American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1880-07-03
THE MARCH OF THE ARMY
WORM.

WORM.
Hts RavaRes In New Jersey and Long
| IsIand-MovinR In solid Column. De-
vouring Fields of Gras. and Grain In ~
| Single Night.
| The intense heat of last spring, which
burned up the crops and drove the
common earth-worm deep down into
the mold. seems to have fattened and
nourished in the soil of New Jersey and
Long Island the destructive little Great
ures known as army-wofms, sO-called
from their habit of travelling in count
less numbers, and, like an army on the
march, advancing in regular order as
though acting under the direction of a
leader. They advance certain dis
| lance every day, and all stopping at
once in a field, they quickly strip it of
every green leaf. They are countless
in number. literally covering the
ground, and it seems almost impossible
to arrest their march.
The army-worm that has appeared
this year is about an inch long, and of
slate color, and looks like dark grub
of the caterpillar species. Its back is
covered with a rough fur or coating Of
bristly hair, which protects it to a great
extent from the wild birds, though the
harder-throated hens eat it up with u
relish. Its eyes are plainly visible, and
from its head project fcelers. The fore
part of the body is furnished with I'M
numbered legs, while the hind part lies
fiat on the ground. Its motion is some
thing between walk and a crawl, and
it gets over the ground at an astonish-
ing rate. Its appetite seems to be new
er satisfied. When, some five or six
years ago, it appeared in smaller num-
bers in Monmouth County, N. j., the
season was a good one, and sufficient
rain had made the grass crop, corn,
wheat and timothy plentiful. As
n consequence the army-worms
had sufficient to cat, and they de-
vourcd enough to insure their
own destruction. In two weeks moth
ing remained of them. But this sea-
son they have come to a parched land.
The drought has been before them, and
they are obliged to curb their appetite.
They therefore last longer, and at pres
ent there seems to be no hope of get
ting rid of them. Unlike the potato
bug, they care nothing for the succu-
lent root on which the latter feeds and
confine their ravages to grass, timothy,
wheat and corn. The tomato does not
tempt them, nor do they seem to relish
the grain of the corn. Were the sea-
son a little further advanced this crop
would be safe from them, but, unfortu-
nately, the harvest is late this year,
and they devour the Young leaves
ravenously. Even the full grown beard
ed corn is attacked, and the beard de-
voured, but the grain beneath is seldom
touched.
In fighting the army-worm with Paris
green the poison was used in the way
that had proved most successful with
the potato bug-mixed with earth plas-
ter and thrown over the invaders; but
the hair on the creatures backs re-
ceived the mixture, which was too con-
slstent to penetrate, and the worms
shook it off and suffered no injury.
Then Paris green mixed with water was
tried, and, SO far as the primary inten-
tion was concerned, it was successful.
1t killed the army-worm, but it also de-
stroyed the crops as surely as the grub
itself could have done, SO it was aban-
doned, and the farmers fell back on
trenches, coal tar and fire. This fire
is applied by simply setting a match to
the dry grass around the fields, and it
may or may not (for the result is doubt
fuD kill those worms that come be-
meath its immediate influence; but the
mere destruction of a certain number
Of the grubs in given spot is like an
attempt to drain the ocean with tea
cup, and is attributable rather to not
unnatural desire on the part of the
farmer for revenge than to reasona-
BILE attempt to stay the plague.
The army-worm has wrought much
destruction in various parts of Long
Island. 1t appeared on the south side
OF the island about two weeks ago, and
increased rapidly in numbers. The
insect armies turned their faces north
ward and marched straight ahead, leav-
ing behind them in the farms they trav-
crsed not green blade of grass. The
same methods of defense have been
adopted by the farmers as are used by
the farmers in New Jersey, and gener- |
ally with equal want of success.
When this pest first appeared i'm the |
neighborhood of Shrewsbury, n. j.,
some weeks ago, very few, even of the
older farmers, had any suspicion of
what it really was. 1t was thought to
be that inevitable evil which, it was an
ticipated, must follow the drought.
Not many of the farmers recognized in
it the scourge that 4 few years ago de-
stroyed the crops and laid the country
bare. Most of those on whose farms
it appeared had quantity of Paris
green left from the stock they had used
in fighting the potato-bug, and this
they used freely. hoping thus to check !
the advance of the new enemy. But
the army-worm seemed to thrive on the
deadly poison. ate all that was given to
him, and pressed forward as before.
At last the invader was recognized in
his true character, but the recognition
came too late. In numerical strength
the pest had increased, and was in
crcasing enormously, and although the
Ohio farmers, who, more than once,
have had bitter experience of the
worms destructive powers. say that
when he first appears resistance is use
less, and the best way is To allow Kim
to have his own way, destroy every |
thing, and wait until he emigrates
from a wasted land, the agricult-
wrists of Monmouth County think that
had they known his nature earlier they |
could have battlcd with him more sue
cessfully.
Even as the ease stood, they at once |
adopted vigorous modes of resistance. |
The most approved method was to dig |
trenches in the path of the advancing |
army. holes deep enough, it was hoped, !