40 REPORT 4, UNITED STATES ENTOMOLOGICAL COMMISSION. 



coincidence between the appearance of this plagne and overflooding of rivers in the 

 cotton regions shonld be mentioned. 



1865, September, high floods, complete inundation of cotton lands. Febrnary, 1866, 

 appearance of the caterpillar in small numbers, not causing much damage. 



1872, September, floods, partial inundation of cotton lands, high lands and ridges in 

 the valleys not flooded. February, 1873, appearance of the plague, and total destruc- 

 tion of cotton plantations. 



1878, September, high floods, complete inundation of cotton-growing valleys. 1879, 

 February, partial plague, small damage done by the caterpillar. 



I am of the opinion that the worm has not been imported into Mexico, but origin- 

 ates in the cotton valleys in such seasons, when the peculiar condition of the soil and 

 climate combine to favor the development of the larva. 



The cotton lands in this vicinity are bounded on the "W. by the Pacific Ocean, on 

 the E. by high mountains, la Sierra Madre, on the N. and S. by dense woods and tracts 

 of uncultivated lands. These circumstances present a great many obstacles to the 

 flight of the Cotton Moth. The nearest cotton plantations, as well to northward as to 

 southward, are at a distance from Manzanillo of at least 100 miles. 



Cotton has been grown in the State of Colima for the last fifty years. It does not 

 grow wild, but if abandoned, some plants grow up to good sized trees, bearing fruit 

 regularly every year. 



The directions of prevailing winds on this coast are the following, viz: 



January, S. and W.; February, W. and N. W.; March, W. andN. W.; April, N. W.; 

 May, N. W.; June, S. andN. W.; July, S. andW.; August, S. andW, ; September, S. 

 and W.; October, S. and W.; November, S. and W.; December, S. and W. 



The north and northwest winds blow generally during the day. At night these 

 •winds change to the north and northeast. 



I give the prevailing winds for the whole year, as our planting and picking seasons 

 here are different from those in the United States. — [Augustus Morrill, United States 

 Consul. 



On the Gulf coast of Mexico Aletia is also found. The following ac- 

 count of its work in the consular district of Yera Cruz is from the Amer- 

 ican Untomologist, Yol. Ill, p. 179 (July, 1880) : 



Interesting Cotton Worm Notes from Vera Cruz, Mexico.— In this consular 

 district about 8,000,000 lbs. are produced. The peculiarities of culture are striking. 

 The ground is prepared by removing rubbish, and then the seed is planted by insert- 

 ing a sharp stick in the ground at convenient intervals ; into the holes thus made the 

 seed is deposited and covered by the foot. No plows are used in this preparation for 

 the seed, nor are they often used in the subsequent stages of cultivation. They pull 

 out the larger weeds or use the hoe, confining their labor to little more than such. 

 It is clear from that kind of culture that the cotton plant must be forced into much 

 bad company, and be assaulted with destructive enemies. After extensive inquiries 

 I find no one scientifically informed on the full habits of these enemies. 



It is a hotly disputed point as to what becomes of the worm during the " six or eight 

 years" when it does not appear, and no one in my circuit of acquaintance gives me 

 anything better than a superstition for a solution of the problem. Our climate, never 

 giving us frost, scarcely affects the constant germinal qualities of plants or the enemies 

 thereof, and it has been asserted to me that at one place or another the Cotton Worm 

 can always be found. However, the difficulty I have experienced in obtaining the 

 specimens sent, induce me to doubt the correctness of that assertion. 



The worm has been here as long as cotton has been cultivated by the Mexicans. 

 We have historical accounts that cotton was grown and utilized ^ince the twelfth 

 century, but have no data that it was or was not naturally indigenous. But if said 



