[54] REPORT 4, UNITED STATES ENTOMOLOGICAL COMMISSION. 



The following, from tlie replies to the circtilar, shows the variety of opinions prevail- 

 ing among planters in regard to the average annual losses caused by caterpillars : 



Numbers of answers 

 to circular, ques- 

 tions 24 and 25. 



Estimated percentage 

 of loss annually. 



1 



33i to 50. 



all 



50 

 25 

 33J 



Sometimes total. 

 25 

 33i 

 10 



2 



3 



4 



5 . . 



6 



8 



10 



14 



18 





This gives an average loss of 34|^ per cent., or say 33|^. 



The opinions and estimates here given may safely be taken to represent also those 

 of more than a hundred cotton-planters with whom I conversed upon this subject in 

 the xirovince of Peruambuco. 



Table showing the official value, in milreis, of the cotton exported from Brazil during the 

 twenty-four years from 1851-'52 to 1875-'76, and the losses caused hy caterpillars. 



Provinces. 



Offi<^i^ljal«e Losses from 



ff ^^l^r ^^o' 1851-'52 to 

 irom 1851- 52 ^q.-^ ip./. 

 to 1875-76. 1875-/6. 



Pemambuco 



Alagoas 



Maranhao 



Parahyba 



Ceard 



Sao Paulo ." 



BaMa 



Eio de Janeiro 



Uio Grande do Norte 



Sergipe 



Piauh V 



Par^;. 



EioG-randedo Sul 



Total for the Empire 



Eeduced to dollars . . . 



Milreis. 



Milreis. 



142, 858, 211 



71, 429, 105 



69, 051, 267 



34, 525, 633 



72, 523, 990 



36, 261, 995 



57, 322, 080 



28,661,040 



42, 404. 566 



21, 202, 283 



20, 715, 404 



10, 357, 552 



29, 396, 222 



14, 698, 111 



19,311,395 



9, 655, 697 



10, 575, 432 



5, 287, 716 



1, 747, 678 



873, 839 



2, 617, 479 



1, 308, 739 



542, 961 



271, 480 



3,164 



1,582 



469, 069, 549 



234, 534, 774 



$249,545,000 I $124,772,500 



XOTE. — Thepar value of the Brazilian milreis is 27 pence. But during the period covered by the table, 

 the fluctuations were very great, owing largely to the war with Paraguay. The average rate of ex- 

 change was 26§ pence and the reductions are made at this average rate. 



This table represents the official value of the exports previously given. It is in- 

 complete, on account of the exports not being given for every year from some of the 

 provinces. Neither is the cotton used for home ccnsumption included in the amount 

 upon which the losses are calculated. 



If the losses are computed for the whole production including home consumption of 

 cotton in the Empire for the 24 years, it gives 766,136,037 pounds as the total loss in 

 cotton, or an average annual loss of 31,922,335 pounds. 



BOLL WORM. 



No Boll Worm was found in the provinces of Pemambuco and Bahia, and though 

 careful inquiry was made among the j)lanters for it, they agreed that no such insect 

 was known in that part of the country. In the replies to the circulars which I sent 

 out, a few Boll Worms are said to be found in the province of Maranhao, where they 

 do but little injury to the cotton. Another correspondent from the same province 

 says that he does not know of such a caterpillar. Taken together they may indicate 

 that the Boll Worm does exist in that province, but that it rarely attacks the cot- 

 tou. The answer from the province of Minas Geraes admits the presence of the Boll 

 Worm, while those from the province of Pemambuco, with the exception of one, say 

 that it is not known there. I have been able to find no reference to it in the writings 

 upon cotton in Brazil. 



