmopolitan and a very general feeder, tbese names 

 are many. Tbrougbout cotton-growing States it is very generally known 

 as tbe hoU-worm wben it occurs upon cotton; vv^ben it occurs upon corn 

 it is called tbe corn-icorm, and as sucb it is known in tbose Western 

 States in wbicb it infests tbe corn crop. In many Soutbern States it is 

 known in tbe early part of tbe season as tbe corn-hud u-orm. Wliero 

 found ui)on tomatoes it is called tbe iomaio-worm. Tbese four names 

 are tbe ones by wbicb it is best known in tbis country. As we shall 

 consider it only in its relation to cotton, we shall speak of it as tbe boll- 

 worm, except where it is necessary to make use of one of the other titles. 



Geographical distribution. — Tbe geographical range of the s])e- 

 cies is very great. ]Mr. Bond, at the March 1, 1809, meeting of tiie Lon- 

 don Entomological Society, exhibited specimens from the Isle of Wight, 

 Java, and Aus^tralia, and these localities, taken in connection witli other 

 ])arts of Europe and the United States, seem to justify a prediction made 

 by l^.Tr. Grote, tbat we shall probably soon write after its babitat— the 

 world. 



