30 



operated to still further reduce the numbers of the worms; hence, 1875 

 is to be ranked as a year of even greater immunity than 1874. The 

 worms were not noticed at all early in the season, and in the few locali- 

 ties where they did injure the crop, their late coming was all the more 

 unexi)ected and seemingly disastrous. These localities were confined 

 almost entirely to northern Florida, although some damage was reported 

 from Austin and Polk Counties, Texas; Lowndes County, Alabama, 

 and a few other counties. 1875 ranks as a good cotton year, the gen- 

 eral average, according to the monthly statistical reports, slightly ex- 

 ceeding 100, the unit of comparison being normal growth and unimpaired 

 vitality. 



During the earlier part of the season of 1876 rains were very abun- 

 dant over the larger part of the cotton-belt. Later, in September and 

 October, the crop suffered from drought in Louisiana and parts of 

 Texas, but in general the wet weather continued throughout the sea- 

 son. In consequence of this disposition of the weather in their favor^ 

 there was a most marked increase in the number of the caterpillars 

 throughout the entire southern portion of the belt. In Georgia, Florida, 

 Alabama, Mississippi, and Texas, the damage was considerable; but 

 Louisiana escaped material injury. Owing, probably, to a small hiber- 

 nation, the worms were not noticed particularly until late in July and 

 August J but then the extremely favorable weather caused such a rapid 

 development and great increase that they became destructive some 

 time before the top crop could be saved. The State suffering the most 

 was Alabama. The worms were more or less injurious in Marengo, 

 Coffee, Clark, Bullock, Lauderdale, Crenshaw, Monroe, Lowndes, and 

 Hale, and especially so in Dallas, Greene, Conecuh, and Perry. In 

 Texas, Bastrop, Burnet, Fayette, Austin, Matagorda, and Waller were 

 damaged, while, strange to say, both south and north of this group of 

 counties the worms were reported as coming too late to do much dam- 

 age. In this connection we may quote from an interesting letter from 

 an Austin CoRuty correspondent, published in the Monthly Eeport of 

 this Department for September: 



As predicted in my last, tlie Cotton Worm reached ns last week, and devoured 

 every particle that was eatable, leaves, blossoms, and small bolls. Never since my 

 knowledge have these worms appeared in snch a multitude. After having laid waste 

 onr fields, they thronged and blackened our lanes, roads, and highways; they pene- 

 trated lawns, yards, and even dwelling-houses, lying in the pathway, requiring the 

 constant use of the broom to repel our loathsome guests. Hens, turkeys, and geese 

 had a feast and grew fat. In this portion of the county the loss was not so sevcio 

 as the gathering had already begun, and most of the bolls were fully grown ; but tho 

 southern part, bordering upon an extensive prairie that reaches to the Gulf of Mexico, 

 200 miles distant, was attacked four weeks earlier, and the loss is a very severe one. 



In Florida the damage was very unequal, the crops of Jackson, Jef- 

 ferson, and Madison Counties suffering severely, while other adjoining 

 counties were exempt. 



In 1877 there was a falling off in the numbers of the caterpillars in 



