Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-06-28

THE NEW DIET OF WORMS.

bare poles," show that our warning, three
weeks ago, of the advent Of the currant
worm was not universally needed, though
many persons were aroused to action by II.
we are glad to know, and have saved their
bushes. 1t is the universal testimony,
where it has been applied, that white helle-
bore is a most effectual destroyer Of these
voracious worms, but some persons have
also found solution OF salt and lime, ap-
piled with a garden syringe, to be effec-
tual, and when the first signs of attack
were observed it has been found possible
to save the bushes by picking of every
leaf where the worms had begun to eat,
and burning both together A solution
made by diso!ving pound of copperas
in six gallons of water, is also said to make
currant leaves distasteful to the worms,
when freely applied.
The ravages of the worm are not yet
over in this vicinity. In fact they have
seemed to increase for few days past,
even on bushes that have been thoroughly
attended to all the season. The worms are
hatched from very small white eggs, which
are deposited by fly, on the under side of
the leaves, and which can be found and
destroyed by close observation. After
three or four days, small worms appear,
which are barely perceptible to the naked
eye, and which Immediately commences
devouring the leaves. When they are
few hours old, they will have eaten numer-
Gus holes in the leaves, and soon the whole
leaf is devoured, as the worms grow with
great rapidity. There will be another
brood later in the season, which must be
suppressed in the same way the first has
been, or all the present labor will prove
n have haon thrnurn
The agricultural papers are now filed
with the annual talk about the curculio,
whose attacks used to be confined to plums
| and other stone fruit, but which now preys
| upon almost all fruit indiscriminately.
Considering how long it has been observ-
ed and the increasing damage it does
every year, it is astonishing how little is
known of this insect and its habits, and
the best means of fighting it. A Western
horticulturist announced early in the
spring with great flourish of trumpets,
that he had discovered a sure trap, easily
set and tended, being nothing more than
to make the soil about the fruit trees level,
friable and free from weeds, and to leave
lying about chips, or pieces of bark, under
which it was said the curculio would
crawl, and could be killed on the lifting of
the chip in the morning. But it had been
proved that these traps are not effectual
after the weather becomes hot; and the
only way that full crop of fruit can be
obtained from tree that is attacked, is to
visit it every morning during the curculio
season, and by a sudden blow or jar
cause the insect to fall upon a sheet
spread below for the purpose, when they
can be collected and killed. This is not q
new thing, but it is the only method that
has yet been found effectual in protecting
a tree from the curculio. But of course
farmer can only find time to go through this
process with few favorite trees, and a
more effectual way of fighting the '.little
turk" by wholesale is much needed.
The question of worms and insects is a
very serious one to the agriculturist, and
is yearly becoming more so. Horace
Greeley estimates the loss to the farmers
of the country, annually, by insects, at
$10O, O,0OO,O 900, or more, and we have no
doubt he is correct, enormous as that sum
seems. Yearly some new insect or worm
appears to veX our souls, and none of the
old ones seem to become extinct. 1t is
only few years since that the currant
worm was known at all; now it is every
where, and we even hear that the nour-
ishing cabbage has become the victim of
an insect enemy, whose empire is fast ex-
tending.
Mr.. Greedy attributes the increase of in
sects to two principal causes,-the wan
ton destruction of birds, and the degener-
acy of our plants caused by the badness of
our culture. As far as these causes go it
is easy to suggest remedies,-protect and
encourage the birds, and improve our ag-
riculture The New York and BROOKLYN
papers give the English sparrows great
credit for destroying and nearly extermi-
mating the measuring worms rnat nave in
tested the shade trees of those cities, and
so valueable scavenger ought to be in
troduced and encouraged in other places,
and both legislation ought to be had and
public sentiment aroused, for the protec-
tion of all our smaller domestic birds.
But the insects have got such start now
that all sorts of means must be adopted to
get them under, and the horticulturist is
doomed for many years to come, if not
forever, in this country, to make free
use of whale oil soap, 'hellebore, fingers.
fire,-every thing that will kill even one
of the invading army. A new insect rem
edy is just announced, in the shape of car
bolic soap, made into weak suds, the same
as whale oil soap, and though it has been
to be valuable weapon in the hands of
insect fighters. In fact carbolic soap
seems to be good for almost everything,
and is something which is as yet by no
means appreciated by the general public.
Finally ''bugology" ought to be the OIL
ogy most thoroughly taught in our agri-
cultural colleges. The student turned out
of these institutions should be thoroughly
posted in the nature and habits of the in
sects that have been such pest to the far
mer, and should be not only able to fight
them intelligently himself, but able and
willing to do missionary work among his
neighbors. The need of such missionaries
is pressing.--SprInafeId Republican.