CHAPTER IV. 



THE COTTON WOEM IN OTHEE COUNTEIES. 



Aletia xylina, althougli widely spread in the Western Hemisphere, has 

 not yet been found, as far as we are aware, in the Eastern. The cotton 

 crop in the Eastern countries, in Egypt, Greece, India, Australia, has 

 its insect enemies : in Egypt, a Noctuid larva ; in Greece, various species 

 of Cut-worms; in India, the Tineid Boll- worm, Bepressaria gossypiella ; 

 in Australia, a red bug allied to the Dysdercus suturellus of the West 

 Indies ; but Aletia xylina has as yet been found only in North and South 

 America and the intervening islands. 



Up to the present time the northernmost point at which Aletia has 

 been collected seems to be Quebec ; and as to its southern limit, there 

 seems little doubt but that it is found in Sao Paulo, one of the southern 

 provinces of Brazil. Its western limit is the Pacific, although we have 

 no information as to its occurrence in California, even in the cotton 

 fields in the southern part of the State. It is found, however, upon the 

 coast farther south at Mazatlan and ManzaDillo, Mexico, as shown in 

 the folio wiug extracts from correspondence which we have had with the 

 United States consuls at these ports, Aletia being identified in most 



cases from specimens received : 



Consulate op the United States, 



Mazatlan, December 3, 1879. 

 * * * The Cotton Worm, or as known here by the name of the Army Worm, the 

 Bud Worm, and the Boll Worm, are the worst insect enemies. The regular Cotton 

 or Army Worm attacks the cotton plant every year, but about once in four years is 

 very destructive. It appears to be deposited by a fly on the underside of the leaf, 

 which rolls up, and in a few days the worm, of about 2 inches, appears. During the 

 winter months it disappears. Cotton was first introduced into this State, in ldG3, by 

 an American, Mr. Francis Nolan ; it was produced from seed brought from the State 

 of Guerrero. It does not grow wild in this State. The first years but little trouble 

 was experienced from the Cotton Worm ; but each year they have given more trouble, 

 especially if cotton is planted again on the same ground. The prevailing direction 

 of the wind during the months from March to July is from the east in the morning, 

 and from the southwest in the afternoon. — [E. G. Kelton, United States Consul. 



Manzaniixo, Mex., December 26, 1879. 

 The larger worm or caterpillar (Anomia xylina) has made it appearance on this coast 

 three times during the last twenty years, in 1866, in 1873, and again in 1878. It is a 

 dark green looking worm, with white and black lines, and destroys the cotton plant 

 by devouring the leaves. It is as yet impossible for me to find out the origin or even 

 habits of this worm. I have investigated the supposed causes of its appearance, but 

 without success ; the farmers here have not the slightest idea about it. An apparent 



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