ANSWERS TO CIRCULAR NO. 7. 
[75] 
does not look reasonable as compared with the observations as above stated; besides, 
they would then hatch out and reappear at every place where they existed the year 
previous; so I rather believe they are migratory, and come from tlie south annually. 
I am of the opinion that if planters would top their cotton, bay, three or four inches 
below the bud, about thetimethey see thetirstlly, much benefit would be had. First, the 
natural place for depositing the eggs would be removed; second, if any eggs had been 
deposited about the time of topping, the topped part would beoome dry in a few hours 
and the egg would perish : or, it hatched, the little baby worm could not feed on the 
dry, parched leaf, and would thus perish, If, however, he had strength to make his 
way to a neighboring stalk, he could not feed so young on the lower tough leaves, as 
he can only survive on the downy pari in the bud first, and then on the youngest and 
tenderest leaves. Thus he acquires size and strength in a few days to feed on older 
leaves. 
It is natural that they do not deposit the egg anywhere on logs, trees, or woody 
substances, or even on grown tough leaves, where the diminutive baby worm cannot 
feed, thrive, and live: so the last or third crop, if deposited on these sul»stanees, would 
soon become extinct. Therefore they are migratory and come from the south. 
Then, as a remedy, I would suggest, first, to work and cultivate fast, get a good 
growth as early as possible, but, laigc or small, top the cotton as soon as you see the 
tirst lly ; second, I would urge, as an additional remedy, to put up poles with martin* 
boxes on the top, and cultivate and raise our black -mart in bird. It is a South American 
bird, innocent and harmless to all vegetat ion. Theyariive here in May, raise their 
young, and migrate the 1st ot September. They are a tine, greedy 1 QSeol -sca\ enger, 
and increase rapidly. Again, they are by nature adapted to the work, because the 
caterpillar-fly works from about o'clock p. m. till dark each day, and while all other 
birds retire to roost early, the black martin feeds till dark. In fact, this mode of fur- 
nishing artificial homes tor birds would invite many ol our native birds to occupy these 
homes, and particularly our bluebirds, which are also tine Insect-desi rovers. T bus. by 
largely increasing our birds which teed on these LnaeotS, we would be well fortified 
against the boll-worm lly, which much resembles the caterpillar-lly, both of w hich 
appear about the same time, lir.^t in small force, and increase v» ry rapidly. 
If birds could be distributed over the fields in these artificial homes, they would 
effectually destroy them on their tirst arrival, when so few in number. You are 
aware that in the early history of the Southern States, where the farms were small 
and few in number, then the forests were vocal with the song of birds. As the holds 
increased in size the forest decreased; and since our late w ar the freedmen all, young 
and old, used every means to procure guns for the purpose of killing game, and no 
bird, however small and innocent, is allowed to escape their deadly aim. Nor will 
I stop in condemning the negroes for this unw ise practice, but the same hohls true of 
our idle young white men, many of whom indulge in the pi act ice as mere sport . Our 
forest songsters a re now seldom to be seen, tin ir songs are hushed, and the moan ing noise 
of the wind in the tree-top is undisturbed by the note of the bird. Laws should be 
passed by all the States to put a stop to this unwise practice. 
Yours, trulv, 
JNO. M . WOLKOM. 
C« V. Kile y, CMrf U, ft E, C. 
Hempstead. Waller Coixty. Texas. 
I herewith send replies given by different farmers m this county in answer to the 
question asked on the tirst page, and you will see that there is a variety of ideas as 
to the manner of hibernation. 
The questions in Circular No. 7 having been carefully answered, to your first cir- 
cular, I do not think 1 can add any more information, save perhaps to reiterate mv 
firmer belief in what I had stated, to wit: 
That the worm has four changes: from chrysalis to moth; moth to egg; egg to 
worm; worm to chrysalis. 
That the moth is short-lived, from five to seven days; is not an eater; always an 
egg-layer; remarkably timid; a strong light readily attracts them; they perform 
their mission and then die. 
That the egg hatches in from about five to seven days; is deposited on the under- 
side of cotton leaf in regular layers. 
That the worms as they hatch proceed at once to do their mission, and take from 
seven to nine days to perfect themselves, when they begin to spin their web. In 
about thirty-six hours the chrysalis — the hibernator — is ready for its long or short 
sleep, according to the protection or exposure, the heat or cold, surrounding it. It is 
the seed, that chance may throw on stony ground and it will perish, or it may fall in 
some sheltered spot and there be preserved through any winter. The cause of SO few- 
appearing in spring may, and I think does, result from the fact that so few chrysalids 
fall into nooks or places suitable to protect them through the winter, and are de- 
stroyed by winter's cold or their own decay. 
