THE BOLL-WORM AND " SORE SHIN" JN COTTON. 105 



tribe is undergoing a constant change hence, the cut-worm 

 is changed to the moth ; the moth deposits its eggs upon the 

 plant, and, by the warmth of the sun, they come forth worms, 

 somewhat different from the cut-worm in form and size. The 

 cotton plant, at this stage, being rather tough for them, they 

 attack the tender forms and pods, hence the appellation boll- 

 worm. I should have tried the experiment farther, but hav- 

 ing, since 1849, planted corn in my cotton, I could not allow 

 my pigs that liberty, as there can be no agreement made with 

 pigs not to molest the corn. I am trying the plan this season, 

 and we shall see what we shall see. 



Messrs. Editors, if my theory be correct, strike at the foun- 

 tain head, destroy the parent worm, and you destroy genera- 

 tions to come. Turn in your pigs, and, my word for it, but 

 few worms will be left. But little tutoring will attach them 

 to the field. The mass of planters require a remedy, without 

 money and without price ; and, as a dose to a large field, I 

 recommend a large number of pigs a small field, a small 

 number, &c. 



The sore shin has been very destructive to our stands of 

 cotton this season ; the cause of which, I think, is not gene- 

 rally understood by planters. The sore sJtin is confined to 

 poor land, more particularly to poor sandy hills. My opinion 

 is, that it is occasioned by lice on the leaf of the plant, which 

 runs to a disease. It is admitted by all botanists that the 

 leaf is the lung of the plant, to take up the gases, and prepare 

 the sap to return to the trunk or stem. Too much rain pro- 

 duces lice upon the leaf, which obstructs the laws of nature 

 the leaf cannot return true sap, consequently the trunk perish- 

 eth. In like manner disease the lungs of man, and the trunk 

 will likewise perish. It is confined to poor ridges, because it 

 is slow in growth, and more subject to disease less vigorous 

 than that on rich land. Lice never produce sore shin after 



