The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1892-02-04

oCSiu W 10 i6O 0aooSo w w SSON' 49,
ter they attack the young plant on the
hill in the shape of the cut worm and in
midsummer the tobacco fly gets in it's
deadly work. Even after the curing
process ia over an insect looks after the
dry leaves, and when the seductive arti-
Gle reaches the manufactured form then
the tobacco crank, with his anti.nicotine
theory, takes up the cudgel, and so the
war goes on until the cursed weed loses
itself in ashes and smoke within the pipe
of peace.
The cut worm is the first insect to trou.
BILE the young plant after it's transplanted
from the hot bed to the hill. On lands
which have been sown in small grain the
year previous, or in clover, this worm is
specially troublesome. 1t hides under the
surface of the soil by day and at night
comes out to do its work. The young
plant is cut off just above the ground
generally and hence destroyed. The lit.
tie pest will also come out on cloudy
days, at which time it is we'll to look
carefully after his visits. No remedy has
ever been found by which his depreda-
tions can be prevented except to hunt
him down and kill him. This is tedious
work, but sometimes it is necessary in
order to get stand of tobacco.
Another species of worm which aflicts
the young plant before it reaches maturi.
ty is the bud worm. It does not usually
destroy the plant, but does worse. 1t at
tacks the tender bud and eats the young
leaves full of holes, 80 that when the
leaves grow to full aize they are literally
perforated and often almost worthless.
The bud worm turks in the very heart of
the plant and can be easily found by a
careful hunt. The wise planter will al
ways be on his guard and at the first in
timation that the bud worm has made an
appearance the plants will be searched
and the little destroyer killed.
But all tobacco insects combined do
not approximate the damage which the
horn worm does to tobacco crop. he,
of all others, is to be most dreaded. That
the planter may thoroughly understand
his tactics the gentleman shall receive
special attention.
Those of my readers who live in the
country will remember large fly, some
what resembling hummiug bird, which
makes its appearance about the flower
plats early il the summer about sunset
1t darts from place to place and is espe-
cially fond of the Jimson weed flowers,
which usually grow in rich places about
the barnyard. This fly is the producer
of the much dreaded tobacco or horn
worm. 1t lays its eggs on the lower side
OF the tobacco leaf, which hatch out
quickly and the worm grows to full size
in q very short time. He is an enormous
eater from his infancy up. In fact old
planters say that his majesty eats all the
time, and never gets enough.
This worm will destroy the leaves on
plant in an increditably short space of
time, and hence when he makes his ap-
pearance in the field his movements must
be closely watched. Like the other
worms mentioned, the only way to rid the
plant of this destroyer is by actual hunt.
The leaves must be carefully examined
end when the worm is found destroy
him with the fingers or a sharp stick
made for the purpose. Children can be
utilized for this work during the busy
working season. But the planter must
see that they do their work we'll and must
personally look after the field himself
from day co day. A tew days. neglect
will often cause the loss of many fine
plants.
Oflate years many remedies have been
tried for the tobacco worm. None of
these have so far proven successful.
There is, however, one preventive which,
if properly applied and in time, will
greatly lessen the number of worms in
crop. The plan is this: Plant in the
early spring a good supply of Jimson
weeds in your tobacco field. If the
soil is rich these plants will grow and
bloom by the time the tobacco fly makes
its appearance. As soon as you notice
that the flies have made their appearance
mix solution of cobalt and sweetened
water, half and half, and with straw or
feather go among the Jimson weeds and
place a single drop of the mixture in
each Jimson flower. Do this every even.
ing as the new flowers open. The tobac.
co fly feeds on the Jimson flower, but as
soon as he tastes the sweetness of one in
which the mixture has been placed he is
dead fly. The poisoning is almost in
stantaneous, and this remedy is very
effectual one. By paying close attention
to this method some planters rid their
fields almost entirely of the tobacco
worm. The fly is sure to find the Jimson
flower, and if the cobalt is applied
promptly in each one from day to day
there is poor outlook for anything like
heavy crop of tobacco worms.
On farms where turkeys are raised
good use can be made of them in summer
by turning them in the tobacco field.
They are great feeders on the tobacco
worm and have no trouble finding them,
either.
Early in the summer when the tobacco
plant shows bud on it's top the process
of topping must begin. The appearance
of the bud shows that the plant is getting
ready to seed, and at this stage it is nee
essary to check its growth. Topping is
done by simply going through the field
and pinching off the tender top of the
plant the proper height from the ground.
4 II