CUT-WORMS. 161 



SECTION IV. CUT-WORMS. 

 From the Southern (La.) Mirror. 



IN to-day's paper we publish a communication from Col. D. 

 J. Fluker, upon a subject of great interest and importance to 

 southern agriculturists. Col. Fluker is one of the most scien- 

 tific and experienced planters in the State, and no man is more 

 capable of investigating agricultural subjects than he. His 

 opinions will carry with them great weight and influence ; and 

 he will secure the thanks of the community for his assiduous 

 labors in so useful a cause as affording protection to that fragile 

 and delicate but wonderful shrub the almighty cotton. 



East Feliciana, July 3, 1850. 



MR. EDITOR: I have learned through the press, and other 

 sources, that the cut- worm has done irreparable injury to the 

 cotton plant this spring, and is still at work on some planta- 

 tions in the parish. Until this season, I have uniformly been 

 an extreme sufferer whenever they appeared in the country 

 never escaped before ; but, fortunately for me, they have been 

 " few and far between," so far, doing my plants no harm. I 

 think the cotton is now too large for them. It has been my 

 study, for some years, to destroy or escape these' worms ; 

 finally, for the first time, last year I adopted the plan of burn- 

 ing off cotton and corn stalks, grass, and in fact everything 

 combustible upon the field, in order to furnish as much ashes 

 as possible to the land generally, knowing they are not fond 

 of ashes or lime. This may have been some benefit ; but I 

 rely mostly on late ploughing leaving the cotton land for the 

 last, and breaking it up deep with two horses, just upon plant- 

 ing, say 1st of April ; thereby destroying millions of these 

 worms whilst they were generating. By more early breaking 



