38 REPORT UPON COTTON INSECTS. 



storms of rain or wind ; premature decay arising from imperfect cultivation, supera- 

 bundant moisture in the soil in the spring, drought in summer, and the train of dis- 

 eases which accompany the low vitality of the plant from whatever cause, and, 

 finally, the effect of frost in arresting the development of half-mature liber and in 

 discoloring it. The relative influence of each cause in damaging the crop of 1873, as 

 indicated by our correspondents, may be stated in the following order in the different 

 States : 



North Carolina. Rains, frost, worms. 



South Carolina. Rains, frost, worms. 



Georgia. Worms, more than all other causes combined ; rains, frost, drought, high 

 winds. 



Florida. Storms of rain, worms. 



Alabama. Worms, rains, frost. 



Mississippi. Worms, spring rains, drought, frost. 



Louisiana. Worms, rains, high winds. 



Texas. Worms, rains, drought, frost, bad gins and inexperienced giuners. 



Arkansas. Rains, worms, drought, frost. 



Tennessee. Drought, frost, rains, plant-lice, a cold and wet spring. 



In the Gulf States the greatest injury thus appears to have been wrought by worms, 

 excepting only Florida, where the devastating storms in September and October, par- 

 ticularly that of September 19, proved more destructive than the caterpillar, which 

 was abundant and sufficiently injurious. Though the main damage by insects was 

 done by the caterpillar (Anonilina) there was much loss occasioned by the boll-worm 

 (Heliothis Armigera) and some injury in localitie.3 by the cotton-louse or Aphis. 



All through the South the efforts of the planters against the cottou- 

 worin were this year marked by the first extensive use of Paris green. 

 The fact that experiments with the " green " as a cotton-worm destroyer 

 had been made during the season of 1872, was incidentally mentioned 

 by Prof. J. Parish Stelle in an article in the Mobile Register in the fall 

 of that year j* and in a recent letter from Professor Stelle, he claims the 

 credit of being the first to publicly recommend its use, through the col- 

 umns of that paper. Mr. J. Donovan, of Kushla, Ala., experimented 

 with the poison in 1872, and claims (according to Mr. Schwarz) to be the 

 first who ever applied it for the destruction of Aletia. Professor Stelle 

 remarks in his letter that Mr. Donovan first applied it in obedience to a 

 recommendation of his in the Register. Rev. W. A. Stickney, of Fauns- 

 dale, Ala., informs me by letter that early in 1873 a Mr. Clark was sell- 

 ing Paris green in Alabama for the destruction of the cotton-worm, and 

 claimed that it had been fully tried the previous year in Texas. Mr. 

 Stickney says: "I could not ascertain whether the experiment had 

 been applied to crops preceding 1872. But from that year (1872), if not 

 still further back, Clark's formula derived warranty." 



In May, 1873, Prof. C. V. Riley publicly recommended Paris green as a 

 cotton- worm destroyer before the Indianapolis meeting of the American 

 Agricultural Congress, and in his Sixth Missouri Entomological Report 

 mentions the fact that he had suggested it theprerioua year in the fol- 

 lowing words : 



In June, 1872, at the organization in Saint Louis of the National Agricultural ('011- 

 greas, there were present many delegates from the South. It was my privilege on that 

 l.N inn.r. Southern Farm and House, October 1672, p. 457. 



