A SYSTEM OF WARNINGS FALSE THEORIES. 127 



A geueral poisoning in advance of the first appearance of the worms 

 has been recommended, but it is evident that there is little to be gained 

 by this method, first, on account of the rapidity with which a new 

 gi'owth of leaves is made thus early in the season; secondly, because the 

 poison would be washed away after the lapse of one or two weeks, and 

 much earlier in unfavorable weather; and, thirdly, because it is an un- 

 necessary expense, since the first worms appear only in isolated spots? 

 which may be discovered by careful watching. 



Cotton Worm Warnings. — In the more northern portions of the 

 cotton belt the worm appears only after it has multiplied or been very 

 bad in one or several places in the more southern portion. The impor- 

 tance to the more northern planter of keeping posted as to the progress 

 of the worm in the hibernating centers is, therefore, evident, as he will 

 thus be enabled to provide beforehand the means of destroying the pest. 

 To provide for and keep uf) such Cotton Worm signals and warnings is 

 a very easy matter when compared with the Locust warnings in the 

 West. The permanent region of the Locust is the least accessible and 

 least populous region of the country, while that of the Cotton Worm is 

 the richest and most densely populated portion of the South, traversed 

 by numerous railroads and telegraphs, with populous cities and an en- 

 terprising press. 



As a measure intended to reduce the number of hibernating moths, it 

 may be suggested that, as vast numbers of late chrysalides are usually 

 carried into the gin-house, and as the moths issuing therefrom are so 

 likely to find the requisite winter protection there, the exi^ediency of 

 removing and destroying these chrysalides as soon as possible, and of 

 not allowing them to remain in the gin-house until they hatch, is ap- 

 parent. 



False theories. — There is, of course, no want of theories regarding 

 preventive measures, mostly based upon wrong conception of the nat- 

 ural history of the Insect; nevertheless, they always find advocates. 

 One of these proposed measures is to burn, in winter time, the old stalks 

 of the cotton plants, instead, as is generally done now, of breaking them 

 down in the spring, the intention being to kill the insect supposed to 

 be hibernating within the stalks. Another measure frequently recom- 

 mended is to plow the fields in winter time in order to expose the chrys- 

 alides, supposed to be in the ground, to the rain and frost. The premises 

 being false, the theories with their suggestions are worthless. 



Another widely disseminated notion prevails as to the preventive 

 power of salt sown on the field while planting cotton, or even after the 

 plants are up. This method has been tried by reliable i)lanters, and, 

 as might have been foreseen, with indifferent results, the rows where 

 salt had been used being no less injured by the worms than the rows 

 not salted. That salt has a beneficial influence as manure in certain 

 kinds of soils there can be no doubt, but its supposed protective influence 

 is wholly imaginary, being based on the vague notion that the salt is 

 absorbed by the plant, which is thus rendered distasteful to the worm. 



