The Wadsworth dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1892-1899, 1895-05-15

AG4J8MeF OghD
HND GARDEN
PROTECTION AGAINST cuTwoRMs

Fall Flowing, Insecticide Fertilizers, Etc.
The presence of cutworms in a field
becomes noticeable Immediately after q
crop has been set out, whether sweet
potatoes, cabbages, tomatoes or what
ever else it may be, Oh oon after the
seed has sprorted, be it corn, onions or
other vegetables. All over the field
plants have disappeared or have fallen.
Investigation will show that they have
been cut or eaten off at the surface or
even a little below it. In the cornfield
they cut off the plants almost as fast as
they come above ground, and white po-
tatoes occasionally suffer as severely.
Normally the insects are grass feeders or
feeders upon low, ~succulent vegetation
and in grass or clover lands, therefore,
or in masses Of rank vegetation general
ly, the moth lays her eggs. Other things
equal, clover or sod land will be most
likely to be infested by cutworms, while
land cultivated late is most likely to be
free.
With other remedial measures suggest
ed in a bulletin from the New Jersey
station are clover culture and early fall
blowing. 1t is important that the plow-
ing is done early. But when land has
been wintered with an infested sod COW
ering it and is plowed in the early
spring the farmer is not quite helpless,
according to the bulletin quoted. II the
land is to be put into crops, prepare as
usual and apply all the potash and nitro
gen In the form of kainit and nitrate of
soda as a top dressing. Delay seeding
until rain OF natural moisture has dis
solved and carried down the fertilizers.
Phosphates may be applied at any time,
as these have no insecticide properties.
This practice will, as q rule, protect the
corn crop.
In crops like sweet potatoes a differ
emit method il indicated, the poisoned bait
remedy being the best This is simply
providing the cutworms with poisoned
food after the soil is prepared for plant
ing. The easiest plan is to spray a rank
patch of clover with one Of the ~arsenites
used at the rate of a pound in 100 gal
Ions of water, and as soon as it has
somewhat dried cut it close to the
ground Next spread in little heaps at
intervals over the field to be protected.
This affords complete protection when
carefully carried out. The clover may
be cut first, made up into loose balls
and dipped in a poisonous liquid The
more numerous the traps the greater the
chance Of destroying the insects. They
will be found in the morning an inch or
so beneath the surface under the bait,
and after "a hours the majority will be
dead. No plants should be set out until
the poisoned bait has had an opportunity
to act for two nights at least.
A modification. Of this plan, which
has been very successful with sweet POI.
tato plants, consists in mixing dry wheat
bran with paris green or london purple
sufficient to color 1t family, In weight
about one Of poison to 80 Of the bran.
The mixture should be as complete as
possible, and then water added to make
o soft mush that can be ladled out with
q spoon without dripping. The water
may be sweetened to add to the attract
iveness of the mixture. A teaspoonful
should be placed ON each hill OF plants
10 be protected On the evening Of the day
the'plants are first set out.