The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1880-07-01
THE MARCH OF THE ARMY,
WORN.

WOkMs
Hts Ravaxes In New jersey ana ON Ixous
1s1and-Msviag In Solid Celunns and De-
voarasg Fields ec Grass and Grain In .
aAAgie Nishe.
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-worms, 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 q certain dis
tance every day, and all stopping at
once in a field, they quickly strip L of
every green leaf. They are countless
in number, literally covering the
ground, ard it seems almost impossible
to arrest their march.
The army-worm that has appeared
this year is about an inch long, and of
a slate color, and looks like dark grub
OF the caterpillar species. Its back is
covered with q 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 q
relish: Its eyes are plainly visible, and
from its head project feelers. The fore
part OF the body is furnished with un-
numbered legs, while the hind part lies
nat On the ground. Its motion is some
thing between q walk and crawl, and
It gets over the ground at an astonish-
ing rate. Its appetite seems to be nev-
er satisfied. When, some five or six
years ago, it appeared in smaller. num-
bersi in Monmouth County, N. j., the
season was good one, and sufficient
rain had made the grass crop, corn,
wheat and timothy plentiful. As
q consequence the army-worms
had sufficient to eat, and they de-
voured enough to insure their
own destruction. In two weeks moth
ing remained of them But this seq
son they have come to q 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 rayages to grass, timothy,
wheat and corn. The tomato does not
tempt them, nor do they seem to relish
tAS X ki0tA "a eL0 COEu. NcT0 tu0 S66-
SON little further advanced this crop
would be safe from them, but, unfortu-
nately, the harvest is late this year,
ravenously. Even the full l-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
| OToav, N .v, h.
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-
sistent 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 q match to
the dry grass around the fields, and it
may or may not (for the result is doubt
| ful) 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 a reasona-
BILE attempt to stay the plague.
The army-worm has wrought much
destruction in various parts of Long
Island: f' sPY~~.sd 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 tray
ersed not q 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 in 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 a few years ago de.
stroyed the crops and laid the country
bare. Most of those on whose farms
it appeared had q 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 tc
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.
creasing enormously, and although the
Ohio farmers, who, more than once
have had bitter experience of the
worms destructive powers. say tina,
when he first appears resistance is use.
less, and the best way is to allow hin
to have his own way, destroy every.
| thing, and wait until he emigrates
from wasted land, the agricult.
urists of Monmouth County think that
had they known his nature earlier they
could have battled with him more sue.
cessfully.
| Even IS the case 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,