32 REPORT UPON COTTON INSECTS. 



greatly in 1889 again operated in 1870, the growing season being remark- 

 able for long-continued drought. In the statistical summing up for 

 the year, we find the following remark: "A general exemption from 

 losses by insects is noted with occasional exceptions, mostly in Louisiana 

 and Texas (the counties of Matagorda, Henderson, and Eed Eiver, in 

 Texas, and Butherford, in Tennessee, have been infested with boll- 

 worms)." In Texas, Goliad and Matagorda Counties again report con- 

 siderable injuries, and Galveston County lost one-half the crop. In 

 Montgomery County they were seen webbing up before July 1. Polk 

 County lost part of the crop, but elsewhere they were not bad. In Lou- 

 isiana the worms were abundant and destructive in East Feliciana, 

 Bapides, Avoyelles, Tensas, and Jackson Parishes. In Bapides the crop 

 was damaged 20 per cent, in August, and there were some injuries later. 

 Avoyelles lost 50 per cent, of the crop from storms and caterpillars. 

 Mississippi -was almost entirely exempt from severe ravages by the 

 worms. They were present, but in small numbers. Nearly all of the 

 richest cotton counties of Alabama reported the presence of the cater- 

 pillars in the early part of the year, but the final reports show an entire 

 exemption from severe injuries. None of the correspondents in Florida 

 and Georgia consider 1870 worthy of note as a worm year, though many 

 of them speak of the unusual freedom from insect pests. The caterpil- 

 lars appeared in South Carolina, and were also reported from. Cumber- 

 land County, North Carolina, but no damage resulted. 



In 1871 there was a general increase in the ravages of the worms, the 

 especial point of destruction being Louisiana. The caterpillars were 

 present in force over all the Southern cotton States, but in all but 

 Louisiana the last brood was just too late to destroy the crop. In Texas 

 they were reported from all over the cotton-growing region, from Bexar 

 to lied Eiver. The greatest damage was done in Bexar, Matagorda, 

 Liberty, Eusk, and Cherokee, but in these counties it was nothing more 

 than the top crop that was taken. Louisiana, as we have before said ? 

 was the point of greatest injury this year. The loss was, however, very 

 unequally and strangely distributed throughout the State. In Saint 

 Landry there was general destruction. Iberia lost 45 per cent, of the 

 crop. Washington lost one-third. Avoyelles reported total loss, and 

 Caddo serious injury. On the other hand, although considerable injury 

 was done in East and West Feliciana, Eapides, and Eichland, the parishes 

 of Tangipahoa, Tensas, Madison, Eed Eiver, Claiborne, Ouachita, and 

 Morehouse report but few worms. In La Fayette County, Arkansas 

 the caterpillars appeared rather late, but did some little damage. Mis! 

 sissippi cotton suffered more from drought in 1871 than from any other 

 cause. The caterpillar did considerable damage in Wilkinson and Jef- 

 ferson Counties, but, although they were present all over the State, their 

 injuries in other portions were limited. In Alabama the worms were 

 reported from many localities, but, as before, losses were not great. The 

 northern part of the State was not touched. The only counties reporting 



