Omaha daily bee., 1899-09-28
INSECT ATTACKS ALFALFA
chronological Pest Which Has Caused Con-
siderable Trouble in Nebraska.
DOES ITS WORK IN FALL OF THE YEAR
Authorities Mt the state University
Have Been Investigating the Lit
tie NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Advised
to Plow Deeply.


LINCOLN, Sept. 27.-(Special. )-There has
recently appeared in large numbers In Ne
braska an insect which, although known
some time to exist in the state, has not I'M
til this year become alarmingly numerous or
destructive. Prof. w. ID. Hunter, assistant
entomologist at the State university, has in
vestigated the damage done by the insect
and so far he has been able to observe IL
prefers alfalfa as food to any OF the crops
which are commonly grown, notwithstanding
this plant has been widely recommends as
one practically exempt from injury trlm THIS
class of pests. The insect has been known
to go twenty rods around a wheat held 10
reach one OF alfalfa, and it has already been
named " the alfalfa worm by those whose
crops have suffered from 1t.
Specimens which render the identihcatlon
positive have been received at the expri-
ment station of the university from johnson,
Gage, Nemaha, Saline, Fillmore, Douglas
Washington and Dodge counties. Speci-
mems have also been found in Boyd county
in the northern part of the state, and IN
Dawson county in the wstern portion, max
ing its extent over the state quite VIDE. Inc
greatest damage has resulted IN Johnson
county, where many entire fields OF aiialla
have suffered the loss Of the third cutting.
Many beet fields were attacked, as were also
those Of corn, Kafr corn, wheat, oats anu
cabbage, and pasture grass and blue grass
lawns were in many places injured or entiriy
destroyed.
After a thorough investigation the ento-
biologists of the university have concluoeu
that the fall army worm" is an entirely
distinct insect from the true army worm
The latter never appears in destructive
numbers in this latitude after the month OF
August. The body of the regular army worm
is smooth and devoid Of hairs, but the fall
army worm has sparse hairs growing out
from small black spots on the lighter portion
of the body, giving 1t a much rougher appear
ance. The fall army worm. moreover, pos
sessses a whitish Y-shaped mark upon the
head and differs as we'll in being OF consld-
erably smaller size.
In a bulletin issued from the state ex-
detrimental station farmers are advised 10
plough as deeply as possible all heids IN
which the fall army worm has been observed.
AS is the case generally in fighting insects,
methods which look toward preventing dam
age would be more effective than direct ones
when some damage has resulted. Chlel
among these methods Is delaying the plant
ing of wheat until the latter part Of Sep
TEMPER. AS Wuedl . IL iaoe
of the season in this section a very late
insect like the fall army worm naturally
causes it very great injury. AS a further
precaution farmers are advised to keep the
ground in which the wheat is planted free
from weeds and volunteer grain, SO that
no inducement is offered the moths tor the
deposit Of eggs. The insect passes the
winter in a earthen cell below the surface or
the ground. BY actual experiment it has
I.been proven that by simply breaking up This
cell and thereby exposing the chrysalls TO
the action of the moisture many OF them Will
fail to develop in the spring. When pFow-
ing deeply it is possible to turn the chfys-
Aids under at least six or seven inches. Fall
blowing is coming into general favor because
it's advantages in the way OF reception and
retention of moisture are more generally
understood.
Other Treatment.
There are situations, as in the case OF
perennial crops, where blowing cannot be
resorted to. This is notably the case in
alfalfa fields. These should be thoroughly
disked and practically the same result will
be obtained. In blue grass lawns a thorough
raking with a long-toothed rake is recon-
mended.
However, there are various means OF re-
ducing the number Of pests or entirely ex-
| terminating Iuem dllcI lhCy haNc oPPCo ~
in the fields. These may be arranged under
the heads of poisoning, trapping and roll
ing. Owing to the great range OF food plants
! and the extent Of the fields in which the
insects appear, it is difficult to poison them
, successfully. In the case of alfalfa fields or
other fields in which the crops are cut for
forage or pasture, the danger of poisoning
domestic animals renders the method too
hazardous to be used. In beet fields it Is
practicable to spray the plants. Paris green
at the strength of one pound to $50 gallons
Of water should re applied. Often when
the worms have destroyed a crop in one field
they will go together to the next one. II
! they have to travel some distance they be-
come ravenously hungry before reaching 1t
and by spreading fresh cut clover or alfalfa
which has been dipped in the paris green
r solution great numbers will be destroyed.
Altogether the best means available are
- directed against the worms while they are
: in progress from field to field. 1t is some-
times advisable to cut the crop upon which
= they are feeding to drive them out and
a toward others where they may be entrapped
To do this a furrow should be plowed al
: least six inches deep, at right angles to the
. direction in which they are progressing. B.
the use of a spade the side should be made
perpendicular and at intervals of perhaps
eight feet holes one foot deep should be dug
in the bottom. AS the army advances it falls
into the trap thus formed and by drawing
a piece OF brush back and forth most of the
e worms will be crushed and the remainder
u buried in the holes. 1t is also feasible Il
II erect a barrier of fence boards set on edg,
and supported by stakes, ~slanting slight,
toward the approach Of the worms. II tar II
smeared along the top edge no worms viii
cross.
Rolling is often practicable where no othe,
means can be used. In young wheat field,
or alfalfa fields in which a new crop is JUS
starting, provided the surface is smooth,
y heavy roller can be used to advantage.
8 Insect and It's History.
The insect and its life history is describe,
q by Prof. Hunter as follows:
= The parent of the worms is a moth O
general yellowish, ash-gray color, with tn
second pair Of wings almost Transparent
but with a purple reflection. In extent q
: wings 1t measures about one and one-quar
% tor inches, and when these are closed tn
length of the insect is about three-uuarter
OF an inch. The front wings are mottIed O
he marbled, especially near the central area