CHAPTER III. 
PAST HISTORY OF THE COTTON WORM IN THE UNITED 
STATES. 
CHRONOLOGICAL ACCOUNT OF APPEARANCES AND OF YEARS OF 
MARKED PREVALENCE. 
We have been Unable to find any record of the appearance of the 
Cotton Worm in the United Stattfl prior to the oft-quoted statement of 
Spalding's, 9 that in 1793 "the destruction was complete. In Major 
Battel's field of 400 acres but 18 bags were made." From this time 
till 1800 no mention has been made of the worm ; but in that year the 
crops in South Carolina and Georgia Buffered severely. Dr. Capers,t 
and also Dr. Phares,| give 1800 as the lirst appearanee of the worm in 
South Carolina ; but there is a published statement of Mr. J. W. Grace § 
to the effect that the Georgia invasion of 1703 extended to that State. 
1804 was a marked year, and ire always find it referred to in the older 
papers on the worm. In this ye ir the Gulf States sullered for the lirst 
time. Louisiana, which grew more cotton than any other State, suf- 
fered severely. The crops on many plantations were entirely destroyed ; 
but the caterpillars were finally killed by an unusual snow-storm. 
From this time to 1814 we have found no definite record of the cater- 
pillar, but 1814 was again a year of serious loss in Louisiana, although 
it does not Appear to have been marked upon the Atlantic coast. In 
this year the rather remarkable instance is seen of the almost total de- 
struction of the GTOp as early as June. || 
1825 was again a year of general loss from the worms. The destruc- 
tion was likened to that of 1801, and was universal throughout the whole 
cotton belt. Concerning this year we may quote from Dr. Phares: 
In 1886 ihe destruction wan generr.l in extent, embracing all the Cotton States; the 
late Mr. Affleck ill oxiA of his pspera aaatlng that the devtruoiion was "universal and 
complete." I must here be permitted to say 1 hat it was not " complete," as I most 
distinctly remember and know I saw fields in which many bolls were fully matured 
ami gathered before the chenilles injured the plant, aud considerable quantities of 
vt tv superior cotton wen* made. This was the lirst year that I saw t ho chenilles, and 
circumstances so impressed me that my recollections of their appearance are more 
vivid than of any time since. 
•See Farmer's &. Planter's Cyclopedia, London, 1843: Article, Cotton. 
1 Southern AnricultvrUU 1828, p. *J03 (Vol. I). 
X Rural Carolinian, August, 1870. 
§Keport up-m Cotton Insects, 1379, Department of Agriculture, p. 387. 
|| See DcBow'h Review, 1847, p. 251 (P.Winfree), and Dr. Phares in Rural Carolinian, August, 1870. 
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