272 



COTTON. 



Cotton, gle night, whole fields, consisting of from four to ten 

 "■""Y"™'*' acres, hitherto unmolested, have been devoured by 

 them. Or does this proceed from the flight of myriads 

 of the insect in its perfect state to distant fields, and 

 then depositing their eggs, whose fecundation is quick- 

 enedbythe fostering heat of afavourable season,and thus 

 giving rise to these sudden and astonishing coloniza- 

 tions. That the leaves of the cotton tree are the nidi as 

 well as the food of the chenille is evident, from opera- 

 tions of the caterpillar when preparing for its change 

 into the pupa state. By means of a thready substance 

 resembling a spider's web, of a wliite colour, the leaf 

 which the larva intends for the scene of its transforma- 

 tion is drawn together, so as to form a funnel-shaped 

 fold, close at the edges, and shut up at the broadest 

 part or base. The pupa is inclosed in a covering of the 

 thready substance, and acquires its perfect form, or 

 image, at the expiration of nine days. The moth is small, 

 never exceeding an inch from the head to the extremi- 

 ty of the wings, of a gray, inclining to black colour. 

 Immediately after dusk, in those seasons which are un- 

 favourable to their propagation, myriads approach the 

 candles, and are very troublesome, but soon terminate 

 their existence in its flame. The period of their ex- 

 istence, when not destroyed by such causes, is about 

 nine days ; and the whole life of the insect, including 

 all its transformations from the ovum to the death of 

 the moth, is about twenty-seven days. In the pupa 

 state, the insect is subjected to the rapacity of several 

 other insects. Those I have more particularly obser- 

 ved, are a small species of apterous bug, I believe the 

 cimex grylloides, and the common red ant. These are 

 often found in the hollow folded leaf, having the means 

 of disengaging themselves from it by a cylindrical pas- 

 sage penetrating to the helpless pupa, of which, when 

 these insects infest it, nothing remains but the shell, or 

 coriaceous coat. 



The evolution of the larvae, and the transformations 

 and death of the insect, or the appearance and disap- 

 pearance of the chenille, are certainly regulated or in- 

 fluenced by particular states of the atmosphere, and by 

 the phases or changes of the moon. The chenille, or 

 larva of the cotton moth, generally appears, in years fa- 

 vouring the fecundation of its ova, in July or August, a 

 few days before the new moon; increases during the 

 increase of the moon, and nearly about the full moon 

 begins to disappear, and soon after ceases altogether. 

 Happily for the planter, however, this happens only 

 every second or third year. But in years uncommonly 

 favourable, the chenille thus appears and disappears 

 every month from July to October, and afterwards 

 from the middle of January to the beginning of March. 

 How are these changes effected ? How should the ac- 

 tion of the moon's greater or less pressure influence the 

 propagation and destruction of this insect ? Is it be- 

 cause there may be a natural provision for the insect, 

 by the flux of vegetable juices, during the increase of 

 the moon ? Or finally, is it because there may be then 

 a peculiar temperature of the air more favourable to 

 the fecundation of the ova of the insect ? These propo- 

 sitions involve disquisitions of infinite latitude and ob- 

 scurity ; therefore, instead of attempting to institute a 

 theory capable of explaining these phenomena, it will 

 be more useful to state the circumstances which have- 

 nccurred during my residence in Demerary, at the pe- 

 riods of their appearance and disappearance, and leave^ 

 to the judicious reader their application. 



During the month of January 1801, the weather was 

 •;lear, dry, and pleasant, till the 23d, with a tempera- 



ture marked by 84* of the thermometer. The 23d and 

 24th were cloudy and rainy, with westerly and southerly 

 winds, and the thermometer sunk to 82°. The remain- 

 der of the month was pleasant, with strong breezes at 

 north-east and east, and thermometer 84°. The changes 

 of the moon were as follows: New moon 14th, 1st 

 quarter 21st; full moon 29th; rain 15.23. On the 

 28th, the chenille was perceived on several parts of the 

 coast. 



February began with rain and a low temperature ; 

 thermometer 80°. From 3d to 21st pleasant; wind ra- 

 ther boisterous, at north and north-east, and thermo- 

 meter generally 83°. The remainder of the month 

 chilly and extremely rainy, with variable winds, and 

 thermometer sometimes as low as 76°. New moon 12th, 

 first quarter 20th, full moon 28th. The chenille ap- 

 peared on Success plantation on the 19th, and toward* 

 the end of the month was most destructive. 



March was showery during nearly one half, the other 

 half dry. Thermometer from 80° to 86°. No chenille 

 appeared. 



In these months the appearance of the chenille seems 

 to have been regulated by the weather and the state of 

 vegetation consequent thereupon, as well as the changes 

 of the moon ; for it came on when rains had rendered 

 the cotton trees succulent, and when the moon was in 

 the increase. There seems to be something at the pe- 

 riod of spring when the chenille entirely disappeared ; 

 the month of March particularly inimical to the insect; 

 for I have never seen it later than February. 



The month of July, until the 9th, was pleasant, with 

 occasional showers. Wind north-east, and thermome- 

 ter 86° to 87°. The remainder was constantly rainy ; 

 it was also distinguished by a very extraordinary quan- 

 tity of lightning in the south-west, from which the 

 wind also blew. On the 15th thunder; thermometer 

 from 80° to 87°. New moon 10th, first quarter 18th, 

 full 25th. The chenille first perceived on the 15th, and 

 increased till the 24th, and entirely disappeared about 

 the 29th. 



No rain in August till the 18th, but a good deal of 

 thunder and lightning in the west on the 1 1th and 

 17th, wind north-east, and thermometer 86° to 88°. 

 The remainder of the month generally showery, and 

 once heavy rain on the 18th, but much thunder and 

 lightning, and thermometer varied from 78° to 88°. 

 The whole month was remarkable for coruscant light- 

 ning in the evenings, land winds and heavy dew at 

 night. New moon 9th, 1st quarter 17th; full moon 

 23d, last quarter 30th. Chenille appeared on the 9th, 

 and increased much towards 16th, and on 23d disap- 

 peared altogether. 



September was generally pleasant and dry, although 

 much thunder and lightning. Thermometer from 86° 

 to 88°, wind north-east. New moon 8th, 1st quainter 

 15th; full moon 22d, last quarter 29th. On the 3d, 

 the chenille began to appear, and by the 10th univer- 

 sal on the whole coast, from Demerary to Bubiu rivers, 

 and so destructive, that the cotton trees were bared en- 

 tirely of their leaves. On 1 5th chenille gone, and on 

 20th trees beginning to recover. 



On the 7th October, an eclipse, with a strong gale 

 west and soudi-west, some rain, and general haze. Al- 

 most all the rest of the month dry, and thermometer* 

 from 86° to 88°. But the whole of the month remark- 

 able for thick fog all night and morning, more especial- 

 ly from the 8th, the smell of which was particularly of- 

 fensive. The atmosphere charged with hydrogenous 

 gas and very oppressive. New moon 7th, first quarter 



Cottoa. 



