PROTECTION OF THE NATURAL ENEMIES OF ALETIA. 123 
tbe opportunity of seeing jute planted side by side with cotton. He 
writes in bis report as follows : 
In my investigation this season I had the opportunity of seeing the jute grow- 
ing in the midst of cotton. It had been planted iu May, and when I saw it, late 
in August, had attained the height of 8 to 10 feet, and was luxuriant. The row, 
about 200 feet long, was surrounded by cotton, the row of the jute running parallel 
with the rows of cotton, and the worms were abundant on the cotton in the midst 
of the jute, and touching their leaves. Its eftect was nihil. 
In the fall of 1881, in the experimental grounds of the cotton exposi- 
tion at Atlanta. Ga., we had an excellent opportunity of observing the 
effort of jute which was planted in the midst of cotton. Not only was 
the cotton adjacent to the jute utterly defoliated by the worms, but 
they had spun up in great numbers on the jute leaves. 
Other plants which air believed to have similar protective influence 
are hemp (Cannabis satira),t\w China tree (Melia aztdarach), the Dill 
(Ancthuin gra/060le*$\ and lately the Pyrethrum plants, not to mention 
others which are known only under local popular names, and which we 
have been unable to identity. While we do not doubt that the plants 
just mentioned are generally free from insect injury, it is safe to say 
that none of them have any protective influence whatever over other 
plants in their neighborhood, and none whatever on the appearance or 
non-appearance of the Cotton Worm. Reports of success are illusory, 
the non-appearance of the worms being due to other causes. 
Protection of Natural Enemies. — Hardly less important than 
early planting is the protection Of those natural enemies of the Cotton 
Worm that permit of it. In the present state of our knowledge no 
practicable method presents itself that will enable the planter to pro- 
tect or propagate, or in any other way encourage, on a large scale, the 
most effective of these enemies, viz., the parasites of Aletia; but much 
good can be accomplished by the protection of many other enemies, and 
foremost among them of the birds. The shooting and trapping of all 
smaller birds, which is so industriously practiced at the present time by 
the freedmen throughout the cotton States, as well as the collecting 
aud destroying of birds' nests and eggs, should be prohibited, while the 
killing of hawks and other birds of prey should be encouraged. Tame 
fowls, such as chickens, turkeys, and guinea-hens, have proved valu- 
able in protecting small fields near the house, and would accomplish 
much good if brought up near those spots where the first worms occur. 
Lizards, frogs, and toads, which are familiar objects to every one, 
and a great many of the insect enemies of Aletia, e. Ground-beetles, 
Soldier-beetles, Lady-birds and Soldier-bugs, which by their size or col- 
oration are conspicuous enough to be recognized by the planter from the 
figures given in the chapter on Natural Enemies, should never be wan- 
tonly destroyed. The leaving of an occasional stump in the field is, we 
believe, advisable, because the nests of ants in the ground are less lia- 
ble to be washed away and destroyed by rains in fields where trees and 
stumps occur. 
