Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1857-07-29
COM m u MICA r 10 N S.
For the Advertiser.


awakened up to the Importance Of the Bill Bug Or
Corn Borer, so commonly called the bud worm,
for am convinced when such men as my friend
Col. @. has been properly aroused to such an in-
portant subject as that of the origin of the Bill
Bug something beneficial to the planting interest
must inevitably be the result.
But my friend has not gone quite far enough in
his examinations into the history of the Bill Bug,
for he says I found from bottom to top of the
weed in which were deposited eggs and young
worms-thc worms in full shape being near the
the root And again he says, "Those Eggs, l
suppose, were deposited by kind of'fy." Thus
it goes to show that my friend Col Q. is somewhat
in the dark yet in regard to the origin and history
of the insect, that has done so much damage to
the young corn In order to set him right on the
" Bud Worm," so enormously called (for there is
nothing as "Bud Worm, such and all others who
may take an interest in an Investigation of this
great and important subject, will give portion
of my experience and Investigations i'll the matter
to which have given much concern.
But before enter upon that portion of my sub
icct, and to show that do not stand alone, allow
nc to give to your many readers short history of
the Bill Bug or Corn Borer from our worthy Scna-
tor, Judge EvANs: The insect Bill Bug or Corn
Borcr is from four TO six tenths of an inch in length,
and of a reddish brown or reddish black color
the head is furnished with long trunk or bill,
hence its common name. 1t is very destructive to
corn in many parts of the South and South West,
and brought here for examination by Senator
EVANS. lie states it is very injurious to the crops
on the Pedec River lie says the perfect insect
cuts into the stalk of the corn either below or just
at the surface of the ground, where it deposits its
eggs After changing into grub, the insect re-
mains in the stalk, dcvourng the substance until
it transforms into the proper statc which occurs i'll
the same cavity in the stalk occupied by the grub.
It makes its appearance the following spring in the
perfect statc again to deposit its eggs at the foot
of the young corn plants. These insects destroy
the main stem or shoots thus causing suckers to
sprng up which usually produce no grain, or il
any, of very inferior quality to that of the gcnc-
al yield Swamp lands or low grounds are the
places most generally attacked. And again, he
saws, at the same time the plant they inlcst
should he discovered and also destroyed. 1t
shows plainly that the Senator was convinced that
they infcst somo other plant except the corn, but
T -Ttyn 0r1gTII:
In the spring of 1856, was led to the cxamina-
ton and investigation Of this insect by discovering
number Of small holes or cavities in almost every
old stalk of the Rag or Carrot weed during the
process of sowing my oat crop, and also in the
breaking up OF my stubic lands. Undermined then
to watch through the coming season to sec what
had made these numerous holes or cavities in the
dry weeds About the middle of May discovered
! in small Rag weed which had grown to the
height of about four inches a small puncturc near
the top Icxamincd it carefully and found it con-
tanned small yellow egg, something smaller than
small mustard sccl I then kept up strictcr
watch than ever to sec what kind Of an insect had
deposited the eggs, for as the weeds became more
numerous the more plenty were the eggs to be
found. l began ut one time TO believe that the
cggs must be deposited in the night timc as could
make no discovery of the insect. But as the sea-
son advanced, and they became more plenty, their
whereabouts could very easily bc detected could
ind them all through the day depositing their eggs
in the tender stem Of the Rag weed, which they
do by making 4 small incision with their long bills.
After the egg has been dcposite twowceks or less,
it is hatchcd into a small worm or grub. 1t there
assumes different transformation befOreit becomes
the usual bug which it docs in the same cavity Of
the stalk, where the egg was deposited. Here
much differ with our worthy Senator. He believes
that the eggs were deposited in the stalk of the
corn about or near tho surface of the ground l
have examined great number Of stalks and found
that puncturc hole is made just below the sur
face of tho ground and about half an inch above
the old grub In this they 80 for tho purpose of
food corn is Of course about the first vegetation up
at this season, and is generally very luxuriant and
sappy, and consequently affords fine succor for
the bugs that have been kept in the cavity Of the
old weed during the whole wintcr-and wlicn the
Spring has become warm they cut themselves out
of the old stalk or weed, many OF which arc al
ready plowcd into ground They are then ready
to commence their dcprclatioilS upon the young
corn.
am well pleased with Col. Qs. advice to tic
farmers to avail themselves of an carly opportur
ty of destroying these very troublesome weeds
forthwith, for believe with him. that in destroy
ing the weeds we will save much labor and save !
corn. But would have been better pleased with
our friend q. if he had given his plan destroying
the weeds moro definitely.
Durinu the last summer and fall | made some |
little prccntons to destroying these pests for am
thoroughly of the opinion that if these weeds were
destroyed the Bill Bug would cease to cxist at ALL |
BIT if the farmers generally would take hold of
this matter and become as deeply interested as the
as tho case actually requires, these weeds and bugs
would at once bc cradicatcd. My mode for their
destruction is, TO commence about the last of
August to turn tic land under with alargc turning
plow, just before seeding time of the weeds. And
the plan is to cut them down in your stublc fields
with grass blades which answer very good pur-
pose. But like the former bcst-thc land is left
in better condition for the next crop
found this spring very perceptbo decrease
Of weeds, and also tic bugs both, where turned
the land over in August last-and also, where l
cut them down with blades. In laying by the
crop, require the hands to trim down all the hedge
rows dtchcs and branch banks, as they finish the
crop. By these modcs if pcrscvcred in, the plan
,,, o,,, III of