INSECT ENEMIES OF COTTON IN BRAZIL. 65 



owing to the increased cost of transportation, while along the coast 

 cane is supposed to be more profitable and better adapted to the climate 

 and soil. Distance inland, however, is not an insurmountable obstacle 

 in the way of cotton culture here, for some of the places most noted 

 for the amount and quality of cotton sent into the market are situated 

 on the northern confines of the province, or even in the province of 

 Parahyba, or in Ceara. It is no uncommon thing for cotton to be car- 

 ried 400 miles on horseback. In the northern part of the province 

 some of the principal cotton-yielding regions are about Brejo, and in 

 the province of Parahyba about Campina Grande and Independencia, 

 while to the westward Riauco, in Parahyba, is a good cotton-growing 

 district, as well as Pesqueira, Alagoa de Baixo, and Ingazeira in Per- 

 nambuco. 



Although I conversed with many intelligent persons in the city of 

 Pernambuco, several of them members of the Agricultural Society, upon 

 the subject, I was unable to find out certainly whether such a thing was 

 known as a caterpillar that devoured the leaves of the cotton plant. 

 Dr. Portella informed me that many years ago — perhaps forty — some 

 kind of a plague attacked the cotton so seriously that its cultivation 

 was very largely abandoned by the planters. He knew nothing, how- 

 ever, of the nature of this plague. The only evidence I could find of 

 the existence of such caterpillars in this part of the country was a verse 

 of a popular song, formerly sung by the poorer classes hereabout. My 

 attentiou was called to it by Snr. Jose de Vascoucellos, the editor of 

 the Jornal do Recife. Aside from this, the only insect I could learn of 

 as being injurious to cotton in any way was the locust, which, as I was 

 told, sometimes ate the leaves. 



After consulting with those most capable of advising me in such a 

 matter, I decided that Bonito, in the province of Pernambuco, would 

 be the best place for our work. The President of the Province and Dr. 

 Portella furnished us with all necessary letters of introduction to the 

 local authorities, and to such persons as would be able to aid us in the 

 vicinity of Bonito, and on the 4th day of January, ISS'X we left Per 

 nambuco for that place. We took the Silo Francisco railway as far as 

 Palmares, and there hired horses to carry us and our baggage to Bo- 

 nito, about a day's ride to the north. 



Remaining over night at Palmares, I met and conversed with some 

 of the engineers in charge of the extension of the Sao Francisco rail- 

 way. 



In making inquiries in regard to the prevailing winds, 1 learned that 

 a scries of meteorological observations had been lpade by the engineer 

 corps at this place, extending over a period of six years. 1 availed 

 myself of the opportunity to copy the record, and consider myself for- 

 tunate in having this, the only carefully made series of observations 

 that I am aware have been made so far from the coast in this part o\' 

 Brazil. They cover the six years from 1S77 to L882, inclusive. 

 8093— Bui. -I :> 



