The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-05-27
An Army OF Worms.


new worm has sprung into existence
in Kentucky which threatens 10 do moro
damage 10 farm AMI garden prccucts
than either the cut worm or lis more de-
structive brother, the army worm. writes
the editor Of Home and Farm in its last
issue.
The latest addition to the worm family
closely resembles both the above mention
ed species. and the only way farmers and
gardeners have of distingu' shing il is in
the manner It has Of attacking vegetation.
which is entirely different from that Of
either OF the other worms.
The new enemy 10 vegetation is a fit
ting rival 10 either the cut or army worm.
Its manner Of travel is similar TO that OF
the army worm, but very unlike that Of
the cut worm. When the vegetation in
one field has been devourcd the new com
er does not lie down and DIE, hut marches
on Ike the army worm 20 another field
and renews his attack on vegetation.
How long he will sojourn in these parts is
a matter that is being discussed and talk
ed over by every farmer IN the state.
About weeks ago the new worm which
has not been named as yet, first made its
appearance. The carly corn was just
peepng from the ground, AMI the cab
bage. lettuce and onions rad just been
transplanted from the hotheds. Glover
was looking fine and oats never looked
better. If Mr. Worm observed the condi-
ton of crops before he began his depre-
dations it was only for a short time in or
der to make his plans for attack He first
tackled the young corn and garden pro-
ducts. He did not do like the cut worm
bite the stalks off at the ground-but
climbed to the top and ate his way down
On every stalk there were sever al worms,
and it took but short time to completely
devour an entire field.
As soon "a all the cabbage, onions, corn
and other garden products had been de-
stroyed he turned his attention to new oats
and clover To-day there is hardly hell
of clover or oats in the state, and certain
~ none in jefferson county. But the worm
is not gone 1t is here in as great num-
bers as ever and seems TO be waiting for
vegetation to peep from the ground.
A strange thing about the new worm is
that it will rot touch grass. Army worms
like grass, as well as anything else, and
this is one way the farmers have OF dis
tinguishng their new enemy from this
species. 1t is not possible that the army
worm has suddenly lost its taste for
grass.
The damage that has been done by this
new enemy cannot be told. Early crops
never looked better than they did before
his arrival and the farmers and gardeners
had reasons to believe they were going TO
have a prosperous year but their hopes
have vanished nothing but sadness and
long faces can be found in the country.
They have have dug bitches between their
fields in hopes Of checking the progress
of the worms, but have travelled in SUCH
numbers that the bitches soon fiji up and
the "wrigglers" crawl on the back of their
brothers They do not stop until new
field is reached, when they again begin
thcid deadly attack.
Speaking of the new worm TINS morning,
a prominent jefferson county farmer said:
1T has proven one of the worst enemies
the farmers and gardeners ever had. 1t
is even worse than the army and cut
worms. We are in a quandry as TO what 10
do to protect our crops. We are afraid to re-
plant anything for fear 1t will meet the
same fate as that which has already been
destroyed have been living in the county
for oven half century and never before
observed species OF the worm family that
seemed to be as hungry. At first we
thought we were being visited by the army
worm. but | am satised now that it is not
this pest at all. 1t closely resembles the
army worm, but its actions are different
NO: il is not the cut worm, either, not
withstanding the resemblance Is close. The
latter worm never completely devours a
plant. 1t simply bites the stalks off at the
ground The worm has been with us two
weeks and is just as numerous now as
ever"