17 



odor of the llower, aud the bitter exudation of the leaves seem to be strongly 

 repulsive to tbem if not poisonous. So important a fact deserves to be 

 demonstrated on a larger scale. It would cost but little to plant belts of 

 jute around tbe regular cotton plantations whicli bave beretofore been 

 invaded by these injurious insects." 



Dr. Landry, of New Orleans, after observing the iniiuence of jute growth 

 on insects writes : " I have seen on the 1st of October, a cotton field in full 

 foliage, flowers and bolls, without a single insect bite. That cotton was 

 surrounded by a jute growth. All the other cotton fields, far and around 

 were more or less devastated by worms. 



K this fact does not conclusively prove the protective influence of jute 

 over cotton it at least contains a great presumption in favor of the affirma- 

 tive, as the emanations of the jnte are injurious to insects." 



I might quote many other high authorities, but hope what has been said 

 will be sufficient to induce our planters to give jute a fair trial as a 

 preventive for the cotton catterpillar. 



DESTROYEES OF THE COTTON WORM. 



If the cotton moth pays a visit to the cotton field it is but for the de- 

 struction of the plant, and in a few days the results of the unwelcome call 

 will be exhibited in the shape of myriads of crawling, voracious worms, 

 before whose inroads green leaves and buds disappear, the hopes of the 

 planter fall prostrate, the laborer in utter helplessness folds his hands, 

 tradesmen stand idle, the manufacturer looks despondingly on his unused 

 spindles, and commerce in general feels depressed and listless. If the cotton 

 worm works, thousands stand idle; if it eats, tens of thousand want bread . 

 there is no computing its power to inflict misery ; there can be no correct 

 estimate made of the evils its devastations work ; nor can even the most 

 pains-taking statistician make more than an approximate valuation of the 

 millions of dollars worth consumed annually by this insatiate pest. Want 

 follows in its path ; hunger, despondency and gloom are its followers. 



The Agricultural Department at Washington, impressed with the mag- 

 nitude and importance of the success or failure of the cotton crop to the 

 country at large, after investigating the matter as thoroughly as their ex- 

 tensive opportunities permitted, came to the conclusion that the only 

 reliable information respecting the uses of poisons as cotton worm destroyers 

 must be given, " by the planters themselves, and their own experience can 

 best render practicable and efficient the means employed," addressed a 

 circular " on a subject, the importence of which will be generally acknowl- 

 edged, early in the fall, 1873, to the regular corps of department correspond- 

 ents in the cotton-growing States," containing these concluding remarks 

 and questions: 



" Numerous coriespondents have of late been experimenting with a 

 mixture of Paris green and flour or plaster, dusted on the plants when wet 



