The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1900-07-28
THE WORM PEST.
Scientists Say II Is Not the Army Worn But the
Common BObtalled Cut Worm.

scientists Say II Is Not the Army Worn But the
Common BObtaed Cut Worm.
| Farmers and gardeners in Western
Oregon whose crops have been so much
damaged recently by an army Of worms,
may not be much interested in knowing
that the pest is not the army worm, as
many suppose, but the variegated cut
worm, a pest of no mean preknsions !;
but they will be interested in knowing
that it's ravages are not likely to be long
continued.
Professor Piper, the entomologist of
Washington Agricultural college, has
been studying this nocturnal depredator,
and finds that it is possible to resist it
successfully il the farmers are sufficient
ly enterprsing. The most effective way
to fight it he says is with Paris green. 1t
may be applied either wet or dry. For
plants Ike cabbage or string beans he
recommends the dry process; for all
others spraying is best. One part Of
Paris Green mixed with twenty parts
of flour or powdered lime makes the dry
mixture. This is to be applied with a
in box Of convenient size, having the
bottom finely perforated or covered with
a fine wire gauze, This If fastened to a
handle, can be used conveniently to sift
the powder oyer the growing plants. 1t
is best to make the application either
early in the morning or late in the eve
ming, while the leaves are wet with
dew.
For the wet application, one pound Of
Paris green to $50 or 200 gallons of
water is recommended for such trees as
apples and pears. Peach and plum
trees, and plants with delicate foliage
which 'are susceptible to the poison,
should have a weaker dilution Of it, say
one pound to $50 or 300 gallons of
water A full pail or two Of fresh lime
water should be added TO every 2C0 gal
Ions of the mixture to prevent the poison
from scalding the foliage. In preparing
the Paris green should be made into
a fine paste with small amount of
water, then strain thoroughly and add
the bulk Of water. The lime may he
added to the paste before straining, in
amount according to the amount o.
poison used, instead OF adding lime
water to the solution as recommended
above. The mixture must be kept well
stirring during the spraying. For cab
bage, lettuce, caulifower and other
plants which may bring the poison to
the table a milder solution than any Of
thore gwen above should be used.
Professor Piper says the.pest will soon
disappear, and il ia not likely to return
again for many years.
This last will be good news for those
whose gardens are now being destroyed
by the creeping pests. They are no
respC ctors Of persons, and eat up the
little kitchen garden of the city dwell
er with as cool and insolent an avidity
as they do the common vegetables Of
the farmer. They have even had the
temerity to eat up the turnips ON the
asylum farm, devouring them root and
branch and from keelson to truck.
They work nights, Sundays and hol-
idays and their greed is as Unsuitable as
that Of the most sanctified human be-
nevolent assimulator. 1t is said that
the sound in cabbage patch at night is
like that Of rain upon the roof, or "the
march Of vast army, their harness
changing as they march"
A JOURNAL employe says il is a pity
they are not the genuine army worm,
for then the music OF a brasss band
would cause all OF them within hearing
TO keel over and die in great agony. The
farmer could tune up the old fiddle and
go out and put them to sleep 10 the
music OF Beethoven Sonata or the
Fishers Hornpipe.