The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-07-22
FARMERS HATE THEM.
Losses Amount 10 Mllnons--A advice Given
10 Farmers.
From Maine to Missouri como startling

From Maine to Missouri como startling
reports Of the ravagos OF the army worm.
According TO reports received at the agri-
cultural department., these destructive lit
tic pests have caused great devastation to
crops in the eastern states. They have been
particularly abundant in New York, Mas
sachusetts and Pcnnsylyania No estimate
has yet been made of the total value Of the
crops which have bccn destroyed this year,
as tho department. has not rcocived full
particulars from oil localities whore tho
worms have appeared. There is no doubt,
however, that tho losces will foot up into
the millions
IL has been tho experience ct the aRri-
cultural department that these worms are
usually more abundant in rainy season
following season Of comparative drought.
The present season bears out these condi-
tions, particularly In tho states mentioned.
From the experts OF tho agricultural de-
pertn.ent have obtained these particulars
as to tho appearance, habits, etc, of the
army worm:
In this months OF May and June, and
sometimes as late us July, wheat, oats and
other small grains, corn, timothy, blue
grass and other grasses, butt seldom or
never clover, aro occasionally ovcrrun by
mul.itudes Of naked striped caterpillars,
about an inch In diameter, and when full
grown rather dark In appearance They
usually travel In ono direction from ono
field to another, destroying tho crop as they
go. They have habit Of climbing tho reed
stalks and cutting off the heads of timothy
grass ard of the small grains
The army worm seems to be an indig-
enous northern insect, end OH this conti-
nent is most abundant in tho United States
cast OF tho Rocky mountains. Isolated
specimens have been found in England and
South America, and tho moth has been
captured I'm India, Java, Australia and
New Zealand 1t Is nowhere known as an
especially destructive species however,
outside of the United States. The region
In which 1T especially flourishes extends
from eastern Iowa to Maine and from
northern Texas to northern Alabama
East of the Blue Ridge mountains its
southerly range as an injurious species ex-
tends only to northern North Carolina
The moth is often captured outside these
limits ard frequently in considerable num-
bers, but the caterpillar does not seem else
where TO be n factor In agriculture.
In cases where the worms have already
entered valuable field of wheat before
the farmer has become aware of their pres
ence and too late to render ditching of
any avail some little good may be accom-
plished If the majority of the worms are
full grown, or nearly full grown, by the
old method Of dragging the rope" Two
men, each having hold Of the end of long
rope, are sent through the field, and the
rope Is dragged over the heads of the
grain. The backward jerk of the stalks
jars the caterpillars to the ground, and
they are unable TO ascend to the heads
again for some little time.
This Is n laborious process, however, and
has TO be repeated almost Immediately 1t
Is only to be undertaken where the num-
Der of worms in a field is comparatively
small and whore these ara, as before stat
In this case they will stop feeding and
enter the ground In day or two
Tho Cornell university agricultural ex-
pertinent station gives tho information
that the army worm usually appears first
In limited areas in meadows or pastures
If discovered before it has spread from
these places, 1t can be confined by sur
rounding the field with ditch or may be
destroyed by spraying the grass with paris
grecn. Ordinarily worms are not OBJ
served until after they have begun to
march and are widespread.
In such cases protect fields OF grain in
their path by surrounding with bitches
with vertical sides. Dig holes at intervals
of few rods in the bottom of the bitches
Worms falling into them cannot get out
New York Herald.