The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1894-03-09
rHE ENEMIES oE CORN.
Some Suggestions for Protecting the Great
American Crop.

American Crop.
Its enemies in the field, the bin and
the mill are numerous. Among its
bird foes the crow Is most dreaded by
the farmer. He is n bold, saucy fell
low, well endowed with bird sense,
and soon sees a scare-crow Is hum
bug. The common devices used for
this purpose - an open newspaper,
bright tin, clappng windmill, an
effigy, etc, are effective only for a
short time when something new must
be found. A practical farmer suggests
that early planting will circumvent
him, since he is not particularly an
early bird. Another claims that the
use of planter which covers the seed
and presses down the earth upon 1t has
been perfect defense for him. He
has seen twenty crows pulling away
after the corn had got above the ground
and found they had nipped the tops
off, yet could not get the kernel up.
Great damage Is often done to the
corn crop by n corn-worm Qieliothus
Armiga), identical with the boll-worm,
so injurious to the cotton crop. The
parent of the worm Is q moth OF brown
ish yellow color, with dark brown or
black markings. The caterpillar Is
green with black stripes and dark
spots, and is covered with hairs. When
full grown it measures about one and
one-half inches. 1t Is extremely vora-
cious, though not particularly dainty,
since 1t eats whatever comes in its way.
Peas, stringed beans, tomatoes, pump
gins, cotton or corn are all one to his
greedy appetite. The moth deposits Its
eggs upon the corn silk, and the young
caterpillars soon work their way down
to the tender kernel. When the cater
pillar attains its full size II descends
into the soil few inches and there
weaves its cocoon. Two or more broods
are produced each year. Birds and
parasites destroy this insect both as
worm and moth. Men destroy 1t by
means of torches, lamps and lanterns,
sometimes arranged over dishes OF oil
or water, into which 1t falls and
browns. Plates of vinegar and molas-
ses put among the corn will entrap
many of them.
Aphis Maids, little plant louise, in
tests corn and lives upon Its juices
The eggs, which are laid In the ground,
hatch In May, when the lice gather
upon the roots, and here remain until
the roots harden so that they are driv-
en- to the stem and tassels, where they
are found In great numbers about July.
Their presence can be easily detected
by an army of red ants dancing at
tendance upon them, since they wear
two black honey-tubes standing up like
horns on the upper and hinder part of
the abdomen, which secrete a sacchar-
Inc fluid, of which the ants are very
fond. They have curious history Of
reproduction. The female deposits her
eggs in the ground and dies. The brood
are wingless females, and without the
Intervention of the male bring forth
alive another female brood.
These do likewise, and so continue
for five or six or more generations. The
last brood are both males and females.
These pair again, and deposit their
eggs, which remain over winter In the
ground, and the next spring begin the
same round over again. 1t Is claimed
that nothing but cropping against them
is of any avail.
The corn-stalk borer Is compare |
lively new enemy, or, at any rate, has
been only lately described. The moth |
is Of an ashy-gray color, and probably
lays her eggs near the base Of the leaf |
where the leaf is sheathed around the |
stalk. The worm Is orange yellow, |
with rows of reddish warts, and fat,
black head, with which it bores its way
into the stalk. 1t sheds its skin four |
times before 1t attains full growth. The |
cocoon is woven within the stalk, and
the moth makes its exit through the |
holes bored by the worm. Three or
more breeds are produced each year.
1t hibernates in stalks and stubble. |
The stalks not eaten by stock should be !
burned early In February, and the stub
BILE should be plowed up and burned,
or plowed under very deeply.