CHAPTEE VI. 



NATURAL ENEMIES OF THE COTTON-WORM. 



Prior to any remarks upon remedies, comes, naturally, a chapter upon 

 this subject, for the encouragement of the natural enemies of any inju- 

 rious insect is the first remedy that suggests itself. In order to pursue 

 this subject to the best advantage it will be necessary to divide it into two 

 heads vertebrate and invertebrate enemies. 



VERTEBRATE ENEMIES. 



Of mammals but five have been observed to devour the cotton- worm 

 in any of its stages, although, without doubt, several others have the 

 habit. These are three domestic and two wild hogs, dogs, and cats, and 

 coons and bats. 



Concerning the fondness of hogs for cotton-worms almost every 

 planter can testify. On several occasions, when early broods of the worm 

 have stripped the cotton and migrated to adjoining fields, pigs have been 

 turned into the road and have devoured enormous numbers. Mr. E. F. 

 Henry, of Pickens County, Alabama, states that the hogs become per- 

 fectly ravenous for the worms, and if allowed to remain in the cotton- 

 field will almost entirely destroy the plant in their efforts to get at them. 



Mr. E. J. Williams, of Mount Meigs, Ala., Bays: " Hogs will feed and 

 fatten on 'the worms." Mr. J. S. Hausberger, of Tionus, Ala., says: 

 "When hogs can get to them they destroy them with the greatest avidity." 

 Mr. P. D. Bowles, of Evergreen, Ala., says: "When they leave the field 

 and get out so that the hogs can have access to them, they will feed 

 upon them." Mr. J. W. Gilinore, of Gaston, Ala., says: " Hogs eat them 

 greedily." Mr. C. B. Eichardson, of Henderson, Tex., says: "In 1846 

 and 1847, after stripping the cotton of leaves and small bolls, the worms 

 crawled in millions through the fence into the road, and my hogs prom- 

 enaded the road eating them." Instances might be multiplied, but it 

 will be unnecessary. 



Many instances of dogs eating the worms have been observed, although 

 it is doubtful whether any dog would stoop to it unless on the verge of 

 starvation. To the poor dogs of the freedmen, however, the cotton- 

 worms are a boon which they are not slow to appreciate. The domestic 

 cats, with their carnivorous tastes, will eat the cotton- worms until they 

 are filled to repletion. We have the testimony of Mr. E. B. Dunlap, of 

 Boligee, Ala., as to coons eating the worms. It is probable also that 

 both skunks and opossums do some amount of good by eating the worms. 



One of the most effective mammalian enemies of the cotton- worm is 

 the common " leather- winged bat" (Vespertllio Sp.). This animal has 

 often been observed to catch the moths on the wing at night, and Mr. 



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