Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1861-10-04
rum the Rnfal New y,rker.
"The White Grub"

DE,R MOoRE II have to-day had an op-
pariunity To examine whs, is here called
" The White Grub" and its work. This
grub has been described to the as being iirn
teal with the grub "we boy. used TO i'm
pale on our G,h.hooks when we went fsh-
in:. but confess I 40 no, identify il as
the .ime with which | was acquainted.
Tha, vas gray grub. Thi. i. from ono
and = quarter % one aud half inches long,
with yellow "a chrome yellovl head.
six le:. Immediately hack Of the head, which
propel the body. dragging the rear par, az
ter t. These leg, are used to eScaya,c the
hole. in the earth in which they bury them
selves, eating the root. Of the heritage en-.
ilrcly clean, The grub Is ,riis immediately
back OF the bead sni halt the body. termi.
patins IN the rear with gray or diri-color.
in some instances nearly black. lti'spnr'e.
" covered With hairs. ligh, eolored. | am
not acquainted with IL, and ins.mueh A. |
propose 20 send you specimens. wall not an
deriake critical description. l have no
mean. at hand Tor iien,iiyins 1t, and will
therefore SIMPLY tell you what "a, ia dong
here.
On my way biihcr from Danby Station,
on the Chicago and G,lenl Union Railroad.
IN a stage coach. yesterday, saw hundreds
Of acre. Of timothy and blue grass pastures
without green blade ,islble-,he roots OF
the.c grasses having been oDtr'ly Consumed
rs these crubs. They ea, just below the
surface, and the herbage cleaves from the
ground as fur from moth.eaten skin
Their work as,onishes me. The ground Is
literally full and alive with these filthy hut
active and wel.iei fellows they do not
touch rel clover. and they shun the We,
places aud all hard ,rodden spots. They
work in the dry, light, upland prairie soil.
| saw fields o. corn in which acre. OF IL were
vi,hsrins because the supply Of food had
been Gu, OF by thesc gruss-thc feeding
roots have been consumed And to-day, in
company with Hon. Lewis Ellsworth, (ai
whose pleasant home this is being wri,ten,)
have visited strawberry plantations which
sre nearly destroyed have .een three years
old European Larches the roots Of which
are gone, pear stocks destroyed, apple seed.
iipss u-ed up, aud o.ase Orange plants, by
the acre. e,,inc,,--all this devastation hav-
ing been accomplished by this same " white
grub" Now, hava seen the army worm
a, work, and the grass hoppers clipping OF
the cat heads az r,apcr rate, but charge
this p,st with being the " hardest case y
yet; f1r these timothy aud blue grass
meadows and pasture. are not going to re-
vlvc when the grub disappears and the earth
i. moi.tened by the fall rains. The root.
are de.iroyed-no vitality is lett There
will be no more fall feed, and no more spring
heritage. |, mus, be rc-seeded.
Many farmers are turning their hogs. un-
adorned with "rinss in their noses" it'o
these pastures, and they iaiten on these
roo,.ra.in, erub-. wha, shall We do with
these pastures and meadows? After con
siderable inquiry, the writer is convinced
that. II il is no, desired TO plow the land,
and crop i, before seeding, he would harrow
il this iall-risbI sway-ihoroughly turn
ips up the grubs. then SOW the seed-iimo'
thy and elovsr-and roll il thoroughly. The
roller will kill mos, or oil Of these grubs {;
they are very easily killed. aud with the
proper mulch, good crop Of grass may be
secured next season. notice tba, the new
" seeded field. DO not scem to bc infested
the old meadows and pastures with tho
thick sward suffering most. The reader
NAV draw his own infsrences from this iact
You shall hear more, as learn more OF
il. Meantime let some member OF the dis.
,iueuished Stumblebugger family look ut
the specimens herewith forwarded.
CHARLES ID. BRAGDON.
Nsper,ille, ILL.,. Aug. -, ls6l.