Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-07-24
The Army Worm.
Methods OF Fighting II Described by
Vermont Experiment station Bulletin.

Methods of Fighting II Described by
Vermont Experiment station Bulletin.
The army worm is the immature state
Of a moth often seen flying about in the
evening or night. These moths lay their
eggs, some of them in the fall, more in the
spring, on the inside Of folded leaves of
grasses or between the sheath and stalk,
on old hay or straw stacked in fields, on
old cornstalks, or, II such places are lack
ing. on growing grain or grass. When
they first hatch the worms are light colored
and very small, and for some time after
wards they are very inconspicuous and not
likely to be noticed This is especially
true because they usually live on sod,
where they are concealed by the thick
grass. Here they may remain year after
year unknown because unseen, but il a
season is especially favorable for their de-
velopment they may increase very rapidly
and creep from the grass to cultivated fields,
where they are more noticeable. Hence
they seem to appear suddenly every few
years, although they have ben living in
the locality during the whole time. Dry
seasons are especially favorable to the in
crease of this insect, and they are often
unusually abundant in 4 wet season imme-
diately following a dry one.
There is probably but one annual Brood
in Vermont, and it is not likely that this
insect will ever make great ravages during
successive years, that Is, year of depre-
dation is almost certain 70 be followed by a
greater or less number Of years during
which the worms are scarcely seen. This
is because of their numerous natural enc
mics, of unfavorable conditions of climate
and Of other conditions, which usually pre-
vent their great increase. They prefer the
mis- ht or cloudy days for feeding, especially
in the younger stages, though they do eat
to some extent during the daytime, and
have seen them actively at work in bright
sunshine at midday. Their food usually
consists of grasses and grains. Timothy
blue grass, wheat and oats seems TO be pre-
ferred; corn is well liked, while rye, bar
ley and millet are sometimes, but not com
monty, eaten. They do not like clover
and attack it only when better food is
wanting; nor do they eat the head of grain,
preferring the leaves. When very numer-
Gus and hard pressed by hunger they will
eat anything, ever each other, but their
ordinary food is that just named.
While it is not necessary TO be unduly
alarmed because of the appearance Of the
army worm in large numbers it is not wise
to neglect any method which may be used
for their destruction. The most efficient
remedy, when it is possible to use it, is
paris green mixed with water, one pound
to $50 gallons of water, we'll stirred. Corn
and other such crops can be poisoned with
| this mixture, and a strip few feet wide
around grass or grain field well sprinkled
with il would either prevent worms which
were infesting adjacent fields from getting
into the protected field, or, if they were
| already in, from getting out and infesting
| other fields, as the worms in crossing the
| poisonous strip would eat and be killed.
Such poisoning, even If the crop were
thrown away, would abundantly repay the
farmer for all loss by the destruction Of the
worm, but, in most cases certainly, If the
crop were TO grow exposed TO rains or winds
for month or more, too little poison
would remain to be dangerous to stock.
OF course, recently poisoned fodder should
not be used, and in any case careful exam
ination before using would be wise. To
prevent the worms from passing from one
field to another barriers which have been
| found useful have been made by setting a
line of tarred fence boards on edge between
the fields, thus catching the worms as they
crawled or tried to crawl over. A deep
furrow ploughed about field, especially If
the side of the furrow next the field to be
| protected can be sloped inwards and the
soil kept loose and crumbling, proves a
| good barrier, and any furrow in any soil
would be effectual If coal tar be laid along
the deepest part. Fields may also be pro-
tected by surrounding them with belt a
few inches wide of mixture Of 80 TO 40
parts of meal or bran with one part of paris
green. Finally it is very important that
late in the fall all stubble, straw, stalks
and rubbish of whatever kind which may
be in the fields that have been infested be
burned, as well as weeds and grass which
have grown near such fields.
do not think that our Vermont climate
is usually favorable to the growth of the
army worm in such numbers as will often
prove destructive to any great extent, and
l believe that by carefully following the
suggestions here given the Vermont farm
ers will be able to prevent any prolonged
or extensive losses of their crops from this
| insect.