CHRONOLOGICAL ACCOUNT OF COTTON WORM INJURY. 25 
In Texas the coast counties were overrun, but the inland counties, 
with here and there a marked exception (Walker lost 50 per cent, of 
the crop), escaped without particular damage. 
It was at the close of this year that the theory of periodical recur- 
rence of the worms in destructive numbers every twenty-one years be- 
gan to be mentioned in the newspapers. Some person, noticing that 
the years of great disaster, 1804, 1839, and 1846, were separated by 
periods of twenty-one years, formulated the theory that these periods 
were constant, and that in 1887 another similar invasion was to be ex- 
pected. The confidence with which this idea was universally regarded 
warrants its mention here. 
In 1847 the months of June and July augured an exceedingly bad 
worm year, for the caterpillars appeared very early in considerable 
foree and were widespread. The season, however, proved unfavorable 
to their gre a t increase, since it was remarkable for periods of great heat 
and drought, interrupted by an occasional severe storm, and compara- 
tively little damage was done by the caterpillars, although the crop 
sutlered from the other caOSei mentioned. 
From this period to 18G0 there was, as far as we can ascertain, not a 
single general caterpillar year. The worms were every year to be found, 
and occasionally did some severe local damage. Thus in 1840, 1861, 
and 1862 the crops of northers Florida were injured quite seriously; 
1852, 1854, and 1880 were quite marked in the canebrake region. In 
1853, 18G0, and 1864 the worms were more than usually injurious in 
Mississippi and Louisiana. In 1850 they made their first recorded ap- 
pearance in Tennessee. 1801 and 18G5 were marked by the appear- 
ance of the worms in North Carolina. The visitation in both of these 
years seems to have been severer than in any year since 1S47, though it 
is difficult to compare them on account of the comparatively small 
amount of cotton grown during the war. 
From 1806 up to the present date the worms have been widespread 
every year. It is a common thing to hear planters say, "The worm never 
used to be as destructive as this before the war"; and indeed the 
records seem to bear out the assertion. We may look for the reason, 
without doubt, in the general looseness and carelessness of the system 
of cultivation since, as compared with the clean and thorough methods 
before the war. 
A large crop in 1800 was a necessity. Cotton had risen greatly in 
value, and as a consequence of this and of the liberation of the planters 
from martial occupation the acreage was largely increased over the 
preceding live years. Unfortunately, however, it proved a bad worm 
year. The losses maybe averaged about as follows: Louisiana, Texas, 
and Alabama about 4l) per cent.; Mississippi, 30 per cent.; Georgia, 
Florida, and South Carolina much less. The hopes and fears for the 
result of this crop and the disastrous effects of the advent of the worms 
are well told by Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe in an article entitled "Our 
