43 



For a description of the horn, green, or tobacco worm 

 as well as for other sound views on the general culture, 

 we here copy from the Country Gentleman, a letter from 

 John C. Roberts, of TarifTville, Conn.: 



"Messrs. Editors — As my communication on the cul- 

 ture of tobacco, was so favorally received, I thought I 

 might venture to write again. We have had a very 

 large amount of wet, cold weather this spring. On the 

 12th (of June, 1859) we have a severe frost, which 

 killed corn, potatoes, beans, and other garden vegeta- 

 bles to a great extent, though it did no injury to the 

 tobacco. We are just setting out the tobacco plants, 

 5,500 or 6,000 to the acre, but the cut-worm keeps us 

 busy ; we have to go over the lot every day, early in 

 the morning ; and w^e find 200 or 300 worms to the 

 acre. Is there no remedy for the ravages of these 

 pests ? We have tried every thing we know of, but 

 have not found any thing to answer the purpose, but 

 the thumb and finger. 



"When the tobacco is set previous to the 15th of 

 June, the cut-worm w^orks at it more than when set 

 later. Some of the best tobacco we had last year, was 

 set on July 5th. After the cut-worm leaves, the green- 

 worm appears. You will find the eggs from which they 

 are produced on the under side of the leaf ; they are a 

 pea-green color and the size of the head of a large pin. 

 The worm grows so rapidly that they are from three to 

 four inches long in a week, if not sooner destroyed. 

 They require close watching, for they will frequently de- 

 stroy a large plant in a single night. The insect which 

 lays the e^g is a large moth, about two inches in length; 

 when the wings are spread, they measure from tip to tip 

 from three to five inches. They fly mostly at night, and 

 hence are rarely caught ; they are a brownish color, 

 with a head very much like an owl. 



" I have seen an elaborate description of the curing 

 process at the South by fire, &c., but we take no such 

 trouble here. When the plants are hung on poles, we 

 see that they are not too thick, as, if they are, they 



