The Greeley tribune., 1907-05-16
Gu " OR MS
PROF. S. ARTHUR JOHNSON
GIVES REMEDIES
Agricultural College Sending Out
Useful Information to Farm
ers Through q Bulletin
Service

The faculty Of the State Agricul-
tural college has started 20 send out
q weekly bulletin of information USE
ful to the farmers. Right at this
time OF year much of this Informs
tion In especially valuable. This
week we give some remedies for cut.
worms BY S. Arthur johnson. His
letter follows:
During the spring and early sum-
mer farmers and gardeners arc al.
ways more or less annoyed by the
depredations OF cutworms. These
are dull green or greenish brown
caterpillars which eat at night aud
hide by day one or two inches deep
in the loose soil not far from the
place where they do the injury.
They are from one-half to one and I
half inches In length and have :
curious habit of curling up and play
ing 'possum" when disturbed.
THE injuries are especially
noticeable where plants are sst at
some distance from each other; - In
cabbage, tomatoes and corn. Some
times the caterpillars are 20 abund-
ant as to cause injury to the spring
wheat and other crops.
Their usual method OF work issto
cut on the plant close to the ground,
the leaves Of which they often draa
into ths locae suti with than.
The outMoFuss ssslHich eaJise the
trouble. IN tAss spring we're hatched
from eggs laid last September Oc-
tober on alfalfa or other Vegetation.
After the eggs Matched, the Young
worms lived upon the vegetation
which Was then abundant. When
winter came the worms buried them
selves In the ground and lived there
until the warm weather brought
them from their retreats. Cutworms
are commonly more abundant In
alfalfa fields than In other places.
''In the garden where only few
cabbage or tomato plants are to be
set, paper collars may be used.
These are easily made from strips Of
stiff paper or cardboard. Take a
piece about two inches wide aud
eight or ten inches long Bend it 50
as to form a ring and pin the ends
together, or fasten them with a
paper clip. Place this ring over the
plant and press 1t down into the
loose earth to the depth Of half an
inch, leaving the rest above ground,
The worms will not ordinarily craw
over or dig under these and. unless 4
worm has been accidentally en-
closed, the plant Is very we'll pro
tected.
"When it is desired to rid larger
areas the worms may be poisoned
This is best done before the field Is
planted or at least before the crop
comes above the ground. tndeT
these conditions there is nothing
but the poisoned bait for the worms
to eat and they are more easily
caught.
arsenic bran mash is an exec
lent remedy. Take fifty pounds O.
bran and stir into it a gallon O.
water into which a cup full of mo
lasses or other sweetening has bee'
mixed. Add water sufficient "a
make the mixture run read'
through the fingers. Into ll'l'
oauntity stir very thoroughly
pound of arsenic, Paris green, arse
mold or any arsenical poison. ms
mixture is to be scattered over 'le
field late In the day so that tl'
worms may have an opportunity t..
eat is before 1t has dried.
"A more efficient remedy, thouGI
one which requires more labor, II
the use of poisoned alfalfa. spraS
heavily with Paris green or o.ne
arsenical mixture a growing patcil 9.
alfalfa or grass, NOW close TO ,ie
ground and spread over the he'n !"
small handfulls. II desirable, oaA'
a nail or barrel OF ~ater. Into thiS
mix an arsenical at the rate OF QUE
mound to fifty gallons Of water. ou'
the alfalfa and dip it into the po'S-
oned water before scattering IL o'e'
the field. The water must be con,
.taptly stirred because the arsenica.s
settle very rapidly aud the top 500"
hacomes too weak to make the al