Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1901-10-12
THE FALL ARMY WORM.
A Pest Against which 1t is Important
that Relentless and UncenAihg
War he Made.

lhiS once mas Hau u SiN"' h'"'J
complaints the past few days con-
corning some worms which are at
lacking everything green in the fields
and eating it bare Of all foliage, ETC.
Reports indicate that it has stripped
or eaten the foliage of sorghum,
June corn, turnips, crab grass, early
sown wheat, COW peas, as well rs
many other grasses and weels. From
some specimens sent me, l ind that
the pest in question is the fail army
worm, called laphygma frugl-
perda. These worms when fulfilled
and full-grown enter the ground to
transform into the third or chrysalls
stage. From this they emerge again
as moths or "millers" and deposit
their eggs. Each female deposits any
where from 800 to 700, and hence
their rate of increase is simply as
tonishing. In Texas there are two
and sometimes three broods or gener-
atoms. The outlook for north Texas
is that there may be brood this sea-
son yet, following the present one
The fact that the worms go into the
ground to transform makes it i'm
portant to do a great deal of winter
blowing this year, so as to break up
their cells and destroy the pupae or
chrysalids. 1t will also be best to fol-
low infested lands this season with
some cultivated crop next spring IN
order that the pupae may be broken
up and destroyed before the moths
have a chance to hatch out for the
next season.
1t will also be important to make a
determined fight on the pest now by
poisoning the crops and plants they
are attacking and feeding upon now
in order that another outbreak
may be averted next season. Those
having spraying apparatus may use
the following: Take one pound OF
Paris green, make paste with some
water; then add to $50 gallons of wa
ter and mix we'll; then take one
pound of quick lime and slack in wa
ter and strain; then add this lint
water to the poisoned water, ant
spray the plants thoroughly. If you
have arsenate of lead use one pount
of it first, we'll dissolved in gallor
of water, and then added to 100 gal
Ions. Spray the infested crops well
and you will destroy the worms BY
the millions.
For those who can not spray tn,
following will be a valuable and i'm
portant manner of attack: Take tn,
Paris green or London purple ant
mix one pound of it well with tel
pounds of -four, and then simply dus
/ the crops being injured well with thi
mixture while dew is on. Any of tn
, poisons and preparations mentione,
will kill the pest by the millions AM
| will help reduce their numbers so thf
. season that their appearance mex
I season need not be feared very much
Shal be glad to hear of all those farm
: ers who have lost crops from thei
1 attack, and also report on the result
h obtained from the application of an
of the ways and means and remedia
d measures above indicated.
: In this connection it may be well t
c to call attention to another matte
T. 1t is important that this departmer
k finish its Investigations and tests {
remedies and ways and means of SUI
c cessfully fighting the green bug" {
# wheat, but our funds are exhauste
IS and we are waiting for the preser
e legislature to either give us tho'
funds or discontinue the work. 1t wi
a be largely as the people wish it, ar
=. if the wheat growers and other farr
70 ers in north Texas will speak up al
write their members in the house NJ
senate to literally endow this depar
b ment with enough funds to contin'
" this work, it will most likely be VIC
8 provided for. 1t is important to a
at once, as the appropriation bill
, being discussed in the house now, al
IA there must be quick action, if al
good is to be done by your writil
y and request.-Fred w. Mally, proft
!" sor of Entomology College Static
Texas.