©
SS GO?
C?GvS
Cornell University Library
SB 608.C8G5
Insects. Insects frequenting the cotton-p
3 1924 018 329 189
x - , -
The date shows when this volume was taken.
Aua 1 ? fit*
All books not in us e
for instruction or re-
search are limited to
all borrowers.
Volumes of periodi-
cals and of pamphlets
comprise so many sub-
jects, that they are held
in the library as much
as possible. For spe-
cial purposes they are
given out for a limited
time.
Graduates and sen-
iors are allowed five
volumes for twoweeks.
Other students may
have two vols. from the
circulating library for
two weeks.
Books not needed
during recess periods
should be returned to
the library, or arrange-
ments made for their ■
return, during borrow-
er’s absence, if wanted.
Books needed by
more than one person
are held on the reserve
list.
Books of special
value ind gift books,
when the giver wishes
it, are not allowed to
circulate.
%5Z
S6(=0§
C 9" G\ ^
o
34th Congress, ) HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, f Ex. Doc.
lsi Session. \ \ No. 1-2.
REPORT
OP THE
COMMISSIONER OE PATENTS
FOR TITE YEAR 1855
AGRICULTURE.
WASHINGTON:
CORNELIUS WENDELL, PRINTER.
1856.
p>
S6 (, o 8
^ o O
DOMESTIC ANIMALS.
63
Statement of D. Minis , of Beaver Plain, Beaver county, Pennsylvania.
Hogs are not mufch raised with us beyond the Wants of the county,
nof being considered so profitable as other kinds of stock. The “ China’ ’
breed is the most, prevalent, though some keep the “Russian,” the
latter of which aye not much esteemed on account of the cost of bring-
ing them to maturity.
Pork is worth from 5 to 8 cents a pound ; lard from 9 to 12J
cents.
Statement of Albert Hoopes, of West Chester, Chester county, Penn-
sylvania.
\J > /
Hogs are raised here for home consumption, and a few for market.
Several of the/ imported breeds have been tried, but all have given
way to an ‘ 1 Improved Chester county” jiog. Swine are generally kepi
in pastures during the summer, beiijg allowed the slops from the
kitchen, and (the refuse milk from the dairy. When fattened with
whole corn between the ages of six and eighteen months, they will
gain about a pound a day.
The price of pork is from 9 to 10 cents a pound.
Statement of James E. Kendall, of Poplar Grove, Kanawha county
Virginia.
Hogs are regarded as indispensable stock in this county. Tlmy
grow large, and do well on acorns and beech mast. The only at-
tention required is to keep them tame. A cross of the Berkshire
and China breeds suits us beat.
POULTRY AND EGGS.
CONDENSED CORRESPONDENCE.
Statement of George P. Norris, of Newcastle, Newcastle county,
Delaioaie.
I have dtjvoted much time to the poultry department of the farm ;
and, though present the great mania for large fowls appears to
have subsided, it cannot be said that our people have not been bene-
fited in Having their attention called to the improvement of the
various breeds.
The “ Large Shanghai ” fowls generally introduced throughout
Lie country, are by no means the most, profitable. They are regular,
but not extraordinary layers, and grow very rapidly, but. are enor-
mous eaters. The principal benefit, to be derived from them will be
the cross obtained between them and the smaller breeds.
Of all the fancy fowls, I prefer either the “Black Spanish,” or the
“ Polands. ” The former are handsome, of moderate size, hardy,
64
AGRICULTURAL REPORT.
easily kept, and great layers, in consequence of which they have
obtained the name of “ everlasting layers.”
The Poland fowls resemble tlm .Spanish in everything except
appearance. They are jet black; vdth a characteristic white top-
knot, and are by many considered tile handsomest variety known.
Having had sotne experience with each breed/1 can unhesitatingly
recommend them, as they are well adapted to J/he wants of the farmers
of the Middle States.
I should have mentioned, however, that none of the breeds noticed
above are gdod sitters ; therefore, a few hens of other breeds should
be kept for the purpose of hatching the eggs of these, and rearing the
young.
INSECTS.
INSECTS FREQUENTING THE COTTON-PLANT.
BY TOWNEND GLOVER.
The cotton-plant, furnishes food for numerous insects, 6ome of which
feed exclusively upon the leaf, some upon the flower, while others
destroy the young buds and bolls. It is my purpose to describe these
insects, not in the order of their classification by natural families, but.
according to the part of the plant they most generally frequent, or
to which their ravages are chiefly confined. Thus, by referring to
the parts injured, one can easily recognise the insects, or their lai vm,
which attack them in any of the stages of their existence.
Many of these insects at first appear in small numbers, and only
become formidable in the second or third generation , for instance, if
a female boll-worm produce 500 moths, one-half of which are males
and the other half females, the next generation, if the increase be in
the same ratio, will amount to 125,000 cattcrpillars or moths , and
all this is accomplished in the space of a few weeks. It will there-
fore be perceived that their destruction depends upon prompt and
timely action ; and planters may materially aid in carrying out a
work designed for their mutual benefit, by minutely observing the
habits and characteristics of these pests of our fields, devising means
for their destruction, and communicating the results of their ob-
servations and experiments, through some appropriate channels, to
the public. .
Insects injurious to the cotton-plant consist of those very destruc-
tive to the general crops, such as the boll-worm, cotton caterpillar,
and some others ; and those which do comparatively little injury,
their numbers thus far not being sufficiently great to cause much
damage, such as the leaf-rolling caterpillar (tortrix) and several
i
INSECTS.
65
insects hereafter mentioned. There are still others, which do not
materially injure the crop itself, such as the span-worm, and others
which only feed upon the petals or pollen of the flowers. There are
also many insects found in the cotton-fields which do no damage
whatever to the plant, but merely feed upon weeds and grass grow-
ing between the rows, such as the caterpillar of the Argynnis colum-
bina, which feeds upon the passion-vine, and that of the Zanthidia
niceppe, which sometimes devours the Maryland cassia, and produces
the beautiful orange-colored butterflies, seen in vast numbers hover-
ing over moist or wet places on the plantations.
A class of insects which is highly beneficial, comprehends the larvae
of the lady-bird, the ichneumon flics, and many others, that are ever
on the search for living victims amongst the noxious tribes, and
which serve to keep the numbers of the latter within proper bounds.
Thus, it is highly necessary to be able to recognise the injurious
from the comparatively innoxious as well as the useful insects, and I
have therefore thought proper to describe and figure most of those
which infest the cotton-fields, as many of them feed upon or injure
the plants in one state or another ; and, although they may do but
little injury at first, yet, were they to multiply as fast as some others,
they would eventually become as great a nuisance as the boll-worm is
at present. According to a communication from Colonel Whitner, of
Tallahassee, in Florida, the latter insect was scarcely known in that
region before the year 1841 ; but it has since increased to such an ex-
tent as to cause an immense yearly loss to the planters.
Several methods of destroying insects on plantations and elsewhere
have been recommended, one of which is the use of fire or burning
torches. The innumerable myriads of nocturnal moths, being
attracted by the lights, burn their wings as they hover around, and
are either destroyed at once, or disabled from flying about to deposit
their eggs in distant parts of the field. A species of lantern has been
used for entrapping such as are attracted by light, and with some
success. It is formed of a top, bottom, and back, made of wood, with
a glass front and sides, a little more than a foot square, according to
the size of the glasses used. The front is supported by a pillar at
each corner \ on the inside of the back of the lantern is fastened a tin
or glass reflector. The three glazed sides consist of two panes, slid-
ing in grooves, made in the top and bottom boards, and meeting in
the middle at an angle of about 1‘20°, instead of one pane, as in com-
mon lanterns. These panes can be slipped in and out, so as to leave
a space open between them, larger or smaller as may be desired. A
lamp is placed in the centre of the bottom, protected from insects and
wind by a common glass chimney, which protrudes through a hole in
,the top. All the bottom of the box inside of the glass having been
previously cut away, excepting a circular place on which to put the
lamp, it is then deposited on a vessel or barrel covered with cloth,
having an aperture cut in it corresponding with the bottom of the
box, and the vessel beneath, containing molasses, or some other ad-
hesive substance. The insects which may be flying about will be
immediately attracted by the light, and approach the angle of the
panes until they shall have entered the aperture, when, once within,
6
AGRICULTURAL REPORT.
66
and not being able to fly out again, they will come in contact with
the heated glass chimney, and thus be precipitated into the vessel
beneath, in which they will perish.
Another plan, which it is hoped may, upon experiment, be found
applicable to the enemies of the cotton-plant, has lately been reported
as having proved efficient as a means of destroying the tobacco-worm,
in h lorida. This worm is the larva of a large moth commonly known
by the name of the “tobacco-fly,” ( Spliynx Carolina,) which is in
the habit of feeding upon the nectar, or honey, contained in flowers,
over which it may often be seen in the evening, poised in the air in a
manner similar to that of the humming bird, making a buzzing noise
with its wings, and busily employed in extracting the sweets by means
of its long trunk.
As it had been previously observed that these moths are particu-
larly fond of the Jamestown weed, ( Datura stramonium ,) a plan
adopted in Florida as an effectual means of destroying them, and
which it is said has succeeded to a considerable extent, has been com-
municated to this Office by Mr. Jesse Wood, of Mount Pleasant, in
that State, who says: —
“About five years ago, Mr. Igdaliah Wood, of this vicinity, en-
deavored to poison the fly that produces the horn-worm, by applying
a preparation of cobalt and sweetened water to the flower of the
tobacco-plant. He found some difficulty in consequence of the cup
of this flower not being in a favorable position to retain the poison.
Mr. George Sunday next tried the bloom of the gourd-vine with bet-
ter success. Mr. E. Johnson afterwards used the Jamestown weed,
which answered the expectation of the most sanguine. The prepara-
tion consists of about a pint of water, a gill of molasses or honey, and
an ounce of cobalt. After inserting a quill through the cork of the
bottle, he let fall a few drops of this mixture into the cup of the flower
about sunset. As this poison will soon kill the stalk of the James-
town weed, the best plan is to break off the blossoms, make a hole in
the ground, and place them in it. It is thought that the flies find
them quicker than when left upon the stalks. It is certain to destroy
the moths, although they frequently live until ten o’clock the next
day, notwithstanding they are disabled from flying or depositing their
eggs soon after taking the poison.
“I consider this discovery of immense value to tobacco planters,
and, if it or any similar method should lead to the destruction of the
cotton caterpillar and boll-worm, which is highly probable would be
the case, it will be of incalculable benefit.”
From this statement, it will be seen that, if such a plan is really
of utility when applied to the cotton-fly, there can be no reason why
it should not answer also in regions where honey-bees are not kept,
for all such insects as are attracted by sweet substances ; and it is to
be hoped that experiments will be made the ensuing season, and re-
ported for the public good. The thing to be chiefly desired now is.
to find out the favorite food of the particular kind of insect to be
destroyed ; then to discover and use some efficient poison for the
accomplishment of the purpose. If, however, birds should perish
INSECTS.
67
from feeding upon these poisoned insects, it will somewhat militate
against the advantages of the plan. # ,
Several experiments were made in Florida by the writer, on the
utility of using arsenic, cohalt, and strychnine, as means of destroying
insects, some few of which succeeded, while many failed. In severa
instances, the insects would not touch the mixture at all.
Honey or sugar and rum, when rubbed on the bark of trees, will
attract and intoxicate several species of insects, and might sometimes
be advantageously used. Many planters nithebouthern States re-
commend the berries of the “China-tree, or Pride ot China, (Melta
azederach,) to be put around cabbage-plants, in order to prevent the
attack of the cut-worm ; and, as it is already known that these benies
have an intoxicating effect upon the robins which eat so freely of
them, they may have the same narcotic properties when applied to
insects It is at least worth while to make the experiment. Whale-
oil soap, mixed with water, in proper proportions thrown upon plants
infested with plant-lice (aphides) is almost certain to destroy them.
Flour of sulphur is stated to be useful when applied to grape-vines,
or any other plants which are infested with the red spider or are
attacked by a fungoid growth. A mixture of a gallon of water a
gallon of whiskey or other spirit, and four ounces ot aloes, was highly
recommended in Florida as a certain remedy against the attacks ot
the orange scale insects ; but, with some who have tried it, although
all the insects appeared to be destroyed, in a few weeks they
reappeared, showing that the wash would have to be continually
repeated until all the eggs under the scales had hatched and t o
younger broods were killed. Perhaps the same mixture might be
successfully used for several other kinds of insects.
But, while so many artificial modes are recommended to accomplish
the destruction of insects, planters are very apt to overlook the great
daily benefits derived from other agents which have been kindly pro-
vided by Nature to check their undue increase. These agents are the
birds, which constantly destroy them in any of their varied forms,
larva pupa or perfect insect. Mocking-birds and bee-martins catch
and destroy the boll-worm moth, and many others, even on the wing
when the latter first appear upon the plantations, and thus materially
diminish their numbers. If the fields are ploughed in the fall many
insects and chrysalides, which would otherwise come out m safety in
the spring, are turned to the top of the furrow-slice, and either fall a
prey to the ever-busy birds, or perish from exposure to the wintry
fr °The nimble and graceful lizards of the South also act beneficially
to the planter, as they are constantly on the alert, and catching every
insect that chances to alight in tlieir way. loads, also, do much
loot as they wander principally during the morning and evening
hours, as well as in cloudy weather, and entrap insects by means ot
their viscid tongues. Such benefactors as these should be preserved,
and not injured or killed as they often are. One pair ot wrens c
blue-birds in a Northern garden, or of mocking-buds, on a Southern
Station will accomplish more in uestroying insects injurious to
vegetation' than can bl imagined h, one who has not studied their
68
AGRICULTURAL REPORT.
habits, or watched them with attention, when busily engaged in
searching under every leaf, or in every fissure of the bark, for their
insect prey.
INSECTS FOUND UPON THE STALK.
I
THE CUT-WORM.
<
I have not been able this year (1855) to procure specimens of the
worms which cut off the young plants early in the season, (PI.
VI., fig. 1,) as I arrived in the region of cotton-fields after their
ravages had ceased; but, from the authority of able and scientific
planters, I am induced to believe that they are very similar in habits
and appearance to many of the cut-worms of the gardens, which
penetrate the earth close to a plant, and at night emerge from
their retreats to gnaw it off at or near the ground.
A gentleman in Florida, who had been troubled with this pest, in-
formed me that a particular spot of four or five acres in his field had
been literally thronging with cut-worms, so that most of the plants
were either eaten off or destroyed, and that, finally, fearing the loss
of his whole crop, he turned into the enclosure some twenty or thirty
young pigs, which soon discovered the worms, rooted them up in
great numbers, and fattened on the unaccustomed diet. The cotton
was not injured, as the pigs were too young to root deep enough to
destroy the plants. The pigs remained where the tvorms were to be
found, never troubling any other portions of the field, and their strong
E owers of scent enabled them to detect their insect prey even when
uried in the earth.
Should the moths of this cut-worm be like those of their congeners of
the North, and attracted by light, it might be well to use a lantern
like that already described, or to ascertain the favorite substance upon
which they feed, and poison them, as suggested in the case of the to-
bacco-fly.
INSECTS FOUND ON THE LEAF
THE COTTON-LOUSE.
(Aphis ?) <
When the cotton-plant is very young and tender, it is particularly
subject to the attacks of the cotton-louse, (PI. VI. fig. 2,) which,
by means of its piercer, penetrates the outer coating, or parenchyma
of the leaf or tender shoots, and sucks the sap from the wound. Hie
under part of the leaves or young shoots are the places mostly selected,
and the constant punctures and consequent drainage of sap enfeebles
INSECTS.
69
the plant and causes the leaf to curl up, turn yellew, and subsequently
fall to the ground. The young lice are extremely minute, and of a
greenish color ; but when they become older, they are about a tenth
of an inch in length, and often dark green ; but, in some instances
they are almost black. It is conjectured that the color somewhat
depends upon the health of the plant as well as that of the insect, 01
perhaps, upon their food, as I have seen green and black lice promis-
cuously feeding upon the same plant. The female produces her young
alive throughout the summer, when she may often be seen surrounded
by her numerous progeny, sucking the juice from the leaves and still
producing young. Some naturalists state that the females, late in the
fall, produce eggs for the generation of the next spring. If so, it is
in order to preserve the species, as the insects themselves are easily
killed by frost and cold ; and their increase would be incalculable
were it not that Nature has provided many enemies among the insect
tribes to prevent their too rapid multiplication. Both males and
females are said to possess wings at certain seasons ; but the females
and young in summer appear to be wingless. The end of the abdo-
men of both sexes is provided with two slender tubes, rising like horns
from the back, from which often exudes the “honey-dew,” or sweet
gummy substance, seen sticking to the upper sides of the leaves be-
neath them, and which forms the favorite food of myriads of ants.
Although young plants are mostly attacked, yet I have seen old
“stands” in Georgia, with their young shoots, completely covered
with this pest as late as November.
The principal insects that destroy the aphides are the lady-bird, the
lace-fly and the syrphus, all of which wage incessant war upon them,
and devour all they can find. Another fly, the ichneumon, likewise
lays an egg in the body of the louse, which, hatching into a grub,
devours the inside of the still living insect until it eventually dies,
clinging to the leaf even in death, and the fly makes its appearance
from the old skin of the aphis.
When old cotton-plants are suffering from the attacks of the louse,
many planters cause their tops to be cut off and burned, and by so
doing partially succeed in destroying them ; yet, when we consider
that”by this method, many young blossoms and “forms” must like-
wise’ be destroyed, it must be confessed that the remedy is almost as
bad as the disease. In a garden or green-house, a solution of whale-
oil soap, from a syringe, showered upon the upper and under parts of
the foliage, has been used with much advantage ; yet, upon the ex-
tended scale of a cotton plantation, such a remedy is altogether im-
practicable, and, until we can collect further information upon this
'ubject from intelligent planters, we must rest content with the in-
ti net of our insect allies.
i
GRASSHOPPERS.
( Locusta ?)
Grasshoppers, or, more properly speaking, “ locusts,” occasionally
do much damage to young cotton-plants, as they not only feed upon
70
AO R1CULTUKAI. It BPOKT .
the tender leaves ; but have been caught in the very act of devouring
the petals of the flowers in the fields of Georgia, as late as the month
of November ; but, as at this time the grass on which they usually feed
abounds between the rows, the damage done by them to the general
crop is but slight.
Several species of grasshoppers, or locusts, infest old cotton and
grass-fields, some of them being of large size and possessing great
powers of flight. (PI. VI. fig. 3.) It may, however, be observed,
that the true locust is not the insect generally known by that name
in the United States, which is in reality a harvest-fly, (cicada,)
usually inhabiting trees, where it makes an incessant buzzing noise
which may be heard at a great distance during the summer and
autumnal evenings. The shape of the harvest-fly is much clumsier
and broader than that of the real locust, and the under wings are not
folded up like a fan, under a wing-case, but transparent, stiff", and
veined.
The real locust is similar to the grasshopper in shape, but the body
is more robust, the antennae shorter, and its flight much longer and
more vigorous. Its under-wings, also, when at rest, are folded up in
fan-like plaits under the outer wing-covers. Grasshoppers and locusts
are produced from eggs as perfect insects, with legs and antennae.
They are able to run about and leap with great agility, but are en-
tirely destitute of the rudiments of wings, except in the pupa state.
It is only the perfect insects which are able to perpetuate their kind.
They are generally furnished with ample wings which enable them
to fly from field to field. Grasshoppers and locusts do much harm,
when very numerous, to grass and vegetables, and even to fruit-trees,
as well as to cotton. Turkeys, ducks, and other fowls feed upon them
with great avidity, and are very useful in diminishing their numbers.
In some of the Northern States, they have been destroyed by means
of sheets spread upon poles, so as to sweep them into a bag fastened
behind, which is drawn over the fields infested by them ; they are
then killed by means of boiling water or fire.
THE LEAF-HOPPER.
( Tettigoma ?)
The leaves of the cotton-plant are often injured by the leaf-hopper.
(PI. VI. fig. 4.) This small insect is found upon the plant in the
larva, pupa and perfect state. In all these forms, it sucks the sap
from the leaf, causing small diseased and whitish-looking spots, much
disfiguring the foliage, and injuring the plant itself, when the insects
are very numerous. They are also found in great numbers on grape-
vines, in Florida, and injure the foliage to a considerable degree.
The perfect insects are very small, measuring only from one-tenth
to three-twentieths of an inch in length. The head is somewhat cres-
cent-shaped, of a green color, with two red spots on the upper surface.
The thorax is also green, with two crescent-shaped spots of red on
each side of a small red spot in the centre. The wing-cases are green,
with two stripes or bands of red, running parallel down each wing-
INSECTS.
71
case, from the thorax to the upper margin, where they form an acute
angle. The legs are yellowish-green, the hinder pair being much
longer than the others, and furnished with bristles on the tibia. In
the larva state, they are able to leap with great agility ; but it is only
in the perfect state that they are able to fly, the under-wings being
hidden by the wing-cases, and not perfectly developed in the larvaj or
pup*. There are several species of these insects found upon cotton,
which it will not be necessary here to describe, as their natural his-
tory and habits are nearly the same.
In using the lantern already described, it was found that thousands
of these small insects were attracted from some grape-vines in an ad-
joining field. The use of fires or lights may therefore be recom-
mended to destroy them, when they become very numerous, although,
as regards the cotton, they are not often found on it in numbers suf-
ficient to do much harm.
THE COTTON CATERPILLAR
(Noctua zylina.)
The leaves of the plant are sometimes entirely devoured by what is
commonly known to planters as the “cotton caterpillar,” or “cotton
army-worm.” (PI. VI. fig. 5.) It does not appear every year in
immense numbers, but at uncertain intervals. This season, (1855,)
it first made its appearance in the vicinity of Tallahassee about
the month of August, on the plantation of Mr. Hunter, and then
spread gradually through the rest of the plantations in that re-
gion. In October, it had already committed considerable ravages
in several of the cotton-fields, not so severe, however, as had been
anticipated, though the crops on several plantations were somewhat
injured.
The perfect insect, or fly, when at rest, is of a triangular shape, the
head forming one, and the extremities of the wings the other two
angles. The color of the upper-wings is reddish-grey, a dark spot
with a whitish centre appearing in the middle of each. The under-
wings are of a dark reddish-grey. The moth of this caterpillar loses
much of its greyish cast when it becomes older, and the down
has been rubbed from the wings. It then assumes more of a reddish
tinge.
The perfect flies, or moths, are easily attracted by lights, and may
be found resting in the day-time on the walls or ceilings of rooms,
attracted there, no doubt, by the candles or lamps on the evening be-
fore. If undisturbed, they will remain motionless during the day;
but, as night approaches, they fly oil’ with much vigor and strength.
When in the open air, they may be found among and under the leaves
of the cotton-plant, as well as those of the weeds which surround the
plantation. The eggs are deposited principally on the under sides of
the leaves, but often upon the outer calyx ; and I have even found
them, when very numerous, upon the stem itself.
72
AGRICULTURAL REPORT.
Wherever these caterpillars were very abundant, I counted from
ten to fifteen eggs on a single leaf, which are very small, and difficult
to be distinguished from the leaves themselves, on account of their
green color. In shape, the eggs are round and flat, and, when exam-
ined under a microscope, they appear regularly furrowed or ribbed.
I heir color, when freshly deposited, is of a beautiful semi-transparent
sea-green. They are closely attached to the leaf on which they are
laid I am thus particular to state this, because, in an able article
published some time ago, it was alleged that “the egg is fixed upon
the leaf by a small filament attached by a glutinous substance.’’
I Ins mistake might the more easily be made by any person who had
not himself observed the eggs when hatching, as that of the lace-wing
fly is held by such a filament, and, moreover, is found in similar
situations on the leaves, but generally with or near a colony of plant
lice, where the instinct of the parent lace-wing fly teaches it to de-
posit its eggs, and thus provide for a supply of fresh food for the young
larvie, which feed upon and destroy millions of the cotton-lice. There
is a great difference also between the eggs of the caterpillar moth and
those of the boll-worm moth, the first being, "as before stated, round
and flattened in shape, and green in color, whereas those of the boll-
worm moth are not flat, but more of an ovoid shape, and of a dirty-ycJ-
lowish tinge. I cannot state exactly what time is required to hatch ’the
eggs after they have been laid by the parent fly, as I could not succeed
in procuring any from the moths hatched and kept in confinement,
although carefully preserved for the purpose. Dr. Capers says that
it requires from fourteen to twenty days ; but the eggs I found in the
fields invariably hatched within a week from the time they were
brought into the house. However, this must depend a great deal
upon the state of the atmosphere and the warmth of the season. The
young caterpillars, when hatched, very soon commence feeding upon
the parenchyma, or soft, fleshy part of the leaves, and continue to do
so until they become sufficiently large, and strong enough to eat the
leaf itself. They are able to suspend themselves by a silken thread
ion shaken from the plant. They change their skins several times
before attaining their full growth, when they measure from one and a
half to nearly two inches in length. The first brood of caterpillars, in
August and September, were all of a green color, with narrow, longi-
udinal light stripes along each side of their bodies, and two broader
light-yellowish stripes along each side of their backs, down the centre
of each of which was one distinct, narrow, lighf^colored line. Each
of the broader bands was marked with two black spots on each seg-
ment ; and on each segment of the sides were three or more dark dots
1 he head was yellowish-green, spotted with black. The caterpillars
of the second and third generations are of a much darker color than
those of the first; their under parts are more of a yellowish-o-reen
and their sides sometimes of a purple cast; their backs are black* with
three distinct light-colored lines running down their length ; and
their heads are also darker, and of a yellowish-brown, spotted with
UldC K .
The question naturally arises, What causes this change of color in
the latter part of the season, since the moths hatched from the lightest
INSECTS.
they subsist - but ^ S Xrr e vidently of the second or third gener,
he ThiLaterp U inar is furnished with six pectoral, eight ventral, and two
.JuXoPSkowever, the two Tp^ZS
feet small, and apparently useless, so that its mode 0 * P o
somewhat resembles that of the span-worm, or looper, of the North,
days after the caterpillar has attained its full
size" it ceases to feed" It' then doubles down the ed
webbing severafleaves together, fonnin/thereby ajery^oosely-spun
green^ but^n'a'short^time^fter langesUThestnut-bro’wn, or even
t0 Tlm°first^brood I raised, were fifteen days in the chrysalis state, be-
attributed entirely to the cold weather, and non-exposure to the sun.
Th f fart would tend to show that the hatching ot the chrysalis may
^ delayed, Py P-uliar circumstances, until long after the natural
‘“The tail of the chrysalis is furnished with sever ^
inward, by means of which it is enabled to hold fast to the loose web
of which the cocoon is formed, while emerging from the chry gall
skin, or, in case of accident, to prevent it from falling out ot the co
C ° There 'have^been many ^fwHtemarsh T Seabrook
Society in South Carolina, in which he says : T ha - the cottoi a mm
field. In the winter of 1825, Benjamin Reynolds, of St. John s.
74
AGRICULTURAL REPORT.
ton, found them in the woods, principally on the cedar-hush, encased
alive in their cover, impervious to water, and secured to a twig by a
thread. The pupae, wrapped in cotton leaves, from their bleak ex-
posure, invariably die on the approach of cold weather.”
From what was stated to me by some of the best planters in Flori-
da, last summer, it wop Id seem that this caterpillar appears on their
plantations more or less, almost, if not every year, and sometimes in
a most unaccountable manner. Mr. E. Richards, of Cedar Keys,
furnishes a statement which would seem to prove that it is migratory
in its hahits, as there is no other method of accounting for its sudden
presence, except that, having previously existed on some other plant,
or weed, it had left it for food more congenial to its taste, although
it has been asserted that the real caterpillar will eat nothing but
cotton. Ho says : “The last of July, 1845, these caterpillars made
their appearance in a small field of three or four acres of Sea-Island
cotton, planted on Way Key, as an experiment to see if cotton could
be advantageously cultivated on the Keys, no other cotton having
been previously planted within 80 miles of them ; but the whole crop
was devoured. The caterpillar was at the same time destroying the
cotton in the interior of the country.”
in a statement made this season by Mr. William Munroe, of Gads-
den ~ounty, Florida, to the Agricultural Department of the Patent
Oflice, lie appears to think Sea-Island cotton not so liable to bo
attacked as the short-staple, when the two varieties are planted to-
gether. In his letter he says: “I observed, when I had two fields of
cotton adjoining, the one short-staple and the other Sea-Island, and
the cotton caterpillars made their appearance, that they always
destroyed the short-staple cotton first. Four years ago, my crop was
destroyed by the worm, and at that time they ate every green leaf on
the short-staple cotton before they attacked the Sea-Island. This
year (1855) my short-staple crop was destroyed by the worm, on the
Appalachicola river, and I observed that after the short-staple crop
was all eaten, several Sea-Island stalks in the field, at a little dis-
tance, seemed to be uninjured ; but, upon close examination, it was
tound that the worm had just commenced upon them. My impres-
sion, from the above observation is, that, if we in this country were
to confine ourselves to the production of the Sea-Island cotton, the
attack of the caterpillar would be much less frequent, or would
probably altogether cease.”
In regard to the periodical visitations of these caterpillars, Dr.
Gapers remarks that their first appearance, as destroyers of cotton, was
in the year 1800, and that, in 1804, the crops were almost destroyed
by them. A snow-storm occurred, however, and swept them away ;
but they were found the succeeding seasons, though in smaller num-
bers. In 1825, they were spreading, but perished again by a storm.
In 1820, they destroyed the crops. The first notice of them in this
year was on the first of August, at St. Helena. Soon after, they were
found on all the seacoast, from New Orleans to North Carolina. On
the 23d of the same month, they had destroyed almost all the cotton
leaves, but suddenly left the plant, though not for the purpose of
webbing, as many of them were young. The cause of their sudden
INSECTS.
75
disappearance is stated to have been that they weretoomuchexoed
to the powerful effects of the sun, in consequence of the plants being
nearly destitute of foliage, and not protecting them from its dnect
^ Colonel Benjamin F. Whitner, of Tallahassee, has also written an
interesting article on the depredations of this caterpillar in that
vicinity. S “In 1835,” says he, “the crops were entirely exempt
from the ravages of the caterpillar. In 1836, it appeared by the
firs? of oSbJ.but did no harm. In 1837 no mention is made
of it These notes were made in Madison county, biorida.
Colonel Whitner then moved to Leon county, in the same btate,
where, in 1838, the caterpillar appeared early in August. I lie second
brood stripped the plants by the 20th of September, and were so
numerous that, after devouring the entire foliage, thev barked the
limbs and stalks, and ate out bolls nearly grown. In 1839, they were
e?s numerous, and appeared late. In 1840, they came out from the
15th to the 20th of July, and, by the 6th of September, the plants
were stripped of their leaves and young bolls, so that the entire crop
was less than half of the average of other years In l^l th's cater;
pillar was seen in Madison county from the 15th to the 20th of Au
gust, and in Leon county between the 20th of August and the lst of
Sentember. The loss was serious, comprising probably one-htth of
the crop In 1842, no damage was done. In 1843, they appeared
near Tallahassee on the 1st of August, and plantations were stripped
bv the 15th of September. The crop was cut off from one-third to
two-fifths by the caterpillar and storm. In 1844, the cotton-worm
was found webbed up on the 13th of July, and by the loth ot Sep-
tember some plantations were entirely denuded ; yet, m other parts of
the county, the ravages were only partial. In 1845, there was no
appearance of the caterpillar. In 1846, it was found webbed up by
tfe 7th of July. The second brood began to web up on the 26th of
that month ; and by the 20th, the parts of the field m which the worm
was first seen were found to be eaten out, and the fly , the worms, large
and small and the chrysalides, were discovered at the same time, a
of things never observed before. By the 5 th of September, the
damage amounted to a loss of more than one-half of the crop. In
1847 although the fly was seen on the 16th of July, no injury was
done to the crop. In 1848, it was but slightly injured ; but the year
1849 was particularly marked by the ravages of the catei pillar, as
well as that of 1852.
Colonel Whitner further observes that these worms appear in suc-
cessive broods, and accomplish the cycle of their transformations in
from twenty-six to thirty days, which has also been corroborated by
^^caterpillar hatched from the egg, under my own inspection, how-
ever passed twenty days before webbing up ; but, as it had been kept
in confinement in a cold room, most probably the growth was not so
rapid as it would have been in the open air and exposed to the warmth
of the sun. The skin was shed five times during the period ot its
growth, and on the twentieth day, the caterpillar began its web.
76
AGRICULTURAL REPORT.
In a very interesting communication from Mr. E. N. Fuller of
E'hsto Island, South Carolina, he describes the depredations of the
caterpillar in lus neighborhood as follows :
t;nnJ n f 1 + 8 i 40 ’u I m iSCOVCre i their rava o es > confined to the luxuriant por-
tions of the fields near the seacoast of this Island. The larva; were
destroyed in the latter part of September. In 1843, they were first
leard of by the 1st of September, when their ravages, limited as in
1840, were quite perceptible at some distance. A frost on the 18th of
that month probably destroyed them. In 1846, they appeared on the
20 th of July; and by the 10th of September, I suppose there was
scarcely a cotton leaf or any tender portion of the plants remaining
and the worms not fully grown deserted the ravaged fields in millions
in search of food, failing to find which they died from starvation The
?Q 0 ^ 0 !i thl8 x l8la ?, d Was about 40 P er cent - of an average one. In
184J, the caterpillars made their first appearance on the 22d of Au-
gust ; their ravages this year, being confined to the low spots, caused
no injury of moment. In 1852, they were found on the 10th of Au-
omi*’ "A?* 40 mi 68 t0 , the southward, and on this Island about the
20th of the same month. They disappeared here, however, without
doing injury. ’
i o« Thl i . 8 the / haVG a PP eared at regular intervals of three years. In
18 °e, when they were again looked for, an intense drought from the
early part of July was sufficient to prevent their increase, had they
made their appearance. The old planters say that, in 1804 and in
years appeared as in 1846 ; that is > in Periods of twenty-one
c ‘A 8 ” ear a ? 4 , can .l^dge, not having made any record, the length
o time from the hatching of the egg to the chrysalis is twelve days *
remaining four days in the chrysalis state and six days more to the
hatching of the egg. This seems to be the case in a season of mois-
slow ' ieat ; without which, their progress would probably be more
Among the many remedies recommended for this fly, or moth, fires
and lights in the fields have been highly spoken of as attracting
ami destroying the miller. But even this may have its disadvantages
as Colonel Whitner, who has tried it, states that “ it not only
attracts the flies from other plantations, but that multitudes of moths
perished in the flames.” An article likewise appeared in some of the
Southern papers, not long since, recommending white cotton flags
about a yard square, to be placed in the field, by which the moths
are attracted, and upon which they deposit their eggs. Plates similar
to those recommended for the boll-worm have also been used with
partial success. But, to destroy this pest, it will be necessary to as-
certain exactly the date of the appearance of the first moths, and then
to exterminate them in the best manner, and as quickly as possible
Could not some favorite aliment be found on which the moth prefers
to feed, as in the case of the tobacco-fly, and then poison them with
some effective agent P This would at once rid the fields of the first
broods of moths, the progeny of which, in the second and third gene-
rations, might devastate half the fertile plantations of the South
INSECTS.
77
THE GRASS CATERPILLAR.
Another insect, (PI. VI. fig. 6,) which is often found in cotton-
fields, and mistaken for the real cotton-caterpillar, is commonly
known by the trivial name of the “ grass-worm,” or “ caterpillar,”
owing to the circumstance of its most natural food consisting of grass
and weeds, although, when pressed by hunger, it will sometimes eat
the leaf of the cotton-plant. _ . . .
These caterpillars were very numerous in the vicinity oi Colum-
bus, in Georgia, about the end of September and the beginning
of October, 1854. They devoured grass, young grain, and al-
most every green thing which came in their path. Instances have
been known in which, urged as they were by necessity and starvation,
they actually devoured stacks of fodder that were stored away for
winter consumption. Deep ditches cut in the earth to stop them
were immediately filled up by the multitudes which fell in and per-
ished, while eager millions still rushed over the trembling and half-
living bridge, formed by the bodies of their late companions, bent on
their mission of destruction and devastation.
These caterpillars do no essential injury to the cotton, especially
when weeds abound, as they content themselves with the grass grow-
ing between the rows ; and, unless very numerous, they cannot be
classed among those doing much harm to the general crop, and are
mentioned here principally as having been so frequently mistaken for
the real cotton-caterpillar. When pressed by necessity, however, as
has already been stated, they will feed upon cotton leaves. I raised
about thirty of them upon this food alone, merely as an experiment,
and they grew and perfected their transformations, although appear-
ing to prefer a grass diet if it could be obtained. When about to
change, they formed cocoons of silk under stones or in the ground
near the surface, interwoven with particles of earth, and came out
perfect moths from the 24th to the 30th of October ; and, as these
specimens were kept in a room without artificial heat, I conjectuied
that those in the open fields would appear about the same time.
At a plantation in the vicinity of Columbus, where the cater-
pillars were very numerous, and had already devoured all the grass
on one side of a field, which was divided into two equal parts by
a broad and sandy carriage-road passing through the centre of it,
the grass on the other side having been untouched, it was interest-
ing to observe the operations of numerous colonies of ants that had
formed their holes or nests in the road, and were lying in wait for
any unfortunate grass-worm, the natural desire ol which for a iresh
supply of food, should tempt it to cross this dangerous path. First,
one ant more vigilant than the rest would rush to the attack ; then
another, and another, until the poor caterpillar, entirely covered by
its pigmy foes, and completely exhausted in strength by its unavail-
78
AGRICULTURAL REPORT.
ing efforts to escape, was finally obliged to succumb to superior num-
bers and die as quietly as possible, when the carcass was immediately
carried off by the captors to their nests, or, when too heavy to be
dragged away at once, they fed upon it as it lay in the road. This
warfare was carried on every day as long as the grass-worms prevailed,
and no doubt their numbers were diminished in this way to a con-
siderable extent.
The grass-caterpillars, when in confinement, very often kill and
devour each other ; and, when one is maimed in the least, it stands
a very poor chance for its life. Several intelligent planters state that,
when the grass and weeds are entirely devoured, and no other
vegetable food is to be found, they will attack each other and feed
upon the still living and writhing bodies of their former companions.
One grass-caterpillar, which was kept in confinement, although fur-
nished with an abundance of green food, actually appeared to prefer
to feed upon other caterpillars, no matter of what kind, so long as
their bodies were not defended by long, bristling hairs, or spines.
The grass-caterpillar is from an inch and a half to an inch and
three-quarters in length. A longitudinal light-brownish line runs
down the centre, and two yellow lines along each side of the back,
which is somewhat veined with black lines, and is of a dark color,
marked with black spots, from each of which grows a short bristle,
or hair. Below these yellow stripes, the sides are of a dark color,
almost black ; beneath this, extends a light-colored line, in which the
spiracles are placed ; the lower part of the body is of a dirty green,
spotted with black ; the head is black, marked with two lines of a
yellowish color, forming an angle on the top ; the body is somewhat
hairy. This caterpillar has six pectoral, eight ventral, and two anal
feet.
The above description applies only to the brightest-colored speci-
mens of the grass-worm, as they vary much in color and markings,
some ot them being almost black, and showing indiscriminately their
stripes. The chrysalis is brownish-black, and is formed in a cocoon of
silk under the ground, the sand and small pebbles being so inter-
woven with it as to cause the whole cocoon to appear like an ovoid ball
of earth ; but it is never found webbed up in the leaves, as is the case
with the true cotton-caterpillar, already described. The moth
measures about an inch and one-fifth across the wings when they are
expanded ; the upper-wings are grey, slightly clouded with a darker
color, and a lighter spot or ring is faintly seen in the centre; the
under-wings are of a yellowish-white, shaded with grey along the
margin near the upper wings.
Specimens of these caterpillars were brought to me when at Sa-
vannah, in Georgia, and they were suspected to have injured the rice
in that vicinity in the month of June. Colonel Whitner, of Talla-
hassee, in his interesting communication to this Office, speaks of the
grass-caterpillar as having stripped fields of grass, in 1845, and also
as attacking the corn, sugar-cane and upland rice. It has likewise
been said that an insect similar, if not identical with the grass-cater-
pillar, destroys the leaves of the sweet potato. Thus it appears to be
almost omnivorous, and not choice i'll its selection of food, like the
INSECTS.
79
true cotton-caterpillar, which is believed to confine itself to the cotton-
plant alone. . . .
The grass-worm cannot he classed among those insects very inju-
rious to cotton, although instances have been known where it has
destroyed the foliage to some extent. It is more especially mentioned
here as being found in cotton-fields, and often confounded with th e
true cotton-caterpillar. The difference, however, is more plainly
described under the head of the latter.
The same remedies are applicable to this insect as have been sug-
gested for the boll-worm caterpillar, or any other night-flying moth.
THE RED SPIDER.
( Acarus ?)
Much injury is done to the cotton-leaf by a minute red spider,
(PI. VI. fig. 7,) which presents very much the appearance of inci-
pient r ust,° except that the leaf is of a more rusty-brown in spots,
instead of the bright-yellow of the real rust. This red spider prin-
cipally attacks the under side of the leaf, the spots caused by its
punctures turning brown, and finally increasing until it is completely
stung all over, and falls from the plant.
This insect is extremely minute, and when on the leaf, it can
scarcely be discerned by the naked eye. Some of the young appear
to be of a greenish cast; but, when theyare advanced in age, the
abdomen assumes a dark crimson shade, with darker maroon spots
upon its upper surface. The legs, which are hairy, are eight in
number. ... . . ....
This family of the mites (acan) do much injury to vegetable life,
as they are so extremely minute as to escape the notice of the super-
ficial observer. When they infest grape-houses, or rose-bushes,
it has been recommended to dust the leaves while moist with flour of
sulphur.
THE DROP OR HANG-WORM.
( CEceticus ?)
The “drop-worm,” as it is commonly called, (PI. VI. fig. 8,)
is occasionally found upon the cotton-leaf, but generally infests the
arbor-vitie, larch, and hemlock-spruce. It is also found upon many
of the deciduous-leaved trees, such as the linden, negundo, and
maple. Dr. Harris states that the female worm never quits her case,
but lays her eggs in the skin of the chrysalis, in which she herself
also remains until the eggs are all deposited, when she closes the end
with down, and crawls out of the case and dies. These eggs being
hatched the young worms, after they are hatched, make little silken
cocoons,’ open at both ends, and are covered with fragments of leaves,
twio-s &c., in which they conceal themselves, and drag them about
wherever they move. These cases are enlarged as the insects increase
in size, and are still carried about by the worms. When they change
80
AGRICULTURAL REPORT.
their places, they protrude their heads, the first three segments of the
body, and six legs, from one end of the case ; but, when the insects
wish to rest, each case is fastened by a few threads to the leaf or
branch, and they retreat within. When shaken from the tree hv
an accident or by high winds, the worms are able to suspend them-
selves by means of small threads, and hang in the air ; hence the
name. When young, they are often blown from tree to tree, and
thus carried to a considerable distance from the place where they
were hatched.
The males and their cases are much smaller than those of the fe
males, the worm being only about an inch in length. The first three
segments of the body are whitish, marked with black lines and spots,
the segments where they join are brownish; the head is marked with
wavy lines of black on a white ground; the rest of the body is of a
dirty, blackish-green. It has six pectoral feet, by means of which it
moves from leaf to leaf, with its body and case, the latter either per-
pendicularly suspended in the air or dragged by the worm from be-
hind. There are eight very small ventral, and two anal feet, by
means of which it clings to the inside of the case. The chrysalis
measures about three-quarters of an inch in length, and contains the
rudiments of wings, legs, head, and antennae, like other moths, and is
of a dark-brown. The perfect moth comes out in autumn, and mea
sures across the expanded wings about an inch and three-twentieths
Its body is downy, and of a blackish-brown ; the wings arc semi
transparent, and scantily clothed with blackish scales, which art
blackest on the margins and veins ; the antennae are covered at their
tips, and are doubly feathered from the base to beyond the middle.
The female is much larger than the male, and never leaves her case,
but changes into the perfect insect in the shell of the chrysalis, and
only emerges from it when the eggs are laid within. The young,
after leaving their maternal case, in the spring, immediately com-
mence their cases, and spread over the native tree or any others that
may happen to stand near.
These insects are a great nuisance wherever 'they once get estab-
lished, as they are exceedingly prolific. One female chrysalis case,
which was dissected, contained seven hundred and ninety eggs, while
others have been found to contain nearly a thousand.
These pests are very rarely seen on the cotton-plant, and even
when such is the case, they may have been blown there from the ce-
dars, maples, or other deciduous-leaved trees in the woods on the
edges of the plantations. They are the more particularly mentioned
here, from the fact that, if taken in time, they may easily be exter-
minated on deciduous-leaved shade-trees ; for, as I have before stated,
the female cases contain all the eggs, which may be seen in winter
hanging on the branches when the leaves have fallen, and even are'
large enough to be distinguished when on evergreens. Tt would
therefore require but little trouble to pull them off in the autumn and
winter, and burn them, so that neither males nor females should
escape. If this course were pursued two or three years in succession,
there would not be so many complaints in our cities about the drop-
worms destroying the foliage of the trees.
INSECTS.
81
CDR CORN EMPEROR-MOTH.
( Satumia to.)
The foliage of the cotton-plant is also eaten hy the caterpillar of a
large moth, denoted on PI. VI. fig. 9. This spiny and stinohm
caterpillar is often found upon the leaf of cotton in September ; it feeds
likewise upon the blades of Indian corn, and the leaves of the' willow
balsam-poplar, dogwood, and many other trees. Whenever one of
them is found in a field, the plants attacked by it may he easily dis-
tinguished by their leafless appearance in the midst of the otherwise
green and flourishing vegetation, as it rarely quits a plant before it is
completely denuded. Often, however, those which have lost their
leaves from the rust present much the same blighted appearance •
but, in this case, the numerous yellow, withered leaves, which are
scattered on the ground, at once indicate the disease.
The thorny spines with which these caterpillars are armed have a
peculiarly poisonous property, and are capable of inflicting painful and
severe wounds, similar to the sting of a wasp. It is therefore neces-
sary, if the insects require to he touched, to use a stick or branch
when removing them from the plants on which they feed.
These caterpillars cannot he classed among those very injurious to
cotton, as they do not appear to he sufficiently numerous to effect much
damage. Very few complaints have been made about them hy the
planters either of Georgia or South Carolina ; but this year, (1855 )
the same caterpillar was found very abundant in the cotton-fields near
lallaliassee, hut the damage done hy them was triflin°\
Mr. Newman, of Philadelphia, who has paid much attention to the
breeding of caterpillars, states that this insect is found on the willow.
Dr Harris says, they are also found upon the balsam-poplar and elm
in Massachusetts; and, according to Smith and Abbot, in their “In-
sects of Georgia, it is found on the dogwood, sassafras, and Indian
corn, which are devoured hy them.
This caterpillar is from two inches and a quarter to two inches and
three-quarters in length ; hut, as Dr. Harris has minutely described
them, I will quote his own words:
“The caterpillars are of a pea-green color, with a broad, brown,
stripe, edged below with white, on each side of the body be<nnnin«-
on the fourth segment and ending at the tail. They are covered with
spreading clusters of green prickles, tipped with black, and of a uni-
form length. Each of these clusters consists of about thirty prickles
branching from a common centre, and there are six clusters on each
of the lings, except the last two, on which there are only five' and on
the first four rings, on each of which there is an additional cluster
low down on each side. The feet are brown, and there is a triangular
brown spot on the under-side of. each ring, beginning at the fourth ”
The brown stripe mentioned by Dr. Harris is often of a reddish-brown
and, in high-colored and healthy individuals, I have seen it almost
of a carmine red.
The caterpillars are gregarious when young ; but, when older they
aj-e solitary. When fully grown, they form a brownish, cocoon of a.
82
AGRICULTURAL REPORT.
gummy substance among the leaves, resembling parchment. The per-
fect moth comes out the following spring. It is said that there are
two broods of these insects in a season, in the Southern States ; hut I
have not observed the caterpillars on cotton later than September.
The chrysalis is brown, and of a short, thick form, with a number
of hooked bristles on the tail.
The following is Dr. Harris’ description of the moths: “They sit
with their wings closed and covering the body like a low roof, the front
edge of the under-wings extending a little beyond that of the upper-
wings and curving upwards. The sexes differ both in color and size ;
the male, which is the smallest, is of a deepjor Indian-yellow color ;
on its fore-wings there are two oblique, wavy lines towards the hind
margin, a zigzag line near the base, and several spots so arranged
on the middle as to form the letters a n, all of a purplish-red color.
The hind-wings are broadly bordered with purplish-red, next to the
body, and near the hinder margin there is a harrow curved band of the
same color. Within this band, there is a curved, black line, and on
the middle of the wing a large, round, blue spot, having a broad,
black border and a central white dash. The fore-wings of the female
are of a purplish-brown, mingled with grey; the zigzag and wavy
lines across them are also grey, and the lettered space in the middle
is replaced by a brown spot surrounded by an irregular grey line.
The hind-wings resemble those of the male in color and markings ;
the thorax and legs are purplish-brown, and the abdomen is ochrey
yellow, with a narrow, purplish-red band on the edge of each wing.
These moths expand from two inches and three-quarters to three
inches and a half.”
The only method that can be taken to -destroy these insects would
be to kill the moths when and wherever found, and to strike the cater-
pillars from the plants and then crush them under foot. Although they
cannot properly be classed among the insects very injurious to cotton,
not being sufficiently numerous to do much harm, yet, if left undis-
turbed, they may so increase as to become a nuisance to the planter
both of cotton and corn.
THE COTTON TORTRIX.
( Tortrix ?)
When the margins of the leaf of the cotton-plant are found rolled
up and fastened to the main part by means of a loose web of silk, it is
often discovered to be the work of the small tortrix, (PI. VII fig.
1 .,) which makes this shady retreat in order to shelter itself from the
sun and rain, as likewise for a place of concealment from birds and
other enemies. Sometimes, however, these leaves are similarly rolled
up by a spider, as a suitable nest or receptacle for its eggs ; but, when
this is the case, the inside will be found to contain a silken bag in
which the eggs either have been or are about to be deposited.
When disturbed, this caterpillar always retires into its place of
shelter, and, if forcibly driven out, it is able to retreat backward from
the open end, and to suspend itself in the air by a thread, which issues
INSECTS.
83
from its mouth, having previously fastened the other end of this thread
to the leaf from which it had fallen. The leaves attacked by this moth
can he distinguished from those that are perfect, by their rolled-up
and distorted appearance ; and either this insect, or one very similar
in habits and appearance, sometimes attacks the young and tender
ends of the cotton-shoots, which are often seen webbed up into a mass
and partially eaten out.
The caterpillar, when full grown, is about an inch in length, of a
bright-green color, with a brownish or black head, and has a helmet-
shaped black mark on the first segment of the body. It has six pec-
toral, eight ventral, and two anal feet ; the two anterior pair of pec-
toral ones being dark-colored.
The chrysalis measures from three-fifths to seven-tenths of an inch
in length, is of a brown color, somewhat spiny, and furnished with
four hooks at the end of the tail, by which it is enabled to hold fast to
its web. The chrysalides were formed in semi-transparent cocoons of
loose silk among the leaves ; and in about fourteen days, the perfect
moths came out. The moth at rest has a somewhat bell-shaped ap-
pearance, the upper-wings suddenly becoming quite broad a short
distance from the thorax. They are of a chestnut-brown color, with
an oblique dark-brown band forming an obtuse angle near the mid-
dle ; and, on the inner margin of each wing, a rather more indistinct
band runs near the body. The tips are also banded with dark-brown.
The under wings are yellow, with a blackish-colored mark on their
margins and sides, while the uiulcr-side is yellow and more or less
shaded.
I should judge, from the small numbers of these caterpillars, that
they do comparatively little, if any injury to the main crop, and no
doubt the moths would be attracted by lights or fires placed in the
field at night, as recommended for the .moth of the cotton-caterpillar.
The same plan would also serve to diminish their numbers, should
they ever increase.
THE YELL0W CATERPILLAR
There is a yellow, hairy caterpillar found on the cotton-plant in
September and October, which devours the leaf. The specimens ob-
served in South Carolina and Georgia appeared to be of solitary
habits, not congregating together, like the cotton-caterpillar anil
grass-worm, but feeding alone on the plant.
The young of these insects are of a much lighter color than those
nearer maturity. The ground color of the old caterpillar is yellow,
profusely specked and shaded with small black dots ; a yellow longi-
tudinal line runs along the side below the spiracles ; on each segment
of the body, rise numerous small yellowish-brown excrescences, or
warts, from which issue tufts of loug brownish-black hairs. The
head is black, with a yellow stripe running down the middle. It has
six pectoral, eight ventral, and two anal feet. Tke cocoons are ovoid
in shape, formed on or near the surface of the ground, and constructed
of silk intermingled with gravel, particles of soil, and the hairs from
their own bodies. These caterpillars are reputed to be capable of
84
AGRICULTURAL REPORT.
stinging ; but, as I repeatedly handled them with impunity, theii
poison, if any, cannot he Very powerful.
The chrysalides, which are dark-brown, approaching to black,
appeared about the end of September, and were quite short and thick.
I cannot describe the perfect moth, as, unfortunately, the chrysalides
did not live to perfect their last transformation. These caterpillars,
although described as infesting cotton, cannot be classed amongst.those
very injurious, as they did not appear in numbers sufficient to injure
the general crop.
There is a red, hairy caterpillar of like characteristics, that some-
times eats the cotton-leaf, but which it is unnecessary to describe here.
THE COTTON ARCTIA
(Arctia?)
A species of arctia (PI. VII. fig. 2 ) was also found in Talla-
hassee, in the month of July, upon the cotton-plant; but, most proba-
bly, the parent moth had wandered away from its more natural food,
as the identical kind of caterpillar was found at the same time upon
the brambles by the roadside near that place. Ihe plant attacked,
however, was in the middle of the field, and not near any brambles
nor weeds, on which the eggs might have been laid. The bare stem
and branches of the cotton were covered with the unsightly web,
and all but a few straggling caterpillars had disappeared, having
probably webbed up preparatory to the final change.
The full-grown caterpillar is from an inch and one-tenth to an
i-ncli and three-tenths in length; the hack, dark-colored, and covered
with tufts of long, blackish-grey hairs ; the sides are of a pale-greenish
color, with a line between the black and green distinctly marked;
the six pectoral feet and head are black, and the eight ventral and
two anal ones are green.
The chrysalides were formed on the 24th of July, in cocoons or
loose webs, intermingled with its own hair, and spun under the
loose leaves. They were nearly half an inch in length, short and
thick in form, and brown in color. The moths came out in about
twelve or fourteen days.
The wings of the male measure, when expanded, from nine-tenths
of an inch to an inch across, and are white, with one or two black
dots near the centre of the upper pair ; the eyes are black ; the an-
tennas feathered, and the two fore-legs of an orange color.
The female is much larger than the male, measuring about an inch
and one-fifth across the expanded wings. She is very similar to
the male in color, but has no black spot on the upper-wing; nor
are the antennm feathered as in the male.
I consider, from the circumstances under which the nest, or web,
of caterpillars was found, that it was accident alone which caused
their presence on the cotton, as I have never seen them before nor
since, in any number, among the plants. Therefore, they may be
classed among those insects which cause little or no harm to the
general crop.
INSECTS.
85
These moths are similar to the Arctia textor, of Harris, but appear
to differ from them in the spots on the upper-wings of the male, and
in some other slight particulars. The habit of webbing up the limbs
is also the same.
INSECTS FOUND ON THE TERMINAL SHOOTS.
The insects attacking the terminal shoots of the cotton-plant are
at present very little known ; but when their habits shall have been
more thoroughly investigated, there is no doubt that they will be
found to be much more destructive than is generally supposed.
No practical planter can have passed through his cotton-fields,
without frequently observing that the terminal leaves of many of the
plants have been webbed up and eaten out, or that many of the
young blossoms have suddenly turned brown, or “ flared” open, and,
on the slightest touch, fall to the ground. Some of this damage
may no doubt be caused by excessive moisture, or heat, or by an
unhealthy state of the plant itself. But if the ends of all the shoots
be closely examined, it will generally be found that several minute
insects lie hidden between the folds of the leaves and buds, probably
feeding upon the tender foliage, or extracting the sap. The aphis,
or cotton-louse, is often found in such places.
TUE PEA-GREEN CATERPILLAR.
In the cotton-fields near Tallahassee, many of the tender leaves
and young blossoms of vigorous and healthy plants were observed
to be webbed together in a mass. Upon opening one of them, a
small caterpillar, (FI. VII. fig. 3 ,) between three-fifths and seven-
tenths of an inch in length, was discovered feeding upon the interior.
This caterpillar is of a pea-green color, with a dark longitudinal
stripe running down the middle of the back, and a row of two dark
spots with white centres to each on every segment of the body, except
the first, running parallel on each side of the dark stripe. The head
is black ; the first segment of the same color, with a dividing line of
white between it and the head, and another light division between
this and the second segment. The pectoral feet are black, and the
body sparingly clothed with short bristles, or hairs.
This caterpillar, for the most part, lives and feeds in the terminal
shoots ; but I have found it webbed up between the outer calyx and
boll of the cotton, or in the calyx of the flower.
The chrysalis, which is of a light-brown color, is about two-fifths
of an inch in length, and is formed in the same webbed-up terminal
shoot which served the caterpillar as a shelter. It shed the cater-
pillar-skin about the 27th of September, and the perfect moth came
out in about ten days.
The moth, when expanded, measures from three-fifths to seven-
tenths of an inch across the wings ; the body and thorax are of a
36
AGRICULTURAL REPORT.
brown color; the upper-wings light-brown, with a hand of darker
brown, running obliquely across them near the centre (one specimen
had two dark oblique lines on the upper-wing) ; a dark triangular
mark occurs on the upper side of the wing; between the margin and
band, and the margin itself is of a dark-brown ; the under-wings are
vellowish-hrown ; the under side of the wings is brown, marked
crosswise by darker lines, giving it somewhat a marbled appeal ancc,
and the antennae are threadlike. The distinguishing feature of this
small moth is the very long and dark-colored palpi, which are some-
what curved upwards, and project from the front of the head like a
trunk.
The damage done by these small insects is not so apparent at first
as that caused by those of a larger size, such as the boll-worm and
others ; yet, no doubt, many of the buds and leaves on the terminal
shoots are destroyed by them. These webbed-up leaves, however,
must not he confounded with the webs made by numerous small
spiders, which also select such places for their abodes, and no doubt
do good by destroying many young caterpillars and moths.
Young cotton-buds are frequently observed at the end of the ter-
minal shoots, turning brown, and eventually dropping oft. ibis has
been attributed to the agency of the young larvm of the ‘‘bore-worm,
or “boll-worm,” which certainly are sometimes found in the terminal
shoots of cotton; but, when this is the case, the buds are generally
either eaten from the outer calyx, or the bud itself perforated and the
former flaring open; whereas, the buds, which turn black, as before
described, are closely enveloped in the outer calyx, and present a
triangular form with a dry and^dark-brown appearance.
THE COTTON LYGiEUS.
. ( Lygceus ?)
Upon close examination, a number of extremely minute larvae,
(PI. VH. fig. 4,) measuring a little over one-twentieth of an inch in
length, were found in the injured shoots. The insects, when confined
in a bottle with some young terminal cotton-shoots and buds, to
ascertain if they really injured the plant, were observed immediately
to attack each other with great animosity ; and, in a short time, one
of the strongest larvae killed and sucked out the juices from three of
its companions, and also from a cotton-louse which had been placed
in the glass. The same insect, however, was afterwards plainly seen
on several occasions, to suck sap from the terminal shoot and. young
buds ; and as there were no more insects for it to feed upon, it must
necessarily have perfected its growth and transformations afterwards
on vegetable juices alone. Almost every terminal shoot which was
diseased had in it one or more of these minute larvrn or perfect insects.
The pupte are of a reddish-brown, about one-twentieth of an inch
in length, with eyes of a reddish-brown color. The perfect insect is
rather more than one-twentieth of an inch in length, also with reddish-
brown eyes, yellowish antennas, and a head and thorax black ; tbe
triangular space between the wings is black ; the wings are brown-
INSECTS.
87
ish-yellow, barred in the centre with two triangular black marks ;
the ends of wings diamond-shaped, of a light color ; the upper part of
the thigh is black ; and the rest of the leg yellowish.
This insect is more especially mentioned here in order to draw
attention to the various tribes which attack the terminal shoots of
cotton, as at present very little appears to be known about them, and
immense numbers of young buds dry up and fall in the manner men-
tioned above, unobserved from their minute size. Many of them are
no doubt cast in consequence of atmospheric and various other causes ;
but, as this small insect has been observed sucking the juices from
the plant, it may be found that several others do the same thing in
different localities. The young boll-worm is, no doubt, found in
these shoots ; but I very much doubt whether the fallen blackened
buds are owing to injuries received from it, as will be seen in the
article on that worm. It is true, the young holl-worm causes many
immature forms to drop, but in such cases the bud attacked generally
shows where the injury has been done, by a small puncture.
As several of the reduvii or cimicidsB, have the power of stinging
man and animals in a very severe manner, with their probosces, or
piercers, may they not in some measure possess the same power over
vegetable life? The question is merely asked to lead to further
enquiries on the subject.
SAP-SUCKERS.
Another insect, (PI. VII. fig. 5,) found in the young shoots and
newly-formed bolls, the color of which is green ; the eyes reddish
brown'; the legs green, with the thighs red ; the antepme are four-
jointed, and also green, with red at the end of each joint. The pupa
is about a quarter of an inch, and the perfect insect is seven-twentieths
of an inch in length ; the antennae are brown and green, the eyes
brown ; the thorax somewhat triangular ; the anterior part green,
and shaded with reddish-brown, posteriorly ; the legs, brown and
green ; the wing-cases with a cross, shaped like the letter x, forming
four triangles, those nearer the thorax being reddish-brown ; the side
triangles aro green.
I observed these insects, when confined under glass, sucking the
sap from the buds and young bolls, their only food. The young
eventually completed their transformations into perfect insects. They
were observed, moreover, to eject large drops of green sap from their
abdomens, which could only have been procured from the buds them-
selves. As it has been already seen that these insects puncture the
bolls and extract the juices therefrom, the question arises whether
they do any material injury, either by this extraction of the sap, or
by a poisonous sting, like some of the reduvii.
There is likewise another of the same species of insect, (PI.
VII. fig. 6,) which was found perforating the young flower-buds and
bolls of the cotton, similar to the above. The head and anterior por-
tion of the thorax are reddish-brown, the remainder of the thorax
yellow, with a double dark mark in the middle,; the wing-cases are
brownish-black, with two longitudinal yellow lines from the upper
AGRICULTURAL REPORT.
88
outside corner of the wing-cases to the posterior edge, forming a
dividing mark somewhat shaped like the letter X.
the centrinus perscillus.
(Denoted by PI. VII. fig. ?,) about three-twentieths of an inch in
ength, of a greyish color, with a rather long, curved rostrum, or but,
vas^ found in the terminal shoots, as well as in the blossom , but I
could not perceive that in any way it injured the plant. I have also
seen very young boll-worms in the terminal shoots, but, upon exami-
nation, i have generally found the egg deposited upon the outer calyx
of a young bud or boll, the parenchyma, or tender succulent substance,
of ■which, was mostly eaten, and the young bud pierced or its contents
sucked or eaten out.
INSECTS FOUND ON THE FLOWER.
The flower of the short-staple cotton is of a yellowish-white color
the first day of its blooming ; it then gradually assumes a pinkish
tinge towards its outer edge ; the second day, it partiall 3 r closes, turns
pink, and presents such an entirely different appearance that it can
scarcely be recognised as the same flower. _ >f
There are several insects which infest this flower, or bloom, as
it is frequently termed, some for the sake of the nectar, or honey ;
others for the pollen ; and a few for the corolla itself.
THE BLISTER-FLY.
( Cantharis strigosa.)
Several blister-flies, or cantharides, found in Columbia, South Caro-
lina, were seen to devour the petals of the cotton-flower. One of these
insects is a little more than half an inch in length, (1 1. VII. fig.
8 ) of a reddish-brown color, with the eyes and a spot on the head
black. Two long black marks are seen on the thorax, and two longi-
tudinal stripes, also black, on each wing-case ; the legs and antennro
are black ; and the abdomen protrudes somewhat beyond the wing-
cases. Some of them aro smaller than others, measuring not quite
half an inch in length, and are of a rusty ash-grey white; others are
of the same color, hut with two broad, longitudinal black stripes on
the elytne. The two last mentioned vary so much in the distinctness
of their stripes, some of them being the medium between the perfectly
grey and the striped, that it is somewhat difficult to determine
whether they are the same insect or not. The under-wings are
clouded, and nearly black. .
These insects, although they eat holes in the petals, do but little,
if any damage to the crop ; yet, together with the chauliognathus,
INSECTS
89
bees, and wasps, may, perhaps, be beneficial, as serving to fecundate
many plants by carrying the pollen from flower to flower.
i
THE COTTON-CHAULIOGNATHUS.
(C hauliognatlius pcnnsylvanicus.)
. This insect (PL VII. fig. 9) does not appear to attack the petals
in the same manner as the cantharides, just described, but contents
itself with the pollen or nectar, which is found in the flower, where
it may be often seen so much occupied in feeding as scarcely to take
•any notice of the approach of mankind. It is so plentiful near Colum-
bia, in South Carolina, that four or six may be taken fi;om one bloom
alone. When issuing from the flower, they sometimes appear to be
so abundantly powdered with pollen as to bo perfectly yellow, and no
doubt serve in some measure beneficially, as a medium for transport-
ing the pollen and fertilising other blooms.
This insect is not quite three-quarters of an inch in length ; its
head, eyes, and antenmo are black ; its thorax, orange, with a large
dark spot in the centre ; its wing-cases are orange-yellow, with a
black, longitudinal, broad stripe running down each, near the inner
margin, leaving a narrow inner and broad outer margin of yellow
orange. This black stripe grows broader towards the abdomen, leav-
ing a narrow stripe, also of yellow, at the end of the elytra. Its legs
are black. °
THE YELLOW-MARGINED-VVINGED CHAULIOGNATHUS.
(C hauliognatlius marginatus.)
A small species of chauliognathus is found in Florida, (PI. VII.
fig. 10) where it appears to take the place of the last mentioned insect,
having the same habits, and occuring in the same places. It is nearly
halt an inch in length ; the head is orange-yellow, with a black mark
below the eyes, which are also black ; tiie thorax is yellow, with a
longitudinal black mark down the centre ; the wing-cases are black,
edged around the outer and inner margins, and the end with orange-
ycllow , the lower part ot the thighs is also orange-yellow j the
upper part and rest of legs and antennas are black.
This insect frequents the flowers of the cotton, but, as yet, I have
never discovered it doing any injury. ^
THE DELTA-XIIORAXED TRICHIUS.
( Tricliius delta.)
A small beetle, which is a little more than two-fifths of an inch in
length, (PI. VII. fig. 11,) is also found in cotton-blooms, and some-
times on the bolls. The head is black, including several white marks ;
the thorax is also black, bordered with yellow, containing a singular
triangle of yellow lines, the lower end of which appears as if broken
90
AGRICULTURAL REPORT.
off; the wing-cases are reddish-brown, with two oblique black spots
on the upper, and two longitudinal black ones enclosing a yellowish
mark on their lower parts ; the abdomen protrudes the twentieth part
of an inch beyond the wing-cases, and is of a yellowish color ; the
fore-legs are spiny and of a brown color ; the hind-legs are very long,
brown, the ends of the tibiae and tarsi black.
From what has been seen of the habits of this insect, and its com-
parative scarcity, I should not regard it as injurious to the crop, and
therefore, I would class it amongst those insects frequenting the cot-
ton but not injurious to it.
TWELVE-SPOTTED GALEREUCA.
{Galereuca duodecimpundata.)
A small leaf-beetle (PI. VIII. fig. 1) is often found in the young
flowers of the cotton, where it gnaws holes in the petals. This insect
is about three-tenths of an inch in length ; the head is black ; the
thorax orange-green ; the wing-cases greenish-yellow, with six black
spots on each ; the upper part of the thighs is green, and the rest
of the leg dark-colored, or nearly black.
- Among the remedies suggested for destroying the striped eucumher-
beetle, {Galereuca vittata,) Dr. B. S. Barton, of Pennsylvania, recom-
mends “sprinkling the vines with a mixture of red pepper and to-
bacco.” Ground plaster and charcoal dust have also been recom-
mended, as well as watering the vines with a solution of an ounce of
glauber salts in a quart of common water, or tobacco water. An
infusion of liops, elder, or walnut leaves is said to be very useful ; as,
likewise, sifting powdered soot upon the plants when they are wet
with the morning dew. Others have advised sulphur and Scotch
snuff to be applied in the same way.
Dr. Barton likewise states that, “as these insects fly by night, as
well as by day, and are attracted by lights, burning splinters of pine
knots, or of staves of tar-barrels, stuck in the ground during the
night, around the plants, have been found useful in destroying these
beetles.” Similar remedies might possibly apply to the twelve-spotted
galereuca.
As these insects are not sufficiently numerous to do any harm to
the cotton-crop, these remedies are merely mentioned as applying to
the cucumher-beetle, or any other pests of the garden or fields, of
similar habits.
SPAN-WORMS, OR LOOPERS
(GeometrcE?)
Among the numerous insects which injure the flowers of the cotton-
plant may be found several caterpillars, many of which are of the
kind termed “mopers,” or “span-worms,” from their peculiar mode
of locomotion.
INSECTS.
91
Neiir Columbus, in Georgia, I found a species of caterpillar, (PI.
_vm. tig 2 ,) which were, quite numerous, about an inch and a half
m length, and ot a bright-green color, eating the petals of the
cotton-flower, from the 12th of October to the 29th of November.
hey had six pectoral, four ventral, and two anal feet, and were
obliged to loop their bodies when progressing from place to place,
aitei the manner of the so-called span-worms, or loopers. Their
bodies were green, and slightly hairy. The chrysalides were seven-
tenths of an inch in length, and of. a green color. The moth, with
wings extended, measures about an inch and three-tenths, is of a
shaded or clouded blackish-brown, with a metallic, gold-colored semi-
circle near the centre of each upper-wing; a round spot of the same
color also lies close to it, but nearer the margin ; the under-win-rs
and body are of the same blackish-brown. When at rest, the upper-
wings come together like the roof of a house; a tuft of hair projects
from the upper part of the thorax, and a smaller tuft is found near
or between the junction of the wings, which appear to curve up
towards the outer margin. ^
ANOTHER CATERPILLAR
Is of the same habits, size, farm, and color, except that it has a white
longitudinal line running down each side. The chrysalis, however
is of a dark-brown color, whereas, that of the preceding is always
green, with dark-brown markings only on the thorax and back.
1 he moth also is similar in shape and color — so much so, indeed, as to
wan-ant a belief that they may be different sexes of the same species.
Mr. Peabody of Columbus, states that this caterpillar was very
destructive to the leaves of turnips, in 1854. Several, which were
placed m confinement, were attacked by a singular and fatal disease.
However healthy they appeared at first, they gradually assumed a
lighter color, ceased feeding, became swollen, and, suspending them-
selves by the hind feet to any projecting twig, very soon died and be-
came putrid and black.
These caterpillars were quite plentiful in the vicinity of Columbus,
but were not iound in l 1 londa the following year. They cannot be
classed among insects very injurious, as they were not sufficiently
numerous to harm the cotton. 3
THE SMALL COTTON SPAN-WORM.
A very small looper-caterpillar, or span-worm, (PI. VIII fio- 3 \
about seven-tenths of an inch in length, of a brown or greenish
color, with five yellow and black markings or bands on the middle
segments, and of about the thickness of a knitting-needle, was very
October 118 ° n t lG blossoms of cotton in Georgia during the month of
These caterpillars, having six pectoral, with only two ventral, and
two anal feet ; their mode of progression is by alternately stretching
out and contracting the body in the form of an arch. They are thus
enabled to advance nearly half their length every stride, or step,
92
AGRICULTURAL REPORT.
and, from this circumstance, derive their common name of “span-
worm,” or “looper.”
The favorite food of these insects appeared to consist of the petals.
In some places, they were very numerous, as many as four having
been taken from one bloom alone. In color, they varied much from
green to brown ; but botli were similarly banded with another color.
The chrysalides were fixed by the tail to the leaves with a. glutinous
matter or silk, and measured about seven-twentieths of an inch in length ;
were of a brownish-green color, and remarkable for having the upper
part of the thorax somewhat square, flat, and furnished with two
minute protuberances, or spines, over the head and eyes. When dis-
turbed, they instantly drop from the leaves, and susperid themselves
in mid-air, by means of a thread, which issues from the mouth; and
although exceedingly abundant in one part of the field, yet they
were scarcely to be found out of that particular spot.
As these insects are very small, and eat holes in the petals of the
flowers alone they cannot injuriously affect the general crop.
THE LARGER SPAN-WORM.
Another span-worm, or caterpillar, (PI. VIII. fig. 4,) appears in
the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida, early in October, and feeds upon
the petals of the cotton-flower. It measures, when fully grown,
from an inch and a half to an inch and three-fourths in length ; the
color is reddish-brown, marked with faint, longitudinal darker stripes;
the head is somewhat angular, and divided at the top; there is a
light spot on each side, about the middle of the body, and two short
excrescences, or warts, on the extremity. In several specimens, there
are white spots running down each side of the back. The chrysalis
is a little more than half an inch in length, and is of a brownish
color. The moth measures an inch and three-tenths across the
expanded wings, which are of a light, clouded-grey color, with an
irregular, dark, oblique line running across the upper-wing, and two
others, not quite so distinct, nearer the body. There is also a dark,
oblique line, and another fainter one, crossing the under-wing ; the
margins are scalloped with a darker color ; the antennm of the spe-
cimen figured are feathered.
This caterpillar feeds upon the petals of the cotton-flower, and,
when disturbed, assumes a stiff, erect attitude, in which it might
easily be mistaken by men or birds, for a dried twig or stick. When
about to change, in October, it descends into the earth, becomes a
brownish chrysalis, and in about fourteen days the moth appears.
The caterpillars are not very numerous, and therefore can do but
little harm to the general crop.
Another span-worm, somewhat similar to the above in shape and
color, is very numerous in cotton-fields, but feeds upon the bind-weed
flower, (convolvulus,) and does not disturb cotton.
I
INSECTS.
03
INSECTS FOUND UPON THE BOLL
During the time that cotton is maturing its seed-vessels, there are
several insects of the “plant-hug” species found both upon the
young and the old bolls; hut whether these insects have anything
to do in producing the rot, is a question which cannot he easily
answered before further information shall have been collected upon
the subject. I will here simply give the results of Rome experiments
made by me this season (1855) to determine whether any of these
insects do or do not suck the sap from the bolls. In the month ot
October, several plant-hugs were caught, and placed singly in glass
bottles, containing young and middle-sized bolls, and all of those
hereafter described were observed with their piercers penetrating the
bolls, and busily engaged sucking out the sap.
THE GREEN PLANT-BUG.
( Pentatoma ?)
This insect is about seven-tenths of an inch in length, rather broad,
and of a bright-green color ; the head is furnished with two ocelli on
the upper part, the eyes are brown, and the scutellum, or triangular
place between the wing-covers, is very large and also of a green color ;
the upper part of the body, which is flattened, is margined with an
edge ot yellow, and has a black spot on the yellow edge of each seg-
ment. The piercer, which is long and jointed, when not in use, is
recurved under the thorax ; the antennas are five-jointed.
An insect was described by Mr. Bailey, of Monticello, in Florida,
(PI. VIII. fig. 5,) as being very numerous in his cotton-fields ; and
his overseer informed me that he had seen it in the very act of piero-
ing a boll, which he afterwards cut open and found that the puncture
had penetrated through the outer shell, or case of the boll, to the
ootton, and that the mark where the piercer had penetrated was dis-
colored. _ Those I had in confinement certainly were frequently seen
with their trunks inserted into bolls, and sucking the sap.
The larva is very similar to the perfect insect in shape and color,
but smaller in size, and is not furnished with wings. The pupa pos-
sesses rudiments of wings, only, and it is the perfect insect alone which,
by means of a pair of under-wings, concealed beneath the wing-cases,
is able to fly about and propagate its kind.
TOE GREY PLANT-BUG.
{Pentatoma ?)
The spotted plant-bug (PI. VIII. fig. 6) is very much of the same
shape as that last described, but is not so broad. It is grey, and
marked with black dots and lines ; it is also smaller than the former
being only three-fifths of an inch in length ; the outer margin of the
thorax is somewhat pointed or angular; the scutellum, broad and
94
AGRICULTURAL REPORT.
triangular ; and the wings, when closed, terminate with a black, dia-
mond-shaped mark, where they overlap ; there are two ocelli ; the
antennae are five-jointed ; and the appearance of the insect is flat,
broad and similar to the so-called “squash-hug” of the North. This
insect was often seen with its piercer inserted into a boll, extracting
the sap, which was ejected from the abdomen as a bright, greenish
liquid.
These insects were found plentifully on the cotton in Georgia, in
1854, and in Florida, in 1855.
THE RED-EDGED-WINGED REDUVIUS.
(Reduvius ?)
A species of reduvius (PI. VIII. fig. 7) was found in abundance
in the cotton-fields of Florida, in 1855. The female measures a little
more than three-fifths of an inch in length, and the male about half
an inch. The head is of a greyish-black ; the eyes prominent, black
and brilliant ; the antennae are four-jointed ; the thorax is triangular,
with the angle towards the head, truncated, black, with an edging
of red ; the wing-cases are reddish, spotted with black, and edged
with red, with their ends, where they overlap, black ; the legs are
black from half way up the thighs, where they are red ; the under-
wings are clouded with black veins. It so closely resembles the cele-
brated “red-bug” of Eastern Florida that it has probably been
mistaken for it by many planters, who have stated that the true red-
bug is often found in Middle and Western Florida, where none are to
be found, though I searched diligently for them.
These insects, when confined in glasses, were not observed to feed
upon the sap of the bolls, although it probably does some injury, like
the much dreaded red-bug alluded to above.
THE LIGHT-BANDED-WINGED ANISOSCELIS.
( Anisoscelis ?)
A species of anisoscelis (PI. VIII. fig. 8) w r as found in abundance
in the cotton-fields both of Georgia and Florida. It appeared to be
very active and vigilant, as, however carefully approached, it always
flew away with a loud, humming sound. Several of these insects
were observed on a large boll, apparently busily employed ; but when
suddenly disturbed, they dispersed in different directions. Upon ex-
amining the boll, the sap -was seen exuding from several minute
punctures, which was attributed to these insects having bored into
the boll for the sake of the vegetable juices contained therein.
The larva, when young, is of a light scarlet or crimson, with two
black spots on the back, iu which are two black, thorny excrescences,
or points; there are also four black, thorny excrescences on each side ;
the legs, antennae, and eyes are black ; and the hind-legs thicker than
the others.
The pupa is brown, with its wing-cases only in an incipient state,
I
INSECTS.
95
and the tibiae of tho hind-legs have already attained a broad, flattened
appearance.
The perfect insect is about seven-tenths of an inch in length ; the
antennae are four-jointed ; the eyes, prominent and brown ; the piercer
four-jointed, and when at rest, re-curved under the body; the ocelli
are two in number ; the thorax rising from the head, and somewhat
angular on the margin ; the wing-covers are reddish-brown, with a
distinct yellowish-white band across the middle ; the anterior and
middle legs are reddish-brown ; the hind-legs, however, are very sin-
gular in shape, the thighs being thick and spiny on their under side,
and the tibia furnished with a broad flattened enlargement on each
side, larger on the upper one and somewhat wing-shaped, with
two teeth, or notches, on tho margin. This makes the insect appear
to have hind-legs entirely out of proportion to its size. These insects
are very numerous in cotton-fields, and may be seen flying from plant
to plant during the heat of the day.
There are several other insects found upon cotton ; but those men-
tioned above are the most numerous. The question now arises
whether they have anything to do with the “ rot,” or whether that
disease is caused by a peculiar state of the atmosphere, or by imper-
fections of the soil. May not the punctures made by these insects, in
some peculiar seasons, incline the boll to the rot more readily than in
others, though in more favorable seasons it may be made with com-
parative impunity ? A singular circumstance, however, is rather
against the insect theory, namely, that, while some particular cotton-
plant is observed to be much affected by tho rot, the plants standing
close to it may be comparatively free and healthy. On one diseased
plant, I counted seventeen rotted bolls, while the very next plants
were green, and exhibited not the least sign of disease. The query
as to whether the rot is caused by insects or the peculiar state of the
soil or atmosphere, is here submitted for the purpose of inciting plant-
ers to make experiments, and to report their success, in order that
we may soon come to a definite conclusion upon the subject.
TOE BROWNISH-BLACK ANISOSCELIS.
(Anisoscelis ?)
A very large anisoscelis, (PI. VIII. fig. 9,) about an inch and one-
fifth in length, and of a brownish-black, I found quite numerous in
the cotton-fields of Florida. The head of this insect is brownish-
black, with prominent eyes ; the thorax rough, black, and somewhat
triangular ; the autennto, four-jointed ; the legs, brown ; the thighs,
brownish-black and spiny ; the hind-legs, in appearance, entirely dis-
proportionate in size to the insect ; with the thighs very stout, thick
and spiny, and the tibia) with broad, flattened, wing-shaped projec-
tions ; the trunk is recurved under the thorax.
These insects, though somewhat numerous, were never observed to
suck the sap from the bolls ; yet it would be well to investigate their
habits more minutely before deciding whether they are injurious or
not.
%
AGRICULTURAL REPORT.
THE DARK-SHADED CETONIA.
Cetonia Melancholica.
The beetle shown on PI. VIII. fig. 9 is found on those bolls
which have been bored into by the boll-worm, extracting the flowing
sap from the lacerated sides of the wound. As many as five have
been taken from the interior of a single boll, which had been pre-
viously hollowed out by the worm, and where the sap was flowing
very freely Some planters accuse them of making the holes in
wfiicli they are found ; but most of the bolls examined by me had
evidently previously been hollowed out, and the beetles had only en-
tered for the sake of th$ extravasated sap. Sometimes, however
they may so abrade the skin of a boll as to cause a flow of juice, of.
which they will avail themselves, as I have occasionally observed
solitary individuals sucking the sap under very suspicious circum-
stances, where no previous wound had been made by the worm.
They can do but little harm, however, to the crop.
This bettle is rather more than half an inch in length ; ot an
ovoid form ; greenish, with somewhat oi a metallic lustie , across
the win°*-cases, are several whitish spots and 6liort lines , the tail is
obtuse, hairy, and protrudes beyond the wing-cases ; the legs are
rather spiny, of a dark color and metallic lustre.
THE INDIAN CETONIA.
(Cetonia inda.)
I observed another beetle, (PI. VIII. fig- 10,) but very abundant,
in the blooms, and sometimes in the open bolls of the cotton, m hlori-
da, in October, which apparently did no injury. This beetle is
three-fifths of an inch in length, and of a brown color, spotted and
marbled with a darker brown and black. It flies with a loud-hum-
ming sound, and is apparently sluggish in its habits when not on
the wing.
INSECTS FOUND ON ROTTED BOLLS.
Much has been said about the rotted bolls of cotton, the cause of
which has been attributed to insects ; and it has been alleged that,
if these bolls Were well examined, several of the insects causing the
disease would always bo found inside. It is true, jnany small
insects are found in such rotted bolls, but they have invariably been
previously cracked or split open by disease, or bored into by the
boll-worm The fact is, the insects found in such places frequent
them merely for the sake of the sap which exudes from the wounds,
or for the fu-ngoid growth that generally flourishes in such situations.
INSECTS.
97
It is very often the case that the effect is thus mistaken for the cause,
and that insects perfectly innocent are blamed for a disease with which
they have nothing to do, except that they resort to the already in-
jured bolls for food or shelter.
The insects in decaying and rotted bolls of cotton are very numer-
ous, hut most of them are quite small.
ANOTHER INSECT
(Oarpophilus?)
. Was found in such bolls (PI. IX. fig. 1) as were either bored
into by the boll-worm, or had been split open by the rot, and did hot
appear upon the bolls unless they had been previously injured. I
have counted as many as thirty of these beetles in a single diseased
boll, and there is scarcely an injured or split boll in some fields in
which one or more of them is not to be found. They likewise occur
in considerable numbers in the tops of such ears of maize as have
been eaten out by the corn-worm, (heliothes,) (see Report for 1854,)
and have much ol the sap exuding, or are covered with a fuugoid
growth. They appear to dislike light, and seek shelter in dark
places, secure from the rays of the sun.
i his insect is about the tenth of an inch in length, and of a brown
color ; the wing-cases are short, covering only about two-thirds of the
abdomen. The larva is a small yellow grub, with six fore-legs, and
two points at the end of the tail, and is often found in the rotted
parts of the bolls.
If this insect were to be found in the bolls before they were already
rotted, or to be seen in the act of piercing the outer case, it might,
perhaps, with reason, be accused of causing the disease ; but, as they
are never found inside before the rot has commenced, it is very much
to be doubted whether they have anything to do with it, or merely visit
such places for the purpose of obtaining a food suitable to their taste,
or a dark sheltered place in accordance with their habits.
THE SQUARE-NECKED SYLVANUS.
(Sylvanus quadricollis.)
The larva and perfect insect of this minute beetle (PI. IX. fig. 2)
has already been figured, in the Agricultural Report for 1854, where
it is described as having been found in Indian corn. It also frequents
diseased cotton-bolls, most probably for the sake of the seed, which
is generally exposed to its attacks, when the boll has been split open
by disease.
ANOTHER INSECT
Was also found very numerous in some of the rotted bolls ; but as
soon as the latter wero taken from the plant and opened, the beetles
ran off with great rapidity, and endeavored to hide themselves under
any substance that would serve as a place of shelter. They appeared
AGRICULTURAL REPORT.
98
to dislike the open light, and were generally found in dark and ob-
There were likewise several small insects found in rotted-bolls,
such as the Colastus semitectus, and many others, which it will be
unnecessary to enumerate here, as their habits are very much the
same as those above mentioned, nearly all of them frequenting such
places merely for food and shelter, and not causing the rot in any
m The hemipterous insects, heretofore mentioned, certainly do pierce
the bolls with their beaks, or piercers, for the sake of the sap ; tor
they have been caught in the very act, and this even before any ap-
pearance of the rot could be discovered. They might, therefore, per-
haps, with better reason, be suspected of having something more to
do with the disease than the small beetles already mentioned. But,
even in this case, it would he well to investigate further oeiore com-
ing to a definite conclusion.
THE CORN-WORM.
( Heliothes ?)
The caterpillar producing this small moth, (PI. IX. fig. 3,) de-
scribed in the Agricultural Report for 1854, as injurious to the Indian
corn in the Southern States, is likewise found in the bolls of cotton
which have been split open by the rot, but can have nothing to do
with producing the disease. It most probably feeds upon the seeds
contained in the rotted bolls. , . . , n ... , .
The chrysalis is formed in a cocoon inside the boll ; it is about one-
fifth of an inch in length, of a brown color, and formed in a cocoon
of silk, interwoven with foBces and dust from the boll.
The caterpillar is about three-tenths of an inch in length, of a red-
dish or pink color, with the head and part of the first segment
brownish. It has six pectoral, eight ventral, and two anal feet, and
is able to suspend itself by a thread, when disturbed, ihe body is
slightly covered with a few short hairs. _
The moths appear in about fourteen days, in warm weather, and,
when expanded, measure nearly two-fifths of an inch ; the upper-
wings are of a shaded chestnut-brown, mottled with darker brown and
black • the tips of the wings are marked with dark spots ; the under-
wings’ are very narrow, brown and deeply fringed with fine hairs,
presenting almost the appearance of feathers. The insect, when at
rest, places the upper wings together, forming a ridge with the ex-
tremity turned up. There appear to be several generations of these
insects during the season, and, although found in rotted bolls, they
are perfectly harmless as to the causing of disease.
There are several other insects found in rotted bolls which it will
be unnecessary here to describe ; for, although, as before stated, they
are found in bolls already split open by the rot, or eaten into by the
worm vet they are no more the cause of the disease than the wood-
pecker is the cause of the death of the tree out of which it extracts
th e insects which have already accomplished its destruction.
INSECTS.
99
THE BOLL-WORM.
( Heliothes ?)
The egg of the boll-worm moth (PI. IX. fig. 4) is generally de-
posited on the outside of the involucel, or outer calyx of the flower,
and I have taken it from the outer calyx even of the young boll it-
self. It has been stated that the egg is laid upon the stem, which
also forms the first food of the young worm ; but, after a thorough
and careful examination of several hundred stems, I found only one
egg in this situation, and that, from its being upon its side instead
of its base, had evidently been misplaced, and never hatched.
The egg of the boll-worm is laid singly upon the involucel, about
twilight, and is of a somewhat oval shape, rather flattened at the top
and bottom, and is formed with ridges on the side which meet at the
top in one common centre. The color is yellowish until nearly
hatched, when it becomes darker, the young enclosed caterpillar
showing through the translucent shell. A single' boll-worm moth,
dissected by Dr. John Gamble, of Tallahassee, contained at least five
hundred eggs, which differed much from those of the cotton-caterpillar
moth, which are round and flattened like a turnip, of a beautiful
green color, and scarcely to be distinguished from the leaf on which
they are deposited. The eggs of the boll-worm moth hatched in
three or four days after being brought in from the field, and the
young worms soon commenced feeding upon the parenchyma, or ten-
der fleshy substance of the calyx, on the outside, near where the egg
was laid. When they had gained strength, they pierced through the
outer calyx, some through the petals into the enclosed flower-bud,
while others penetrated the boll itself. Sometimes the pistil and
stamens are found to be distorted and discolored, which is caused by
the young worm, when inside the bud, eating the stamens and injur-
ing the pistil, so that it is drawn over to one side. When this is the
case, the young worm bores through the bottom of the flower, into
the young boll, before the old corolla, pistil, and stamens fall off,
leaving the young boll, inner calyx, and outer calyx, or involucel,
still adhering to the foot-stalk, with the young worm safe in the
growing boll.
The number of buds destroyed by this worm is very great, as they
fall off when quite young, and are scarcely observed as they lie,
brown and withering, on the ground. The instinct of the caterpillar,
however, teaches it to forsake a bud or boll about to tall, and either
to seek another, or to fasten itself to a leaf, on which it remains until
the skin is shed ; it then attacks another bud or boll in a similar man-
ner, until, at length, it acquires size and strength sufficient to enable
it to bore into the nearly-matured bolls, which are entirely destroyed
by its punctures; for, if the interior is not devoured, the rain pene-
trates the boll, and the cotton soon becomes rotten and of no value.
The rotted bolls serve also for food and shelter to numerous small
insects, such as those already mentioned, and which have been errone-
ously accused of causing the rot. Whenever a young boll or bud is
seen with the involucre, or outer calyx, called by some the “ruffle,”
100
AGRICULTURAL REPORT.
spread open, it may be safely concluded that it has been attacked by
the worm, and will soon fall to the ground and perish. The older
bolls, however, remain on the plant; and, it many of the fallen buds
or bolls be closely examined, the greater portion of them will be
found to have been previously pierced by the worm, the tew excep-
tions being caused either by the minute punctures of some of the
plant-bugs, from rain, or other atmospheric influences. 1 hose injured
by the worm can be distinguished by a small hole on the outside
where it entered, and which, when cut open, will generally be found
partially filled with small fragments of fceces.
When very young, the boll-worm is able to suspend itself by a
thread, if blown or brushed from the boll or leaf on which it rested.
After changing its skin several times, and attaining its full size, the
caterpillar descends into the ground, where it makes a silky cocoon,
interwoven with particles of gravel and earth, m which it changes
into a bright chestnut-brown chrysalis. The worms, which entered
the ground in September and October, appeared as perfect moths
about the end of November. . ,
A boll-worm, which was bred from an egg found upon the mvolu-
cel, or ruffle of the flower-bud, grew to rather more than a twentieth
of an inch in length by the third day, when it shed its skin, having
eaten in the meantime nothing but the parenchyma, or tender, fleshy
substance from the outside. On the fifth day, it bored or pierced
through the outer calyx, and commenced feeding upon the mnci , and,
on the sixth day, it again slied its skin, and had increased to about
the tenth of an inch in length. On the tenth day, it again shed its
skin, ate the interior of the young flower-bud, and had grown much
larger. On the fourteenth day, it, for the fifth time, shed its skin, at-
tacked and ate into a young boll, and had increased to thirteen-
twentieths of an inch in length. From this time, it ate nothing but
the inside of the boll, and on the twentieth day the skin was again
shed, and it had grown to the length of an inch and one-tenth, but
unfortunately died before completing its final change.
These moths probably lay their eggs on some other plants when the
cotton is inaccessible, as a young boll-worm was found this season in
the corolla of the flower- of a squash, devouring the pistils and sta-
mens ; and, as there is a striking similarity between the boll-worm and
the corn-worm moth, described in the Agricultural Report for 1854,
in the appearance, food and habits, .alike in the caterpillar, chrysalis,
and perfect state, it will perhaps prove that the boll-worm may be
the voun< r of the corn-worm moth, and that the eggs are deposited
on the young boll, as the nearest substitute for green corn, and
placed upon them only when the corn has become too old and hard
for their food. , . . n , ■, ■,
Colonel B. A. Sorsby, of Columbus, in Georgia, lias bred both
these insects, and declares them to be the same; and, moreover, when,
according to his advice, the corn was carefully wormed on two or
three plantations, the boll-worms did not make their appearance
that season on thq cotton, notwithstanding that, on neighboring
plantations, they committed great ravages.
The worms, or caterpillars, have six pectoral, eight, ventral and
INSECTS.
101
two anal feet, and creep along with a gradual motion, quite unlike the
looping gait of the true cotton-caterpillar, and vary much in color and
markings, some being brown, while others are almost green. All are
more or less spotted with black, and slightly covered with short hairs.
These variations of color may perhaps he caused by the food of the
caterpillar. Some planters assert that, in the earlier part of the sea-
son, the green worms are found in the greatest number, while the
dark brown are seen later in the fall, as we know is the case with the
cotton-caterpillar.
The upper-wings of the moth are yellowish, in some specimens
having a shade of green, but in others of red. There is an irregular
dark band running across the wing, about an eighth of an inch from
the margin, and a crescent-shaped dark spot near the centre; several
dark spots, each enclosing a white mark, are also discovered on the
margin ; the under-wings are lighter colored, with a broad, black
border on the margin, and are also veined distinctly with the same
color. In the black border, however, there is a brownish-yellow spot,
of the same color as the rest of the under-wings, which is more dis-
tinct in some specimens than in others, but may always be plainly
perceived; there is also, in most specimens, a black mark or line in
the middle of the under-wings, on the ncrvure ; but, in some, it is very
indistinct.
These moths multiply very rapidly; for, as I have before observed,
one female moth sometimes contains five hundred eggs, which, if
hatched in safety, would rapidly infest a whole field, three genera-
tions being produced in the course of a year.
In an interesting communication from Colonel Benjamin F. Whit-
ner, of Tallahassee, he states that the boll-worm was scarcely known
in his neighborhood before the year 1841 ; and yet, in the short period
of fourteen years, it had increased to such a degree as to have be-
come one ot the greatest enemies to the cotton on several plantations
in that vicinity.
It has been recommended to light fires in various parts of the plan-
tations, at the season when the first moths of this insect make their
appearance, as they are attracted by light, and perish in great num-
bers in the flames; and, if the first brood of females be thus de-
stroyed, their numbers must necessarily be reduced, as it is highly
probable that it is the second and third generations which do the
principle damage to the crops. Some successful experiments in kill-
ing these moths with molasses and vinegar were made by Captain
Sorsby, a year or two ago, which I here describe in his own words:
“We procured eighteen common-sized dinner-plates, into each ot
which we put about half a gill of vinegar and molasses, previously
prepared in the proportion of four parts of the former to one of the
latter. These plates were set on small stakes, or poles, driven into the
ground in the cotton-fields, one to about each three acres, and reach-
ing a little above the cotton-plant, with a six-inch-square board tacked
on the top, to receive the plate. These arrangements were made in
the evening, soon after the flies had made their appearance. The
next morning we found from eighteen to thirty-five moths to each
plate." The experiment was continued for five or six days, distribut-
102
AGRICULTURAL REPORT.
ing the plates over the entire field, each day s success decreasing until
the number was reduced to two or three to each plate, when it was
abandoned as being no longer worthy of the trouble. The crop that
year was but very little injured by the boll-worm. The flies were
cavmht in their eagerness to feed upon the mixture, by alighting into
it and being unable to make their escape. They were doubtless at-
tracted by the odor of the preparation, the vinegar probably being an
important agent in the matter. As flies feed only at night, the plates
should be visited late every evening, the insects taken out, and the
vessels replenished, as circumstances may require. I have tried the
experiment with results equally satisfactory, and shall continue it
until a better one is adopted.” It might be well also to try the lan-
tern-trap before mentioned, as another means of destruction, and, like-
wise, the method of poisoning recommended in the general remarks
on insects. As it appears from Colonel Sorsby s communication that
the moth is attracted by, and feeds with avidity upon molasses and
vinegar, could not some tasteless and effective poison be mixed with
this liquid, so that all the early moths which might partake of it
would be destroyed before laying their eggs? . , ,
A long caterpillar, (PI. IX. fig. 5,) measuring from an inch and
three-fifths to an inch and nine-tenths in length, and with a thick
body is sometimes found in bolls of cotton in similai situations as
the boll-worm. It feeds likewise upon the leaf, and some specimens,
which were confined in a box, devoured green corn from the ear.
These insects vary much in color, some being ot a beautiful velvet-
black, while others are considerably lighter. The head of the cater-
pillar appears small for the bulky size of the body, and is black, with
two stripes of yellow, forming an angle on the front. On each side
of the back runs a longitudinal line, and below the spiracles is seen
another line of a reddish or ruddy color. The under part is of a
light-brown. It has six pectoral, eight ventral, and two anal legs,
and its mode of progression is by a gradual creeping, the same as the
boll-worm. , . . »
The chrysalides were formed under ground, in cocoons ot earth,
agglutinated with silk, and were about four-fifths of an inch in
length, and of a brownish color.
The moth measured an inch and three-tenths across the expanded
wind's • the upper pair were of a brownish color, marked on the mar-
gin with an irregular band of dirty cream-color, marked with black
spots on the extreme outer edge. In the centre of each wing was an
oblique line of the same color ; the body was brown ; the under-wings
of a dirty, yellowish-white, with a dark shade near where they touch
the upper-wings ; the antennal were threadlike.
The eg <r s producing these worms were found deposited in clusters in
September, and not singly, like those of the boll-worm The old
caterpillars are subject to a disease which often proves fatal ; and
hence it is difficult to raise them in confinement. When attacked,
they appear to bloat or swell very much, become full of a watery
pulp, suddenly cease to feed, and soon perish, when the outer skin
turns black, and the inside is found to be lull of a liquid, putrid mat-
t Perhaps, if they were not subject to this disease, these catei-
INSECTS.
103
pillars might do as mncli damage to the cotton as the boll-worm;
but, being generally not very numerous, they cannot do much injury.
The same remedies will do for these worms, or caterpillars, that
have been recommended for the boll-worm.
THE STRIPED PALE-GREEN CATERPILLAR.
There was another caterpillar (PI. IX. fig. 6) found feeding upon
the leaves of the cotton-plant, near Columbus, in Georgia, which
sometimes buried itself in the bolls, in the same manner as the boll-
worm. It was about an inch and a half in length, of a pale-green
color, with wavy, longitudinal stripes of a lighter color on the back,
and with a longitudinal black line running down each side, thicker
and darker on the fore part of the head. Under this was a broader
line, nearly white, tinged with light-red or reddish-brown. On each
side of every segment was a small black spot. It had six pectoral,
eight ventral, and two anal feet.
Most of these caterpillars were found about the 20th of October,
but, unfortunately, died before completing their final change. They
were not numerous on the plantations, and therefore could do but lit-
tle damage.
THE RED-BUG, OR COTTON-STAINER.
(. Lygceus ?)
This destructive insect is found by millions in East Florida, on the
cotton plantations, where it does immense damage by staining the
fibre of the cotton in the bolls, and rendering it unfit for use where
pure-white fabrics are required. The specimens figured (PI. IX. fig.
I) were found near Jacksonville, in October, on the open bolls, under
the dried calyx, and congregating together on the dead leaves under
the plants, or on rotten logs, or decayed wood. Several ot the open
bolls were actually red with these insects, exhibiting every stage of
growth, from the larva to the perfect bug, all clustered together in
such masses as almost to hide the white of the cotton itself. The
beak, or rostrum, is four-jointed, with the end blackish, and, when not
in use, is re-curved under the thorax, which is somewhat triangular
in shape, with the anterior part red ; a narrow, distinct band ot whitish-
yellow divides the thorax from the head ; the posterior part is black,
edged between the thorax and wing-cases with whitish-yellow ; the
scutellum is triangular, red, and edged with a distinct line of whitish-
yellow on each side, and partly down the centre of the wing-case ;
the elytra}, or wing-cases, are flat, brownish-black, and containing
two distinct x-shaped whitish-yellow lines on them, intersecting each
other near the centre; the wing-cases are also edged with a distinct
yellowish-line, as far as the x. The body is flattened, and, in the
female, projects on each side beyond the wing-cases, showing the
bright-red of the abdomen, and contrasting with the dark color of the
wing-cases. The under-wings, are hidden under the upper wing-
ea^es, and are transparent, veined, and of a yellowish color, clouded
104
AGRICULTURAL REPORT.
with black. The thighs of the fore-legs are somewhat spiny near
the tibiae, and of a red color. The tibiae and tarsi are black ; the
under part of the body is bright-red, with rings of yellowish-white
running around it, on the edge of each segment.
The female produces about one hundred eggs ; the young larva is
completely red, almost scarlet, with distinct whitish-yellow bands
around the body, on the edge of each segment. The thighs are red,
with the tibiae, tarsi, and antennae blackish.
The pupa differs only in size, and in having the unformed wing-
cases very small and black, contrasting strongly with the vivid red
of the body.
The perfect male is about three-fifths of an inch in length, and the
female about seven-tenths of an inch, from the head to the end of the
abdomen. They are similar in shape and color, differing only in
size. The head and eyes are red, the antennae black, with four long
joints.
The following communication on the subject of this insect was re-
ceived from Mr. B. Hopkins, of Jacksonville, a practical Sea-Island
planter, of nearly thirty years experience: —
“The ‘red-bugs,’ or, as they are sometimes properly denominated,
the ‘cotton-stainers,’ generally make their appearance about August,
or late in July, which is near the usual season for cotton to begin to
open. They can readily be distinguished from other bugs, harmloss
in their nature, by their being of a red color, and more sluggish in
their movements. The nearer the fruit advances towards maturity,
the more injury they do to the cotton. The pod, or boll, is perforated
by this bug. Whether the staining matter is imparted to the fibre
of the cotton during the perforation directly, or by a slow process dif-
fusing itself with the sap abounding at that time in the pod, is not
yet ascertained. I am of the latter opinion, from the fact that almost
the entire product of the boll is discolored when it opens, which does
not seem at all to cause a premature development. As winter ap-
proaches, they gradually retire, and take refuge among the logs, or
burrow into the soil at the root of the cotton-plant, where they hyber-
nate. After a wet season, in winter, they may be found in hundreds
on the sunny side of the stalks, enjoying the genial atmosphere, until
towards evening, when they again retire. They can be kept down very
easily, when there are not more than five acres planted to the hand.
“ I have been in the habit of offering a reward every night to the
negro that brings in the greatest quantity, each of whom is furnished
with a pint bottle suspended across the shoulders, into which, as they
pass along picking the cotton, they deposit all they can discover. In
many instances, I have seen the bottle filled by one negro in a day.
They may also be greatly reduced, by destroying them when they
come out in winter, in their half-torpid state ; a torch of fire in that
case is host. They may be buried a foot under ground, and most
of them will still escape from their inhumation. If there should be
stumps or trees in the fields, they should be burned, and that will
generally reduce the quantity for a year or more. In fact, when they
receive timely and proper attention, they need not be dreaded.
“ No process that 1 know of can extract the stain produced in the
INSECTS.
105
bolls ; it is indelible, and considerably reduces the price of the cotton
in the market. These insects have been much on the increase for the
last ten years, which I attribute to the excess in planting, as well as
the want of proper efforts for their destruction.”
It has been stated by other planters, that the fceces of the insect
produces the reddish or greenish stain, and that the red-bugs will col-
lect where there are splinters or fragments of sugar-cane. Advantage
has already been taken of this habit to collect them by means of small
chips of sugar-cane, when they may be destroyed by boiling water ;
and as they also collect around piles of cotton-seed, they may thus be
easily decoyed, and then killed, either by fire or hot water, when con-
gregated. All stumps and dead trees standing in the field should be
well burnt out. The experiment of destroying them by means of the
crushed sugar-cane and poison, has been tried ; but, as no report of
the experiment has been received, it remains doubtful whether it can
be recommended or not.
INSECTS FOUND IN THE COTTON-FIELDS— NOT INJURIOUS TO
THE CROP.
{Zanlhidia niceppe.)
There are many other insects found in cotton-fields, which are per-
fectly harmless to the plant, although the larvre of many of them
subsist upon the weeds which grow between the rows or around the
edges of the plantation.
Among these insects, we find butterflies, in general, one species
of which is frequently seen hanging over the ground by hundreds,
around moist and damp places. The caterpillar of this fly (PI. IX.
fig. 8) is of a deep-green, velvety appearance, with a yellowish lon-
gitudinal line running down each side. It was found upon the Cassia
marylandica, and measured an inch and one-fifth in length. The
chrysalis is greenish, with a very pointed head, and fastened to the
branch or leaf by the tail, and by a thread fastened at each side and
passed over its back.
This butterfly is about an inch and four-fifths across the expanded
wings, which are of an orange-color, with a broad, black border
around the edges.
THE ARGYNNIS COLUMBINA.
The caterpillar of another butterfly (PI. IX. fig. 9) is often found
on cotton-plants, where it has wandered from its natural food, which
consists of the wild passion-flower, so often found growing as a weed
amongst the crops. It is about an inch and two-fifths in length, of
a bright-chesnut color, with two longitudinal black stripes along the
sides, and a broken line of yellowish-white inside of each black
stripe ; it has also two long, projecting, black horns, or protuberances,
106
AGRICULTURAL REPORT.
on the first segment of the body. When about to change, it selects
a place under a leaf, branch, or fence, where it spins a small spot of
silk, to which it suspends itself by its hind-legs; the 6kin of the fore
part of the body then splits open, and the chrysalis makes its appear-
ance, also hanging suspended by means of several small hooks, with
which the end of the tail is furnished, and which, during the disen-
gagement of the skin, becomes entangled in the silk.
The chrysalis is about seven-tenths of an inch in length, of a pale,
whitish-green, containing black marks and brilliant metallic, golden
spots. These chrysalides, however, together with those of the great
American frittellary butterfly, are often destroyed by the larvas of a
small fly. „ , ,
The butterfly makes its appearance in summer in a tew days, and
measures from two inches and a half to three inches across the
expanded wings. It is of a bright chesnut-brown, barred and
spotted with black.
GREAT AMERICAN FRITTELLARY
( Agraulis vanilla.)
The caterpillar (PI. IX. fig. 10) of this butterfly is of a light chest-
nut-brown color, with a dark, longitudinal stripe down each side,
and is shaded with black below the spiracles. It measures about an
inch and a half in length, and is covered with sharp, thorny spines;
two spines are also found upon the top of its somewhat squaie-shaped
The chrysalis, which is shaded with brown and drab, is about an
inch and a tenth in length, and hangs suspended by the tail from
trees, shrubs, and fences.
The butterfly measures from two inches and three-fourths to three
inches and a fourth across the wings; the upper sides of which are of
a bright rich chesnut-brown, spotted and marked on the veins with
black. The under-side is beautifully marked with large, metallic,
silver spots. ANXS .
Whenever the plants are infested with cotton-lice, (aphides,)
myriads of small ants may be seen running hurriedly up and down
the stems and leaves, or leisurely moving amongst the lice, quietly
tapping first one and then another with their antennae, or feelers, and
occasionally making a dead halt where they find a sufficiency of this
insect food. Many planters suppose that these ants are the parents
of the lice; others again suspect them of destroying the aphis;
neither of which, however, is the case, as the ants merely visit the
colonies of lice to devour the sweet, gummy substance that exudes
from the tubercles on the bodies of the aphides, and which is com-
monly called “honey-dew,” from the erroneous impression that it is
formed in the atmosphere, and then deposited in the form of dew
upon the upper surface of leaves. This honey-dew, however, is a
sweet liquid, ejected from the anal tubercles of the cotton-louse, and
elaborated in its own body, from the sap which had previously been
INSECTS.
107
extracted from leaves or young shoots, and which, if not immediately
devoured hy the ants, is ejected by the plant-louse, and falls in drops
upon the upper portions of the leaves that are beneath, making them
appear as if varnished, or, if old, causing the places thus defiled to
he black and rusty, as if affected with a black mildew, or rust.
The ants feed voraciously upon this honey-dew, when fresh, and
cause the aphides to eject the substance at will, hy merely tapping
their abdomens with their antennae; the drop ejected is immediately
devoured by the ants, and other aphides are visited and subjected to
the same treatment, until the appetites of the ants are satisfied, when
they either loiter about the leaves or descend to their nests in the
ground. Ants are of utility in devouring any weak or disabled
insects they may encounter in their path, or in consuming any animal
substances which might otherwise contaminate the air.
Ants are generally divided into “males,” “females,” and “neuters.”
The males and females, at one stage of their growth, are furnished
with wings, which the female gnaws or casts off when about to form a
colony. The neuters afterwards form the general mass. There are
several varieties of the ant found in the cotton-fields, of very different
habits and appearance. The most numerous make a hole in the
earth, and form a sort of hillock around it, ot the grains of earth or
sand brought up from below the surface of the ground, and from this
nest they make excursions in every direction in search of food.
There is also another species: “red ants,” so called, but in reality
belonging to the family mutillidm. They are found singly upon the
ground in plantations, and sometimes measure half an inch in length.
Their color is a vivid, velvety-red and black. They are able to inflict
painful and severe wohmls with a long sting with which they are
provided. There are also three or four species of small ants, exceed-
ingly troublesome in some of the Southern houses, where they find
their way into pantries, closets, boxes or trunks, however closed, and
devour any eatable article which may tall in their way. . the ouly
means of preventing the ravages ot these insects is to isolate the
article to be preserved in a vessel of water, or to put all four of the
legs of the table, on which the articles may be placed, into vessels
filled with water.
The smaller ants, however, have a formidable enemy, the ant-lion,
which, in the larva state, forms a funnel-shaped hole in the sand,
near the ants’ nests, in the bottom of which it lies concealed, all
except its jaws, and waits with patience in this den for any ant that
may chance to pass along the treacherous path. The ant, suspecting
no harm, reaches the edge of the pit-fall, and, the loose sand giving
way, it is precipitated to the bottom, where the larva of the ant-lion
immediately seizes it with its jaws, and, after sucking out its juice,
casts the empty skin away. Should the unfortunate ant, however,
elude the first assault of the ant-lion, and endeavor to escape by
climbing up the steep sides of the funnel-shaped hole, the ant-lion
throws repeated showers of sand with such precision upon the unfor-
tunate victim that it very seldom fails to overwhelm and bring it
within reach of its jaws, when it is seized and its juices extracted as
above described.
108
AGRICULTURAL REPORT.
The perfect insect of the ant-lion much resembles the dragon-fly in
form and general appearance ; it is also furnished with four veined
wings, by means of which it is enabled to transport itself from place
to place. The antennse, however, are much longer, and the larvEe of
the dragon-fly are decidedly aquatic, instead of living upon the land,
like those of the ant-lion. /
INSECTS BENEFICIAL TO COTTON
SPIDERS.
Spiders, in cotton or grain-fields, are decidedly beneficial, inasmuch
as they wage perpetual war against other insects, and are incessantly
on the watch to catch and destroy all which, in their erratic flights,
happen to become entangled in their webs.
One spider makes a very singular nest for her young, of fine silk,
webbed up and closely woven together in the shape of a basket with
a round bottom, and most generally placed on or near the top of tire
cotton-plant. This basket is furnished with a cover fitting closely to
the top, and is filled with eggs. When the young spiders are hatch-
ed, they creep from under this cover, and eventually disperse over the
web, which is comparatively large and strong, and stretched from
plant to plant. The old female spider appears to brood over this
nest, displaying much maternal solicitude for the safety of her infant
progeny ; for, if forced away, she immediately returns, and will suf-
fer herself almost to be torn limb from limb, rather than desert her
precious charge.
The habits of the different species of spiders are very dissimilar ;
for, while some are almost entirely stationary all their life-time,
others are continually moving about, roaming from leaf to leaf, and
living entirely by hunting. Many spin their nets from plant to
plant, to entrap unwary insects, and generally stay quiotly at home
in comfortable webs, securely sheltered from the sun and rain, under
or between the leaves, waiting patiently for every stray moth that is
so unfortunate as to fly into their nets. With the fore-feet carefully
placed on aline leading to the radiating net-work, in order to feel the
tremulous motion imparted to it by the unavailing efforts of any cap-
tive insect to escape, the ant remains perfectly motionless until
some straggling fly happens to become entangled, when it imme-
diately rushes down the central line, and, after tying the limbs of its
unfortunate victim with a loose web of silk, in order to arrest its
struggles for life, deliberately gives it the death-wound, drags tlm
carcass to its den, and devours it at leisure. Other spiders hunt for
and capture their insect prey in a manner similar to that practised
by the cat. One of them at first approaches an unconscious victim
so gently as not to awaken its suspicion , at the same time taking ad-
vantage of every inequality of stem or leaf, in order to conceal itself,
until within springing distance, and then, jumping suddenly upon
its back, killing it with its powerful hooked fangs. It then sucks out
INSECTS.
109
the whole of its juices, leaving only the empty skin, to he blown
away by the wind.
Another description of a small spider, about the tenth of an inch
in length, of a light-drab color, with two or more dark spots on its
hack, was found very numerous inside of the involucre, or ruffle, of
the cotton-bloom, hud, and boll, where it is said to he useful to the
planter in destroying very young boll-worms. In many cases, where
the eggs of the boll-worm moth had been deposited and hatched out,
and the young worms had eaten through the outer calyx, and already
partially pierced a hole in the young bud, or boll, it was frequently
observed that no worm could he discovered inside ; hut upon opening
such a ruffle, this small spider was almost invariably found snugly en-
sconced in its web ; hence it was surmised that the young worm had
entered between the ruffle and the boll, or hud, and had been de-
stroyed by the spider, the nest of which was found in such situations.
As all spiders are in the habit of destroying small, noxious insects,
they may he regarded as beneficial, especially when the crops are
preyed upon by the larvae of very small flies, such as the wheat
midge, the Ilessian-fly, and many others. These insects, being con-
stantly on the wing, flying about from plant to plant, to deposit their
eggs, are very apt to become entangled in the webs, and to ho there
destroyed.
The spider itself, however, has enemies, one of which is the “mud-
wasp,” so called. This insect builds cells of clay in out-houses, and
under beams, or in other sheltered places. Their nests resemble
small pieces of mud thrown up against a roof or wall, when wet, and
afterwards dried by exposure to the air.
THE CAROLINA TIGER-BEETLE.
(Megacephela Carolina.)
This beetle (PI. X. fig. 1) belongs to the family, cicindeladre,
otherwise called “tiger-beetles,” from their savage propensities, and
the beautiful spots and stripes with which their metallic wing-cases
are adorned. These beetles are always hunting about the ground in
search of insect food. A smaller and darker species especially de-
lights in the glare and heat of the mid-day sun ; and, when disturb-
ed, flies only a short distance, alighting with its head directed towards
the object which has excited its alarm.
The larvae of the tiger-beetle inhabits cylindrical holes in the
earth, and, in these burrows, they wait patiently for any passing in-
sect that may he crawling about on the ground, which, when within
reach, is seized, dragged to the bottom of its subterranean den, and
there devoured at leisure. They are of a dirty-yellowish-white, and
are furnished with two hooks on the hack. In the Southern States,
they are often taken by the hoys, by means of a piece of grass or
straw, which being inserted into their dens, is seized by the insect in
its crooked jaws, and held with such tenacity that it will not let go
until, by means of a sudden jerk, it is brought to the surface of the
ground and secured.
no
AGRICULTURAL REPORT.
The Carolina tiger-beetle is about seven-tenths of an inch in length,
of a most beautiful metallic blue, violet, and green ; and, when placed
in certain positions, it assumes the lustre of bronze or gold. It may
also be known by a yellowish curved spot on the extremity of each
wing-case. It appears not to be so partial to the light of the sun as
some other species, but often conceals itself under stones. It is also
seen much more frequently in the cotton-fields during cloudy wea-
ther, or toward evening, than in a fervid mid-day sun.
THE PREDATORY BEETLE.
( Harpalus ?)
A beetle (PI. X. fig. 2,) belonging to the genus harpalus, is very
beneficial to the cotton-planter, inasmuch as its food consists princi-
pally of other insects, and of dead putrescent substances. Numbers
of them may be seen running about the surface of the ground in
search of food, and when disturbed, hide themselves under grass,
roots, or stones. The formation of their jaws is peculiarly adapted to
a predatory life. As they are very strong, and hooked at the ex-
tremity, they are enabled to seize and hold fast any soft-bodied in-
sect, which they generally kill and devour.
It should here be mentioned, however, that the larvae of an insect
of this species has been accused in Europe of feeding upon the pith
and stems of grasses and succulent roots, but at the same time it is
stated to feed also upon the larvae of other insects.
Another very similar insect, ( Zabrus gibbus,) both in the larva and
pupa state, is said to be injurious to wheat in Europe ; and although
the two last mentioned may be injurious to vegetation, yet, as a general
rule, the carabidae are carniverous, and destroy multitudes of insects,
in the larva, pupa, and perfect state.
THE DEVIL'S COACH-HORSE.
( Reduvius novenarius.)
This insect abounds (PI. X. fig. 3) in the city of Washington,
during the summer and autumnal months, and is very useful in de-
stroying the disgusting caterpillars which swarm on the shade-trees.
The eggs are deposited in autumn upon branches, and are hatched in
May or June. When young, the insects have abdomens of a bright-
red color, with some dark or black spots on their backs. The
head and thorax are black. When they shed their skins, they are
greyish in color, and display only the rudiments ol wings. It is only
in the last stage that they acquire perfect wings, when they are capa-
ble of flying with great vigor.
The perfect insect measures about an inch and a quarter in length.
It destroys multitudes of noxious insects, in every stage of their
growth, and is therefore highly beneficial ; but, at the same time, it
is dangerous to man, if handled incautiously, as the punctures
made by its piercer are often followed by severe consequences. When
about to attack another insect, it advances towards its prey with a
INSECTS.
Ill
most cautious and stealthy gait, lifting up and putting down its feet
apparently in the same careful manner as a pointer when approaching
his game. When near enough to make the fatal dart, it plunges its
piercer into the unfortunate caterpillar, and deliberately sucks out its
juices. A small specimen experimented with, was placed in a box
with ten caterpillars, all of which it destroyed in the space of five
hours.
THE ICHNEUMON FLY.
( Ichneumon ?)
An ichneumon-fly (PI. X. fig. 4) was found in the cotton-fields
near Columbus, in Georgia, busily employed in search of some cater-
pillar in the body of which to deposit its eggs, as is generally the
habit of this class of flies. The eggs being hatched within the cater-
pillar, the larvae devour the fatty substance, carefully avoiding all
the vital parts, until they are fully grown, when the caterpillar,
having in the mean time changed into a chrysalis, with the devour-
ing larvae in its interior, the life of its unresisting victim is destroyed,
and the grubs change into pupae, and eventually emerge from the
chrysalis skin, perfect ichneumon-flies, to deposit their eggs in other
caterpillars. . . „ , . ,
These insects are generally seen running about plants mlestecl with
caterpillars or worms, continually jerking their wings, and anxiously
searching in every cranny and crevice in quest of a subject, in winch
to form the nest and provide food for their young. _
The circumstance of this fly’s coming from the slnn, or case ot
the moth, or butterfly, is the cause of the mistakes so often made by
persons not well versed in natural history; for, when a caterpillar is
confined in a glass, and after the change to a chrysalis has taken
place, when the real moth is expected to come out, and this fly makes
its appearance, the young naturalist concludes, pf course, that the fly
is produced by the caterpillar; whereas, the rightful tenant of the
chrysalis-case had been previously displaced and devoured by the
larva of the ichneumon-fly, which was produced from an egg placed
by the parent fly in the body of the caterpillar. This fact is here
noticed in consequence of some drawings of insects injurious to cotton
having been sent to the Patent Office, among which an ichneumon-
fly was figured as proceeding from the chrysalis of a caterpillar . This
was correct, inasmuch as it was the parasite which had devoured the
chrysalis, hut not true, when intended to represent the perfect insect
as naturally proceeding from the caterpillar itself.
Some chrysalides of the cotton-caterpillar, which had been pre-
served during the autumn of 1855, as an experiment to try whether
they would live until the following spring, having been hatched out
prematurely by the heat of the room in which they were kept two
ichneumon-flies were produced of a slender shape, and about half an
inch in length; the abdomen, or body, of the female, was black, and
marked with seven light-colored, yellowish narrow rings around it ;
the head was black; with the eyes brown, the antennae long, jointed,
112
AGRICULTURAL REPORT.
and nearly black; on the head were three ocelli; the thorax was
black ; the wings transparent., of a rather yellowish tinge, veined
with black, and having a distinct black mark on the outer margin
of the upper pair ; the first joint of the hind-leg was comparatively
large, thick, and of a brownish color; the thighs were also brown;
the tibia;, black, with a broad white band in the middle; the tarsi
were white, tipped with black; and the ovipositor protruded more
than the tenth of an inch. The male presented much the same ap-
pearance as the female, but was more slender in form.
THE SMALLER ICHNEUMON-FLY.
( Ichneumon ?)
The ichneumon-fly, which destroys the aphis, or louse, so very
injurious to the cotton-plant, is a minute insect, not quite the twen-
tieth of an inch in length. The head and thorax are black, and the
legs and abdomen of a yellowish color. Although so extremely
6mall as to be unobserved, it is constantly engaged in exterminating
the cotton-lice, myriads of which it destroys by preying upon their
vitals. The female fly lays a single egg in the body of each louse,
which, -when hatched, becomes a grub. This grub devours the inte-
rior substance of the aphis, leaving only the grey and bloated skin
clinging to the leaf. This skin serves the young larva for a shelter,
where it remains until it changes into the perfect fly, when it emerges
from a hole gnawed through the back, and issues forth furnished
with four transparent wings, to recommence the beneficial labor of
depositing more eggs in the surrounding colonies of lice on the neigh-
boring plants.
The number of lice destroyed in this way can be more fully appre-
ciated by observing the multitude of empty grey and bloated skins,
more or less scattered over the cotton-plants infested, each skin hav-
ing a hole in the back through which the perfect fly has escaped.
THE SYRPIIUS.
The larva; of this syrphus (PL X. fig. 5) are found wherever
aphides, or plant-lice, abound, and present the appearance of small,
yellowish-white naked maggots, or grubs, of about a fifth of an inch
in length. Their color is brown, with six distinct yellow spots on the
first three segments of the body, and the sides are also marked on
the margin with yellow ; the body is somewhat hairy. The head is
armed with powerful jaws, and gradually tapers to a point, while the
tail terminates abruptly as if cut off.
The parent fly deposits her eggs amongst the lice, in order to
insure an adequate supply of food to each grub. These eggs are
soon hatched by the heat of the sun, and the young grub immedi-
ately commences crawling about the leaf; and, being blind, inces-
santly gropes and feels around on either side in search of cotton or
plant-lice, its natural food, one of which, being found by the touch,
is instantly seized, elevated above the surface of the leaf on which it
INSECTS.
11 ,
is quietly feeding, in order to prevent the struggling victim from
using its feet, or clinging to the leaf when endeavoring to escan^
from its voracious destroyer. After piercing the living
giu > eisuicly sucks out the juices, throws away the empty skin
and recommences feeling about in search of another, which when
found, is treated in the same way. When ready to i
syrphus maggot fastens itself to a leaf or stalk, by means of a ffluti
nous secretion from its own body, and, the outer skin contracting i nto
pCifisr rd “" s br “P 0 '”* 10 the
After a few days during the heat of summer, th'e perfect fly
emerges from a hole, at the blunt end of the case, to lay ers
amongst the colonies of lice on the neighboring plants. The perfect
fly is about seven-tenths of an inch across the wings which a?e two
in number and transparent. The body is generally Tore or less
nded with biown, or black and yellow, and appears like that of a
diminutive wasp. This fly has a 'peculiar habit !>f hoveling on the
ing, apparently without motion or exertion, during the heat of the
sStnpf -T T-rST’ and when ^fbed it darts away wSi great
SS ,V 11 ’ k the object that alarmed it is removed, it iramediatelv
esumes the same attitude and spot, only darting off every now and
Sor ^ i a n 8 ° me ° ther mtrudiD g Ay from its own peculiar domain
lk fflP ears „ t0 imagine it possesses absolute sway,
these insects are of essential aid to the farmers and planters as
vegetation! 6 dimi “ a ' ‘ l,C mm ' h ™ ° f "E K
THE LADY-BIRD.
( Coccinella f)
cotim? , 1 i l,1} r 1,ird A) i s a most valuable auxiliary to the
-p an ter, as it destroys the cotton-louse, or aphis, by thousands
“ d , 1S , m . ost f plentiful where they abound, always being busy at the
phmter. 8UCb ’ 1 ““ id “ “ - ° f «
.,i!: e ,}' MV ‘ d “ a small, bluish-black, alligator-looking insect of
« s *
days tli number nS 8 ’- v* P li t f F may sal ' ely calculate that in a few
) numbu of the lice will be greatly diminished The larva
htmah h v U e nS ?h?sT S an aphis \ and im inediately commences eating
until it has s!( r ( A VOry tv epaSt r H ' lng fi J nished > U eagerly hunts about
tu it lias seemed another victim, and thus completely destroys ill
^ , le f Who,, ihoat to change Z th? Z„, !{
a , J®“ 8 ^f elf b { tbe tai t0 a leaf; the skin of the back splitting open
poaranoo whfoh^hh ' »™”Se-colorcd ,„„,a Lkos^Kpl
Lrrii i n gh furnished with the rudiments of wings and
the ieaf with tS f ■ I ° como ^ u ^“g, but remains adhering to
of the uuna After S - km .° f tbe Iarva 8ti11 stk ' kia S to the end
lg pa ' Aftei remaining in this state for a few days, this skin
114
AGRICULTURAL REPORT.
ao-ain splits and the perfect lady-bird emerges, furnished at first with
gol't wiims, but which afterwards harden, and serve to transport it tc
the distant colonies of cotton-lice, in the midst of which the eggs aie
ao-ain denosited to form new broods for the destruction of the plant-
ers’ oreate'st pest. The perfect lady-bird also devours aphides, but
not in such numbers as their larvae, in which state it aiso destroys the
chrysalis of the butterfly, (Argynms columlnna,) seen so
cotton-fields. I have repeatedly observed them m Geor gia killing the
chrysalides of this butterfly, which hung suspended from the fenc^
rails and on the under side of the boughs of trees and shrubs. It
appears to attack the chrysalis chiefly when soft, and just emerged
from the caterpillar-skin. It is in this state that these wandering
larvae attack it, and, biting a hole in the skin, feed greedily upon the
green juice which exudes from the wound Sometimes i liow evei it
becomes a victim to its own rapacity ; for the juice of ^ dirysahs,
drying up by the heat of the sun, quickly forms an adhesive sub
stance" in which the larva is caught, and thus detamed until it pcr-
ishes. Indeed, so very voracious are these larvae, that they will even
devour the defenceless pupae of their own species, when found adher-
m Man}^ plantersimagine that these lady-birds are in some mysterious
manner connected with the appearane^ . of the cottondouseoreven
that they are the progenitors of the aphis itself. T his enoneous 1 m
pressionls formed 1 in consequence of these insects being alwaysfound
In similar situations at the same time, and abounding on piants al^
ready weakened by the attacks of the cotton-louse Then sudden
disappearance is also accounted for, as, with the de. crease of then
natural food, the lady-birds also disappear and migrate to > nei 0 hhor g
plantations, in search of a fresh supply of nutriment I have aetuall/
known several planters who have caused them to he destroyed by then-
field hands, when and wherever found, and who complained ^at their
plants were still destroyed by the aphis, or cotton-iouse. This was
only to be expected, as they had destroyed the natural enemy of the
louse, and suffered the pests themselves to breed in peace and ^safety.
I have seen the larvae of the lady-bird as late as the .18th of Novem
her in Georgia, still busy exterminating the aphis. The yello ,
oleaginous fluid, which is emitted by this insect when handled lias a
powerful and disagreeable odor, and is mentioned by Westwood , ™
his “Modern Classification of Insects,’ as having been recommended
as a specific for the tooth-ache. . . . .
It may be remarked, however, that there is a much larger species
of this insect which does considerable damage to the ^aves of cucum-
bers, melons, squashes, &c., as both larval and I*e^ ;nsect devom
the leaves and eat holes in them, so as sometimes totally to disfi^u
^The perfect insect measures nearly half an inch in , le “ gt .g’ J^the
of a yellow color, with twelve large and small black spots on
wing-Iases, and four small black spots on the thorax; it can be very
easily distinguished, however, from its beneficial congener both by
size and color, the useful lady-bird being only about the sixth or the
seventh of an inch in length, and of a bright-red, or almost scarlet
INSECTS.
115
color, with black spots, while the injurious insect is much larger
measuring nearly half an inch in length, and being of a light-yellow
color, spotted with black.
THE LACE-WING FLY.
4
(Hemerobius ?)
The larva of the lace-wing fly (PI. X. fig. 7) is furnished with
two long and sharp jaws, by means of which it seizes the cotton-louse
and in a few minutes sucks out the juices, leaving merely the white’
dried skins, to show where it once commits its ravages The e^gs
are very singularly placed at the end of a thread-like filament, fast-
ened to the under side of the leaf, and are generally deposited near a
colony o t lice, in clusters of a dozen or more together, causing them
to appear to the casual observer like a bunch of fungi. The ego-s
being batched in the midst of the cotton-lice, the young larvm com-
mence their work of extermination, seizing the younger lice in their
jaws, and holding them in the air, and in despite of their struggles
suclung out the juices, and finally throwing away the empty skins'
I he larvae of this insect are not quite a fifth of an inch in length
and are furnished with a sort of apparatus at the extremity of their
tails by means of which they are capable of adhering to a leaf, even
when all their feet are detached, thus being guarded against accidental
falls during high winds, that might otherwise destroy them. When
ready to change a thread is spun from the tail, and, often forming a
rough sort of cob-web, the insect spins a semi-transparent, ovoid co-
coon, from which it emerges as a beautiful, bright-green fly, with two
lilliant eyes, which sparkle like gold, and four transparent wings
0 a greenish cast, delicately veined, and netted with nerves resem-
j 1 e beautiful lace-work; and hence the common name
1 lis splendid insect, however, emits a most nauseous and fetid odor
when held in the hand.
INSECTS INJURIOUS AND BENEFICIAL TO THE ORANGE-TREE.
THE ORANGE-SCALE.
(Coccus?)
The insect which has been so destructive to the once flourishing
orange-groves of Florida presents the appearance of a minute, na£
row, elongated scale, (PI. X. fig. 8,) with a narrow, semi-transparent,
whitish margin. That of the female resembles one of the valves of
a long muscle-shell, in shape, and adheres closely to the leaf or branch
on which it is fixed, and is apparently formed by successive semi-cir-
cular layers added from time to time. When fully grown, it mea-
sures about the tenth of an inch in length, by about the fortieth par*
of an inch in breadth, at the broadest part.
116
AGRICULTURAL REPORT.
The young insects are produced from eggs deposited by the female
under the broader end of the outer case, or shell; and, when first
hatched, are furnished with six legs, by means of which they escape
from under the maternal shelter, which is somewhat elevated from the
leaf, at the hinder part, to allow the egress of the young, which are.
extremely small, and appear in numbers, like minute, yellowish specks
upon the leaf; hut, if magnified, the six legs, two antennae, and two
short bristles, at the end of the abdomen, can be plainly distinguished.
The body is of a pale-yellowish color, and divided into segments.
When tired of rambling, and having arrived at a suitable place
for feeding, the cocci fix themselves to the leaf, or branch, for life.
A light-colored, semi-transparent film, or case, with two projecting
points at the narrow end, is soon formed over the young insect, and
under this thin scale, it may at first be plainly perceived. The scale
gradually increases in size, and becomes more opaque and brown,
until the shell of the female attains its full growth, at which time it
measures about the tenth of an inch in length. It the large scales
are taken from the leaf, the female larva, or worm, may be seen m the
ooncavity of the scale, in the same manner as an oyster or muscle,
rather in the concave valve of its shell. This grub is of a yellowish,
or sometimes pink color. The case itself, when turned upside down,
appears to have a narrow margin of a whitish, or semi-transparent
substance, where it had adhered to the leaf; a flat flap, or wmg,
extends on each side from the head, or narrowest end, at least two-
tliirds down the shell. This appears also to have adhered to the leaf.
A longitudinal opening is left between the two projecting pieces,
where°the naked body of the grub may be seen. The end, towards
the thicker extremity, is often vacant until filled with eggs, which,
in color, are yellowish or pink. The head of the grub is placed
towards the narrow part of the scale, and a piercer, or thread-like
filament, proceeds from the under part of the breast, by means of
which it sucks the juices from the plant. It the scale is gently ie-
moved from the leaf, it will often be found to hang to it by means of
this thread-like piercer.
When the female commences to lay her eggs, under the shelter ot
the scale, they appear to be deposited in parallel rows on each side ;
but it is difficult to ascertain their number correctly. As many as
twenty or thirty, however, have been counted in one female scale. I he
female decreases in size in proportion to the number of eggs laid, and
finally after having deposited all under the scale, she dies and dues
away in the smaller end, with the case still adhering to the leaf.
The scale of the male is much smaller than that of the female. The
grub inside, after changing into a pupa, of a yellow color, with rudi-
ments of wings, legs, and antennae, eventually emerges from the case
a perfect two-winged fly, so extremely minute as to be scarcely per-
ceptible to the naked eye.
The head of the perfect fly is small, rounded, and furnished with
two comparatively long, jointed, and somewhat hairy or bristly an-
temiue ; the thorax is very large; it has six short legs, and two large,
transparent wings, in which are two nervure. The body is short,
in comparison with the thorax, and has a long point, curved down-
INSECTS.
117
wards at the extremity of the abdomen, which is somewhat hairy It
is said of some of the coccus tribe that the males escape backwards
from the shell, or case, with the wings extended flatly over the head
Mr. Browne in his work on the “Trees of America, 1 ’ states that
„ this insect first made its appearance in Florida, in Robinson’s
Grove, at Mandarin, on the St. John’s, in 1838, on some trees of the
Mandarin orange, which had been procured in New York. In the
course of three 0 r four years, they spread to the neighboring planta-
tions, to the distance of ten miles, and were the most rapid in their
migrations in the direction of the prevailing winds, which evidently
aided them m their movements. In 1840, Mr. P. S. Smith of St.
Augustine, obtained some orange trees from Mandarin, and had them
planted in his front yard. From these trees, the insects went to
others in the same enclosure, and rapidly extended themselves to the
trees and plantations to the northerly and westerly parts of that city
and its vicinity obviously aided in their migration by the south-east
tiade-winds, which blow there almost daily during summer ; and
what is remarkable, these insects were occupied nearly three years
in reaching trees in the south-east side of the city, only about
half a mile from their original point of attack. They have since
however, extended themselves to all the trees in and about the city’
but have not yet travelled in any direction beyond ten miles Being
aided in their dispersion by birds, and other natural causes, impossi-
ble to guard against, they must eventually attack most if not all the
trees in Honda; for the wild-orange groves suffer equally with those
which have been cultivated, and no difference can be perceived in
their ravages between old and young trees, nor between vigorous and
decayed ones. Various remedies have been tried to arrest their pro-
guess, such as fumigating the trees witli tobacco-smoke, covering
them with soap, lime, potash, sulphur, shellac, glue, and other viscid
and tenacious substances, mixed with clay, quick-lime, salt, etc. ; but
all have failed, partial ly*or entirely, and it appears not to be in the
power of man to prevent the ravages of these insignificant and insidi-
ous destroyers.”
The above remarks were first published in 1846, and at the present
0 8y 5,) the disease appears to have spread over the greater part
of l’loiula, as was anticipated. Several other remedies have been
proposed, one of which was earnestly recommended the past season.
1 us consisted of a wash, composed of a gallon of water, a gallon of
whiskey, and four ounces of aloes. Many contradictory reports as to
the efficacy ol this mixture have been received, some stating that it
completely succeeded, while others contend that it was an entire fail-
ure, or merely destroying the first brood of insects already on the
tiee. It the latter should be the case, it might perhaps prove more
effectual if the tree were well washed and syringed, every two or three
weeks, as long as no perfect eggs remained upon the dried-up skin or
shells of the (lead female, to produce new generations, as, perhaps
these eggs might not be affected by the wash which was strong enough
to destroy the life of the perfect insect. It would also be advisable to
syringe the trees from time to time, even when very few insects can
AGRICULTURAL REPORT.
11s
be discovered on the branches or leaves, as the young cocci are so
minute as to be almost invisible to the naked eye.
The plan of highly cultivating and enriching the soil has also been
much recommended, as promoting a healthy, vigorous growth, and.
strengthening the constitution of the tree, so that it is better enabled
to withstand the attacks of these foes. Grease from fat bacon, rubbed
on the trunk and main branches, or the rind or outside thick skin,
placed in the fork of the branches, where the fat and salt may run
down the main stem, is said by one person to have been of much
benefit ; but others, who tried this plan, assert that the trees were
killed in consequence of the application. In fact, so many different
remedies have been recommended, and so many contradictory reports
triven of the results, that it will not be prudent to place reliance upon
any of them, until a regular series of experiments shall have been
instituted with the various mixtures, upon trees of the same age and
strength, in different soils and localities, and a faithful report given
as to the success or failure— bearing always in mind, however, that
although the old scale insect may be destroyed, yet millions of eggs
may remain unhatched under the sheltering scales, waiting only for a
few days’ genial sunshine to hatch and spread over the tree, which,
perhaps, may have been washed in the meantime by heavy rains, so
as not to leave a vestige of the mixture remaining to prevent the
young from fixing themselves, ad libitum, when they first emerge
from the sheltering scale.
Another kind of scale insect (coccus) is also found upon the
orange-trees, which measures about the tenth of an inch when fully
grown, and is of a much more oval form than that already described.
The young cocci were of a yellowish-white color, and bad the head
and thorax somewhat defined by indentations on the sides, and marks
on the scale itself. They are furnished with two antennas, and had
six legs, by means of which they moved about the leaf until they
found a place suited to their taste, when the} immediately fixed their
piercers in a leaf or branch, and became coated with a scale-like cov-
ering, which appeared to adhere to the surface of the place where it
was fixed ; and here they remained motionless the remainder of their
lives.
This description applies to the female coccus alone, as the males
were not discovered ; but doubtless they resemble the species already
described, in being provided with wings, as well as in general habits.
As the female scale becomes older, it gradually assumes a brownish-
black appearance, having a somewhat lighter colored margin. This
coccus appears to be peculiarly subject to the attacks of paiasitical
insects, which serve materially to check its increase. Many of the
scales were observed in September to be punctured with smalt holes
in their backs, made no doubt by small parasitical flies, which had
devoured the original tenant of the scale. One of the flies which
came out of these scales measured about the twentieth of an inch in
length ; the body and thorax were of a metallic green color ; the eyes
black, and the legs of a brownish color ; the four wings were trans-
parent, and the antennse jointed and hairy.
INSECTS.
119
Another hymenopterous fly came out of the dead scales, which also
measured about the twentieth part of an inch in length, the thorax
and first segment of the body being light-brown, with the rest of the
abdomen blackish and hairy ; the head was furnished with three ocelli ;
the four wings were transparent, and the antennm long, jointed, and
hairy. These parasitical flies no doubt do much good in lessening
the numbers of this kind of coccus ; as, although breeding in similar
situations, and with apparently as good a chance to multiply as the
others, it was not found to be nearly so numerous as the scale insect
first mentioned. This may perhaps be attributed to the attacks of
these flies, as hundreds of dried-up scales were seen with large holes
■n their backs, and the contents eaten out as above described.
While on the subject of the orange-scale insect, it may be as
well to mention that some time last year (1855) another coccus
was imported into Jacksonville, Florida, on some lemons sent from
Bermuda ; and, as they may perhaps spread in the vicinity, it would
be well to draw attention to the insect, and describe it as far as known.
The length of the full-grown female scale is rather more than the
twentieth of an inch ; it is somewhat pear-shaped, and of a brown
color ; the grub is of a reddish-yellow, and furnished with a piercer
from its breast, like the coccus first described ; the young have two
antennae, six legs, and two long hairs, or bristles, at the end of the
body. The male scale is not so large as the female, and is formed of
a white, cottony or parchment-looking substance, constituting a case,
with an elevated and rounded ridge in the centre, in which a reddish
l>upa was found. The mouth of this case was stopped up with a dark-
looking substance, apparently the cast-skin of the larva. The male
larva is reddish in color, and measures not more than the fortieth of
an inch in length. The perfect fly is also red, and is furnished with
two hairy antennas, six legs, and has the thorax very large. The
two wings are transparent, and the end of the body is furnished with
a curved, hard projection. As it is very probable that this insect
will increase, it would be well to note any progress it may make dur-
ing the ensuing year, and to use the remedies suggested in the first
article on the coccus of the orange.
There are also found on the orange-trees numbers of small mites,
which have frequently been mistaken for the young cocci ; but they
may be very easily distinguished, by their activity from the young
scale insects, which crawl about very slowly. The mites have eight
hairy legs, somewhat like those of minute spiders, and are mostly of
a yellowish color, although some are also found of a delicate pink
hue. They are generally seen briskly running among the stationary
cocci, and may often be found concealed under the old scales ; but,
whether they do any harm to the tree, or merely feed upon the dead
or dying cocci, has not yet been satisfactorily ascertained.
The pupa of a parasitical fly was found under the scale of one of
the cocci ; the head, wings, anteniue, and legs were perfectly formed
as in the ichneumon-flies ; the eyes were comparatively large and
brown, and the rest of the body of a whitish-yellow. The perfect
fly could not be recognised, however, as the pupa died without
changing.
120
AGRICULTURAL REPORT.
BEES, WAX, AND HONEY.
BEE-CULTURE IN RUSSIA.
The rearing of bees is extensively carried on in the several parts
of European Russia, particularly in the central and southern gov-
ernments, as well as in the Polish and in the trans-Caucasian pro-
vinces. This insect acclimatises up to a very high latitude, even in Si-
beria. It was long thought that the climate of the latter country
was utterly unsuitable for the rearing of bees ; but experiments made
at the commencement of the present century in the governments of
Tomsk, Omsk, and Jenisseisk have proved the contrary. It lias
greatly suffered, however, in some provinces, from the destruction of
the forests ; for the bee prefers well wooded districts, where it is pro-
tected from the wind. The honey procured from the linden tree
(Tilia europcea) is only obtained at the little town of Ivowno, on the
river Niemen, in Lithuania, which is surrounded by an extensive for-
est of these trees, and where the rearing occupies the principal at-
tention of the inhabitants. The Jews of Poland furnish a close imi-
tation of this honey, by bleaching the common kinds in the open air
during frosty weather.
The ceremonies of the Greek church, requiring a large consump-
tion of wax candles, greatly favor this branch of rural economy in
Russia, and preserve it from the decline to which it is exposed in
other countries, from the increasing use of stearine, oil, gas, and other
fluids for illuminating purposes. The peasants produce wax so
cheaply that, notwithstanding the consumption of this article has
greatly diminished abroad, it still continues to form an important
item of the commerce of the country ; but the exportation of honey
has considerably increased in consequence of the extended use of potato
syrup, which has also injured the honey trade in the interior.
The rearing of bees is now almost exclusively dependent on the
manufacture of candles for religious ceremonies, and on the consump-
tion of honey during Lent, it being then used instead of sugar, by the
strict observers of the fasts. The government encourages this branch
of rural industry, as affording to the peasant an extra source of in-
come and has adopted various measures for the accomplishment of
this end. With the view of diffusing the requisite knowledge among
the people of the public domains, bee-hives, and a course of practical
instruction upon the subject of bee-culture, have been established at
several of the crown farms, and pupils are sent every year, at the ex-
pense of the government, to the special school in Tschernigow,
founded for the purpose, in 1828. After having finished their studies,
the pupils, quitting this establishment, may become teachers in the
schools dependent on the Ministry of Domains, or carry on the busi-
ness of teaching on their own account. They enjoy a temporary ex-
emption from military service ; and such of them as wish to establish
hives for themselves obtain loans for the purpose from the Depart-
ment of Rural Economy. By way of further encouragement, the
mSECTS.
121
Ministry of Domains has granted permission to the peasants to estab-
lish hives in the crown forests, under the precautions necessary to
prevent the occurrence of conflagrations.
The total production of wax in Russia is estimated at 5,412,000
pounds per annum ; and, as the usual calculation is three pounds of
honey to one of wax, this supposes a production of 16,236,000 pounds
of honey, the whole being valved at $2,250,000. d. j. b.
CONDENSED C O REE SP O ND E N CE .
Statement of Henry Eddy, of North Bridgewater, Plymouth county,
Massachusetts.
1 have had much experience in the production of “artificial colo-
nies,” and also in what is termed the “non-swarming” system of
bees. But I have abandoned both, and am satisfied that the bees
know the best time and mode of conducting their colonisation. I do
not feed my bees with the expectation of obtaining thereby surplus
honey for market ; for no one receives back the amount he thus feeds,
and what he does receive, is not much changed nor improved. I
adopt the natural system of swarming, destroy no bees, but keep
them alive and at work ; and, if I have any advantage over others, it
consists in placing them in circumstances under which full scope is
given to their instincts. My profits from bee culture seldom fail
from the loss of colonies in winter, or by depredations of the bee-
moth at other seasons. By the mode I pursue, certain swarms are
made to pay, in the increase of stock and honey, a profit of 100 per-
cent., while others give from 500 to 600 per cent. The average profit
upon my entire stock, for several years, has been 327 per cent, per
annum. I accomplish this by the use of a hive of my own
construction.
My surplus honey sells readily in market for 25 cents a pound.
i
122
AGRICULTURAL REPORT.
IMPROVEMENT OF LAND.
ON THE DRAINAGE OF HAARLEM LAKE, WITH SUG-
GESTIONS ON ITS APPLICABILITY TO OVERFLOWED
LANDS IN THE UNITED STATES.
Thrift and plenty are the ideas we ever associate with the name of
the Netherlands. Placed in a situation in which the exercise of in-
dustry, perseverance, prudence, and economy is essential to their very
existence, the people of the “Low Countries” cheerfully obey the
beneficient command to labor ; and such are the fruits of their will-
ingness to toil, that the rest of the world behold them with wonder
and admiration.
From the middle of Belgium, a few miles north of Brussels, the
country north-eastwardly becomes almost entirely a dead level, ex-
tending in monotonous sandy and peaty flats through Hanover, J ut-
land, Holstein, and, with little interruption, through Prussia into
Russia. But the lowest part of this immense region, and that which
has most recently emerged from the sea, is undoubtedly the country
lying between the mouths of the Scheldt and the Ems ; within this dis-
tance the Rhine, joined by the Meuse, Yssel, and other rivers, enters
the sea, through a number of arms, and sluggish winding channels,
which by no means represent the magnitude of their main streams as
they appear higher up. The delta of the Rhine may be conceived to
have been in early ages subject to perpetual changes of form, as new
mud-banks were deposited, blocking up the old channels, and lead-
ing to the formation of new ones. Besides, it is obvious that the
river, in forming a domain of alluvial deposits had to contend with
the sea, which washed away the accumulations of mud, or covered
them with sand, according to the vicissitudes of the seasons. The
soil of the Netherlands shows everywhere the proofs of this struggle
between the billows of the ocean and the river floods, in the alterna-
tion of salt and fresh water deposits. It also hears evidence to the
fact, that these changes, effected by the inundations of the Rhine, or
by encroachments of the sea, occurred frequently, long after the
country had become inhabited. Remains of forests now lie buried
under the waves of the German ocean ', paved roads and traces of
villages and of cultivation are found beneath the morasses on the
banks of the Ems, and many similar proofs exist of great physical
changes, respecting which history is silent.
For the purpose of securing the permanence of. their territorial pos-
sessions, the early occupants of this country had recourse to dikes,
or embankments, high and strong enough to protect them under or-
dinary circumstances from the tides ; and, placing wind-mills on these
PL IV.
MALE CASHMERE GOAT.
The property of Richard Peters, of Atlanta, Georgia, imported in 1849 from Turkey, in Asia, by J. B. Davis, M.D.,
ot South Carolina. Live weight 155 pounds. Weight of yearly fleece 7 pounds.
PI. V.
FEMALE CASHMERE GOAT.
The property of Richard Peters, of Atlanta, Georgia, imported in 1849 from Turkey, in Asia, by J. B. Davis, M.D.,
of South Carolina. Live weight 102 pounds. Weight of yearly fleece 4 1*4 pounds.
Magnified,
Natural size* Magnified*
P1.V1II.
Magnified.
I
V
fry
%
FRAGILE
DOES NOT
CIRCULATE
'HfiU
«]|§
|
Kp-sV J
WjA ► r ’ ..
?rj«
"■ 9
f
Live Music Archive
Librivox Free Audio
Metropolitan Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Internet Arcade
Console Living Room
Books to Borrow
Open Library
TV News
Understanding 9/11