46 



the worms about four weeks and had I applied the second time, which was 

 prevented by sickness, I feel confident I could have saved the crop, yet I 

 will say the worms applied themselves more vigorously in 1877 than any 

 year since 1867, which you will observe, has been an era of just ten years, 

 now whether we are to be exempt for another ten years, time alone can 

 tell. 



Lastly, I will say that anything like Paris-green and Arsenic that can be 

 put on the cotton without destroying it, and can be retained on the leaf, 

 will kill the worms, yet many of the remedies used are also destructive to 

 stock, and may be injurious to persons in ginning, &o. 



I am, very respectfully, 



JAMES E. HADEN. 



Galveston, March 18t1i, 1878. 



Mr. Cuimis Waldo, No. 46 Camp Street, N. 0. : 



Dear Sir,— Your communication as to the cultivation of cotton and 

 practical experience in destroying the cotton worm is before me. My first 

 recollection of the cotton caterpillar was I think in 1844 or 1846 when I 

 saw them destroying the crops in September on Ashley river, some twelve 

 miles from Charleston, S. C, and on the Sea Islands contiguous ; in fact 

 that year they were pretty much over all the low country — from then 

 until October, 1859, when I moved to Brazoria Co., Texas, I heard or saw 

 nothing of them, I saw a few there on the Moner Plantation, some 9 

 miles from Columbia, but they were few, not sufficient to attract attention. 

 In the latter part of September, 1861, they were in countless numbers, 

 I have never seen them in greater numbers since — there was not a green 

 leaf in the county : however the crop was already made and no injury 

 sustained by the planter. I think it was not until 186.5 that they appeared 

 again, and destroyed the crops entirely ; in July, it may have been in 1864, 

 but having misplaced a memorandum book cannot be certain. Since then 

 we have had the worm more or less every season to the partial or entire 

 destruction of the crops. 



In reply to your questions : 



I have been planting cotton for 20 years. I first saw the cotton 

 caterpillar in 1844 or 1846. A moist atmosphere is congenial and conducive 

 to the worm, and they prevail to the greatest extent in wet seasons causing 

 the plant to be tender and luxuriant. My experience is that with a wet 

 May and June the worm is certain. The gum is left in the ground and 

 fence corners, (in the " cocoon") which hatch out in spring and propogate 

 rapidly, as the season may be favorable or otherwise. I have often thought 

 of the cause of their increase and yearly visitation since the war and at^ 



