DISEASES OF THE COTTON PLANT. 
243 
less. This is generally attributed to the heavy drops of 
rain washing away the pollen, which should have impreg- 
nated the pistil ; the embryo seed-vessel, of course, never 
matures, but dries up and perishes. Bees, wasps, and in- 
sects in general, are Nature's agents in distributing the 
pollen, or fertilizing dust. As they fly from flower to 
flower, small particles of tbis dust adhere to some part of 
their bodies or limbs, with which they impregnate the next 
flower while in searcb of honey or more dust. 
Sometimes the pistil and stamens of a cotton bloom 
are found eaten in such a manner as to distort them. This 
injury is often caused by the very young boU-woi-m, which, 
penetrating the young flower bud by a hole through the 
outer calyx, where the egg was laid, after eating several of 
the enclosed stamens and anthers, and injuring one side of 
the pistil, bores into the embryo boll, before it is shed, I 
have reared several caterpillars found in such situations, 
and proved them to be the true boll-worm. Moreover, I 
have found the hatched shell of the egg on the outer calyx, 
and traced the caterpillar's track through the petals to the 
stamens, and finally to the boll itself. I will not, however, 
enlarge on this subject here, but refer to the article on 
" The BoU-worna," in a former part of this work 
THE ROT. 
The " rot " has been attributed to a variety of causes, 
such as changes in the atmosphere, defects in the soil, the 
attacks of insects, and to the growth of fungi Mr. Troup, 
in the " American Farmer," describes its appearance with 
great accuracy. He says : The first indication is seen in 
a small circular spot on the outside of the boll, exhibiting 
a darker green than the circumjacent parts ; as if a globule 
of water had been dropped upon it, and been absorbed. 
