Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1888-08-24
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.

few insects more troublesome to the
gardener than cut-worms, and few
which are more difficult to fight. Al
though several species of them exist,
| their life histories are in general SINH
lar. They are Matched from eggs laid
by night-hying moths and feed upon
various plants, especially attacking
the stem just above the ground. AT
ter eating few weeks these worms
go into the ground. where they change
into the chrysalis state, and short
| time afterwards emerge as moths, or
milers" to lay eggs for another
brood. These pests do most mischief
in spring, as they winter over in
half grown condition, sheltered under
boards. stones or rubbish. and are
very voracious after their long fast.
These cut-worms are not allowed TO
increase entirely unmolested, but are
proved upon by numerous enemies.
have found that they constitute a
large percentage of the food of young
birds before leaving the nest, and
that they are eaten by toads and
frogs There are also numerous
spiders and beetles that devour them,
and other insects which desposit eggs
within their bodies, the eggs hatch
ing into small parasitic grubs that de
stroy the unfortunate worms.
The most destructive enemy which
checks the multiplication ofcut worms
is a bacterial disease, kind of insect
cholera which sweeps them oil by
thousands. Last year this disease
exceedingly destructive in Southern
Illinois. where the cut-worms had be-
come extraordinarily abundant,
and one could hardly walk across
many of the oat-feds without seeing
at every step the dead and dying
worms lying upon the ground.
OF the dozens of methods that have
been recommended for destroying
these pests there are three which
believe are of special merit, and are
easily applied to garden practice.
They are, first, the poison method.
This consists in killing off the worms
before the crops are planted, by strew-
ing over the soil punches of fresh clio
yer or cabbage leaves, which have
been treated with London purple or
Paris green, either by dipping them
into a solution of the poison, or dust
ing it on after dampening the
leaves. The half-grown worms prowl-
ing about in search of food eat OF the
bats thus set, and are destroyed be-
fore doing any harm This method
has proved a practical success with
many gardeners, and is well worth
practicing where there is likely to be
trouble from these pests. OF course
children and stock of all kinds must
be kept away from the poisoned bats,
The second remedy is using boards
as traps. Last spring | wished TO OBJ
tain a large number of cutworlns for
experimental purposes, so l went TO
pasture where many loose fence
boards were lying about, and found
the worms beneath them by scores.
The boards were frequently visited
during the spring and many pints OF
cut-worms were collected. This eX-
perience convinced Inc that the
method could often be used to advan-
tage in gardens. The third plan is
digging out the worms where plants
have been out Off This is practical
BILE in most gardens and will pay Will,
for although the worm has destroyed
one plant it will soon go to another,
and may keep it up for a week or
more if his career is not checked.
ANIMALS RUNNING AT LARGE.-Few
objects are more to be pitied than the
highway COW. Her fare is scanty,
and her lot hardship and abuse. She
must steal or starve and her looks
| show that she is conscious of being a
! thief. Her owner cares little for her,
and by all others she is hated. Her
food and treatment being what they
are. she cannot be profitable to any
one. and to the owners of land i'll her
vicinity she is a source of veXation
and loss.
WHY she exists no one can tell, for
if il were not for her three-fourths of
the fencing now required would not
be needed, and this saving would
almost pay for good pasture for her,
not to speak of the cessation of dam
age to crops. The principle which
allows her to exist is wrong; it is con
trarv to that which once prevailed in
the English law, it requires each land
holder to fence all other mems cattle
out. instead of his own in. The law
is wrong, not the highway COW. Hence
do not abuse her, though she is eXas-
perating
When she has eaten off all your
cabbage, or destroyed bushels OF your
ripening wheat, no not put the dog
on her, and club her numerically
when you get her in a corner, but
make sturdy resolve that you will
vote against animals running at large.
GINGER BEER OF. cream OF tar
tar l OF. ginger, bruised, 10 loaf
sugar, 1 lemon, 1 gallon of boiling
water. Cut the lemon in slices, put