Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1902-04-12
Observation-Disclosures
BOIL WORM AND ROOT ROT,
An Outline of the Warfare On the
Tive Cotton Enemies by .
Competent Authority.

"A
TIVE Cotton Enemies by
Competent Authority.
In submitting the following outline
of warfare against the boil worm OF
cotton. it should be explained that
corn is the first choice as food
plant for this pest, with cow-peas sec
ond, and cotton only third. 1t is evil
dent. therefore, that to protect cot
ton from boil worm attack, one OF
both of these should be kept in prime
condition as food for the pest. The
important point to be attained is to
have the trap rows Of corn and peas
furnish corn in silks and roasting
ears. or peas in bloom throughout
the season. Thew must never be
time when brood of boil worm
moths are issuing, that they will be
forced to go TO cotton, because there
is no corn or COW peas in suitable
condition Hundreds of tests have
resulted in proving that the follow
inc outline of successive steps in the
bon worm fight will always bring sat
isfactory results. If the filed is about
square. select four rows through ey-
evr ten acres of the land for trap
rows. If the field is long and narrow
and the rows run the narrow way,
leave four rows as a trap about ev-
cry three hundred feet, Then,
First-Bed up one of the rows ready
for corn planting by the middle Of
March. March Is, plant this row with
an extra early maturing variety of
corn. Adams Extra Early has usn-
ally proven to be the most service
able for this purpose,
Second Drill corn into the second
row about April IS, using any ordi-
nary kind of field corn.
Third-Drill Adams Extra Early
corn into the third trap row about
May Is
Fourth-Drill Mexican June corn
into the fourth trap row June to
| 10.
In all cases it must be urged to
thin to Il close stand at the proper
time, and above all to give frequent
shallow civilizations so as to force
roasting ears as soon as possible.
Each farmer should take pains to
inspect these trap rows carefully
from time to time The full grown
boil worm measurers from an inch
and a quarter to an inch and half
in length, and when full fed leaves
the ear of corn for the ground, which
it enters and there changes into an
other boil worm moth. This moth,
or miller or ely" whichever the
farmer may call it, comes out, and
soon begins laying the eggs for an
other brood of the boil worms. These
eggs are about the size of a small pin
| head, and when freshly laid are pure
white. When corn is in roasting ears
they lay most of their eggs upon the
silks Of these ears, and can easily be
detected there in the trap rows, where
great numbers will be found. BY the
second day after being layed, the egg
shows brown band around the cen
ter, and a copule of days later
worm will be Matched from it. After
midscason boil worm eggs are often
attacked by parasites. In that case
the eggs are dark, or even black all
over. From such eggs parasites will
be Matched, which will III due course
destroy more boil worm eggs. Para
sites, ii should be understood, are the
cotton planters friends.
Fifth-Keep careful watch of the
silks and roasting ears of trap row
No. j, As soon as boil worms are
about grown, and no more fresh,
white eggs are found on the silks,
this row should be cut out and fed
to stock, especially cattle, making
sure the feeding is done in manner
to destroy the worms in the roasting
ears, or the eggs on the silks.
Sixth-Drill speckled peas into row
No. 1 as soon as the corn is cut out,
Cultivate well, so as to force early
blooming and a rank growth.
Seventh-Watch the silks and roast
ing ears of row No. 2 carefully. If
the ears are well stocked with boil
worms,note carefully when there are
no more white eggs to be found ON
the silks, If at that time the worms
in the ears are about full grown, cut
this row out, and feed as suggested
for row No. /.
Eighth-Drill COW peas into row
No. ? as soon as the corn has been
cut out. Cultivate well to make Wig
orous growth.
Ninth--Keep careful watch on the
silks and roasting ears of rows Nos.
8 and A. Look out for the uniformly
dark or blackish eggs which are para
sitized, If many of these are found,
the rows of corn should be left stand
ing. Furthermore, If few fresh,
white eggs are being found from time
to time, it will be well in that case
to allow these rows to remain and
mature, in order that they may act as
a trap for longer period. If it be-
comes evident that here are no para
sitized eggs, and no more eggs are
being deposited, and at the same time
the corn about mature and contain
ing many nearly or full grown worms,
they too should be cut out and treat
ed as before. Both rows may not be
of the same maturity, and for that
reason No. should come out first
and allow No. to remain until ma
ture.
Tenth-Sow COW peas alongside of
3 ind 4, whether cut out or not.
Row 3 should be sown about three
weeks after that of No. 2, and row
about two to three weeks later
than No. 3, This will give a success
sion of peas in VIGOROUS growth, and
bloom throughout and late into the
season.
Great care should be taken in all
cases to cultivate trap rows we'll and
frequently so as to keep up vigorous
growth and form the greatest attrac-
ton.
Farmers should not be alarmed at
the great numbers of boil worms in
the roasting ears of the trap rows.