THE COTTON WORM IN OTHER COUNTRIES. 43 



and yellowish back with brown stripes. • • » The caterpillars generally appear 

 in the spring-time ; that is to say, in February and March, and at times in such quan- 

 tities that they succeed in destroying whole plantations of cotton. If, however, 

 the rainy seasons continno a short time beyond their usual period, they are almost 

 all destroyed by the rains. 



These caterpillars have been known ever since the first time that cotton was raised 

 here, and, so far as I can gather from information received, are indigenous to the coun- 

 try and in no way imported from elsewhere. » » • The winds that prevail in that 

 part of the country are north-northeast and south-southeast. — [E. H. Plumacher, Com- 

 mercial Agent. 



The smaller caterpillar referred to is Aletia, and the larger one a 

 large sphingid larva. 



In British Guiana the Cotton Worm was in former years very abun- 

 dant and destructive. Dr. Chisholm * has given a long account of its 

 method of work and the remedies, which is quoted freely in the Keport 

 of the Department of Agriculture on Cotton Insects, 1879 (pp. 72, 73). 

 Dr. Ure (1S35) also states that the Chenille is the most destructive 

 enemy to the cotton crop in British Guiana. 



In Dutch Guiana the Cotton Worm has always been destructive, and 

 Mr. F. W. Cragin, IJnited States Consul at Paramaribo, writing to the 

 Department of Agriculture, in 1856, identifies the destructive insect 

 with Noehm xylina Say. 



In Brazil, A, xylina has been found at various points. Our most trust- 

 worthy information is contained in the report of Mr. John C. Branner 

 (Appendix Y). Messrs. Branner and Koebele, as shown in this re- 

 port, reared this species from the larva at Bahia and at Bonito (Prov- 

 ince of Pernambuco). In the British Museum list i)reviously cited, A. 

 grandipuncta is given from Santaiem (Province of Para). The follow- 

 ing concerning the Cotton Worms at Bahia is from the American Ento- 

 mologist, Vol. Ill, pp. 128, 129 (May, 1880). 



COrrON CXJLTURE AJHl> THE INSECTS AFFECTING THB PLANT AT BAHIA^ BRAZIL. 



Cotton is not grown at present to any considerable extent in this province, and has 

 ceased to be an article of exportation. The cultivation is siinple in the extreme, re- 

 quiring little care or attention, but owing to the distance from this part of the cotton- 

 producing districts, the cultivation has long since ce ased to be remunerative. 



The insect enemies of the cotton-plant which particularly attack it, consist of two 

 species of moths, which in the form of worms or caterpillars prey upon its leaves and 

 stalk as also the cotton pod itself. It is also attacked by a peculiar species of bug, a 

 specimen of which is forwarded, and by the grasshoppers, which commit great ravages 

 on the foliage and the tender stalks. 



The *' Cotton Worm " as described by Professor Riley is somewhat different from the 

 worm found in this province, differing in color and other respects, but it is no doubt 

 of very similar character. 



The ravage committed by them is greater in the dry or sununer months, say Sep- 

 tember, October, November, and December. 



This Cotton Worm is believed to have been always in the country, and not imported. 



Cotton has been grown in this part of Brazil for as long a time as any other produc- 

 tion, and it is also found growing wild. 



♦Brewster's Edinburgh Encyclopedia: Article Cotton. 



