COTTON. 407 



Wet weather favors the development of the worms. These pests have many natural 

 enemies to assist in reducing their numbers, foremost among which are the birds and ants. 

 Bats devour large numbers of the moths, while all domestic birds, chickens, turkeys, guinea- 

 fowls, and geese will feed upon them. 



Reptiles, such as the tree-frog, will eat them, while the skunk, opossum, and raccoon are 

 said to devour them. The former, however, will break down the plants in so doing, and 

 neither of these animals, or hogs, can be of much assistance in their extermination, except 

 where the worms are in such large numbers as to travel the ground from field to field. 



Various insects, such as certain species of spiders, wasps, beetles, bugs, flies, crickets, 

 etc., prey upon the cotton worm, while several parasites are known to be quite effectual in 

 their destruction. 



Some of the means of obviating the evil may be found in the mode of cultivation, 

 among which are the planting of the most thrifty and vigorous varieties, those that will pro 

 duce the strongest plants, also mature soonest, such as seed from the more northerly sections. 

 Early planting is also advised, together with frequent cultivation, in order to hasten the 

 maturity of the plant and secure a portion of the crop beyond the reach of harm from the 

 more destructive broods that make their appearance in July and August. Frequent cultiva 

 tion also has a tendency to knock off and distribute the worms. It is also thought that 

 some varieties of cotton are more subject to attacks than others, the long staple being found 

 to be more injured than the short staple, when planted side by side. Topping the cotton is 

 sometimes resorted to in hastening the maturity, and also to destroy the worms that feed 

 upon the tender part of the plant, but this practice occasions considerable labor and often 

 with very little good resulting from it. 



Various implements for brushing or knocking the worms from off the plants to the 

 ground and crushing and killing them have been devised, but the most effectual mechanical 

 means for their extermination has been found in the use of Paris green, although arsenic, 

 London purple, pyrethrum powder, etc., have been employed with greater or less benefit. 

 More or less danger attends the use of all poisons, by inhalation, or getting them upon the 

 hands, while these applications possess the further disadvantage of killing the enemies of the 

 worm, as well as the worm itself. Birds that .eat the worms thus poisoned will be poisoned 

 by them ; also the various insects which destroy the worm. 



But Paris green is the best remedy thus far tested, although attended with disadvan 

 tages, and we hope the time is not far distant when some better method will be devised. It 

 may be applied either dissolved in water or in powder. &quot;When used in powder it is usually 

 mixed with flour, plaster, or wood ashes, as this is a more convenient and economical practice; 

 besides, the pure powder is liable to injure the cotton plant. For the proportions of such a 

 mixture, quantity to be applied, methods of application, etc., in order to avoid repetition, we 

 refer the reader to directions previously given in the use of Paris green in connection with 

 the destruction of the Colorado beetle, or potato-bug, in the cultivation of the Irish potato. 



The Boll- Worm. This is also a very destructive enemy of the cotton plant, which 

 works upon the small bolls or buds, causing them to fall off, and thus seriously diminishing 

 their rate of production. 



It feeds upon many plants beside cotton, and is known by many different names in dif 

 ferent countries and sections of a country, according to the plant upon which it feeds most. 

 For instance, throughout the cotton-growing States it is known by the name of the &quot; boll- 

 worm&quot;; in the Western States, and other localities where it infests the corn crop, it is called 

 the &quot; corn-worm.&quot; In many of the Southern States it is said to be known in the early part 

 of the season as the &quot; corn-bud worm.&quot; When found upon tomato plants it is termed the 

 &quot;tomato- worm,&quot; etc., it being the same species-wherever found. It was not known for many 

 years that the cotton-boll worm and the corn-worm were the same, but the fact has now 

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