REPORT OF H. G. HUBBARD. [7] 



The experience of many other planters does not differ materially from that which 

 has been already given. 



The soil of eastern Florida is, with few exceptions, light and samdy. To this is very 

 generally attributed the prevalence of Cut- worms (various Noctuids, including Helio- 

 this armigera), which do much injury to cotton as soon as it comes up, cutting off the 

 young plants at the surface of the ground. A black cricket, which I have not been 

 able to capture, has the reputation of doing injury in the same manner. Like the- 

 Cut- worms it is nocturnal, and lives by day in long burrows under the sand. To the 

 poverty, or someotherquality of the sandy soil, is often laid the ruin caused by "rust,'~ 

 than which no greater pest of the cotton plant exists. I am, however, of the opinion 

 that ' ' rust," a fungus which attacks the parenchyma of the leaves, causing them to turn 

 red and fall, and ultimately blasting the entire plant, is a direct sequence to the at- 

 tacks of a mite, always found more or less infesting cotton. It will be referred to in 

 thisrejiort as the ''rust mite," and is, perhaps, identical with the *'red spider" of the 

 planters. Some other insects depredating on cotton in East Florida will be treated 

 of later on. 



On July 14, Aletia not having made its appearance at Crescent City, at Professor 

 Riley's direction I removed to Leon County, and took up my residence at Centreville, 

 twelve miles north of Tallahassee, with Mr. T. J. Roberts, who kindly received me- 

 upon his plantation, and during my seven weeks' stay was most assiduous in offering: 

 me every assistance within his power. Mr. R. is widely-known as a keen observer,, 

 and is invariably the first to report the appearance of the caterpillar in. this State, 

 Two full-grown worms were found by him this year on the 5th of June. In former 

 years he has found them as early as May 9. 



At the time of my arrival Aletia had evidently passed through several broods. The 

 caterpillars, although by no means abundant, were found in all parts of the planta- 

 tion. This Mr. Roberts considers unusual, and attributes to the remarkably even 

 growth of the cotton this year, which is not ranker in one part than in another. Other 

 planters in the neighborhood had begun to report the caterpillar as occasionally seen^ 

 especially on low ground. The moths were also seen in small numbers. About the 

 first of August there was every indication that unless a vigorous fight was made, by 

 the application of poisons, a clean sweep would be made by the caterpillars duritg the- 

 month. Not only were their '' webs " (pupse) scattered over the entire acreage, but also 

 in several places patches of five or six acres were entirely denuded of leaves, and the 

 moths had there appeared in great numbers. By the 6th of the month the moths were 

 seen everywhere about the plantation, and eggs were laid by millions in every part 

 of the cotton fields. The worms of the next brood, however, failed to appear in 

 great numbers, as about 90 per cent, of the eggs were destroyed by the Trichogramma 

 egg parasite {T. pretiosa^il&j). Daring the remainder of August this and other para- 

 sites, which made their appearance in greater abundance as the season advanced,, 

 successfully held the worms in check. By the first of September the caterpillars were 

 so nearly exterminated that it became difficult to obtain them in sufficient quantities 

 for experimenting with poisons. On the 5th of September I left Centreville, and, after 

 paying a flying visit to Crescent City, where, as before related, I found Aletia just 

 making its appearance, I returned to Washington. On the return I made an excursion 

 to Selma, Ala., and there for a few days assisted other observers in making experi- 

 ments with poisons, the details of which will be given elsewhere in their reports. 

 After leaving Centreville I had the misfortune to lose, with a portion of my baggage, 

 a large ^art of my field notes and a number of microscopic slides with parasites and 

 other minute insects infesting cotton, a loss which will, I fear, seriously impair mj; 

 report upon a large and important part of my summer's work. 



ALETIA.— SUCCESSION OF BROODS. 



An examination of all the data obtainable gives the following as most probably" 

 correct for the succession of the different broods of Aletia at Centreville during the- 

 season of 1880. First appearance of the caterpillar (first brood), early (?) in April.. 

 Second brood, from the middle of May to the middle of June. (On June 5 two f nil- 

 grown caterpillars were taken by Mr. Roberts; they "webbed up" on the folio wing; 

 day). Third brood, from June 15 to July 15. Fourth brood, from July 15 to August, 

 9. Fifth brood, from August 9 to September 3. 



On my arrival (July 16) a few full-grown worms and pupae were found in different 

 parts of the cotton fields. These are presumed to have been lagging individuals of" 

 the third brood, and were soon re-enforced by numerous young worms and eggs of the 

 fourth brood. July 26, the following entry occurs in my note book: 



In the main field of 200 acres the worms are still very much scattered, but their 

 number is increasing over its whole extent — that is, they are working up from below, 

 and appearing in sight upon the upper and outer leaves of the plants as they increase 

 in size. A portion, about § or 6 acres, of this field was planted at least twenty 

 days later than the rest. I shall hereafter designate it as the young cotton. It is now 



