Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-08-06

feed for time IN the fo'd of the leaf,
growing rapidly and after time eat
ing entire leaves
Generally, and when not present In
enormous numbers, he larvae feed
mainly at night and in damp, cloudy
weather. remaining hidden IN sunshiny
days In a term of three weeks, they
reach full growth, burrow into the
ground and are transformed into small
pupae of u brown color. In this con.
dition they remain about two weeks
in the warm weather, and the moth
again makes it appearance. The Mum
Der Of generations of this insect during
the year depends on the climate and
the season. In the more. northern
states not more than two generations.
appear, while in the southern states us
many as six generations have been oh
served in one season.
Every year II limited number of
these insects ara present, bat MS They
feed by night aud remain concealed by
day they are not observed, and ARE only
noted in years when they hecome 50
numerous that they are seen ut all
hours. This only occurs at intervals
of several years. Then il favorable
succession of seasons enables the in.
sect to multiply enormously, aud to
become so numerous that migration
from place to place for food is neces-
sary. 1t then travels and feeds both
day and night, and often becomes the
cause Of incalculabe damage.
Normally, the insect passes the win.
ter in the larval condition. This is
also the custom of the cut worm,
which so closely resembles the army
worm in habits as TO be regarded as u
nearly related species. In the south
sometimes eggs are found to live dur
ing the winter. In general it may be
said that the worms are more apt to
appear in great numbers IN rainy or
early summer, following Il season Of
comparative drought.
REMEDIES.
The board of agriculture states that
there is seldom any call made for rem
edies for any locality until it is too
late to do amy good. The old plans
used to protect the fields from advanc-
ing armies, such as to pillow II furrow
with its perpendicular side toward the
field to be protected, and then draw u
Jog through the furrow to keep the
earth friable and kill the worms that
may have gathered there are good as
far as they go. Also fields in advance
Of a LirOng Of worms may be splinklcd
with Paris green or London purple.
When the caterpillers have entered the
field there is little which can be done
for their destI uctiOn which does not
involve the destruction Of the crop.
The fields may be sprinkIed by means
Of II broadcast sprayer with al arseni'
cal solution, or they may be rolled
with heavy roller where one Is at
hand an the ground Is level, or flock
Of sheep may be sent in, which will re-
suit in crushing most Of the worms by
trampling. And wherever worms are
fonnd to he exceptionally numerous in
"A grain field all energies should be de-
voted 20 the protectson Of the sur
rOundidg crop by means which we
have indicated, and the destruction Of
the worms in the fields first attacked
may be safely left to the last.
Thoroughly well kept fields as a rule
are not infested often with army
worms, and preventative measures are
always the safest.
Bearing in mind the fact that the
insect breeds normally in rank grass,
such 10 is usually found along the
edges of swamps not i'm swamps, for
the insect must have comparatively
dry earth in which to pupate-Or in
accidentally overfertilized spots in
pasture lands and that it feeds normal
ly upon true grasses, the farmer who
has once suffered from army worm
attack may easily prevent it's recur-
renee by winter burning or by rotation
and clean cultivation