21 



iiud 1 regret that press ^of business lias preveuted me from giving you au 

 earlier reply ; yet hope this may reach you in time to suit your ijurpose if 

 you should lind anything worth using in it. 



ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS. 



1st. I have been planting on my own account since 1866, was raised on 

 a cotton plantation and have closely observed its culture, growth, etc., since 

 early youth. 



2nd. The earliest time that I remember to have seen the worm destroy 

 the cotton crops was between 1846 and 1848, but I know they had frequently 

 done so before. 



3d. The conditions of the atmosphere has nothing to do with the pro- 

 duction of the worms directly, still the weather has indirectly a very decided 

 influence upon their progress in this way ; when the leaves of the cotton 

 plant become tough and sapless, in which condition the worms make but 

 slow progress in eating them; whereas in wet seasons the plant is juicy, 

 succulent and tender, and fields are swept away in a few hours. This then 

 in my opinion is the only bearing the weather has upon the questions, 

 that it increases or lessens the edibility of the plant. As to actual produc- 

 tion or generation of the worms I don't believe the atmosphere has any- 

 thing to do with it, except in so far as a very cold and protracted winter 

 may destroy the chrysalis deposited in the ground. 



4th. There are no signs which may be taken as forerunners of the worms, 

 except the appearance of the first crop of worms, which are very different 

 (in appearance) from those that eat up the crop. 



5th. The best preventive, in my opinion, would be deep winter ploughing. 



This is only hypothetical or rather theoretical. 



Your sixth question is answered in this my fifth answer, that is, the 

 chrysalis is deposited in the ground. 



7th. I have used arsenic with perfect success. There are many different 

 modes of application. Some dust it upon the cotton plants through seives, 

 having first mixed it with some cheap article, such as fine earth or clay^ 

 with the addition of some glutinous substance," such as flour, shorts, ship- 

 stuff, etc., etc. But to all these modes of application there are many 

 serious objections, which I suppose it is unnecessary to state here. 



I, with many others, apply the arsenic suspended (as it is insoluble) 

 in water and believe this to be the 8peediest,^cheapest and most efficacious 

 method of using it. 



8th. Have used Paris green in the same manner as the arsenic with as 

 good results, but prefer the latter on account of its cheapness. 



9th. I consider the application of Paris green, or arsenic, the most effi- 

 cacious means of destroying the worm. 



I have now answered all your questions as clearly and concisely as I 

 could well do in the short space allotted to me, and yet there are many 



