The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-05-16
CUTWORMs
Methods of Poisoning Them With Bran
Mash and Poisoned Clover.

|
Cutworms are the Larvae of certain
dull colored moths which deposit their
eggs in grass lands, or around grasslike
cultivated plants. These eggs hatch
into the common cutworm frequently so
injurious to garden and truck crops in
spring.
AS usual thing, cutworms are most
abundant where the garden crop is
upon land which has been in pasture or
meadow the year previous. Cutworms
are always more Or less abundant in
grassy lands, and so when the grass is
destroyed and comparatively few cul-
tivated plants placed on the land instead,
injury to the latter is of course severe
Therefore, in neighborhoods where cut
worm damage is frequently experienced,
garden and truck crops should not be
planted upon land that has been in grass
or sod the year previous.
When the cutworms make their ap-
pearance in the garden patches, or even
in fields of corn (do not confuse cut
worms with the budworm Or corn root
| worm, as the measures here recon-
| nended for cutworm are useless against
the corn root worm) they can be killed
with poisoned bats. The poisoned bait
may be either some luscious green veg
citation acceptable to the worms, which
has been poisoned with an arsenical
poison, Or it may be a sweetened mix
ture of arsenic Or paris green with bran.
Select few square feet of rank
growing clover or alfalfa and spray it
with paris green thoroughly dissolved
in water, using about one-fourth pound
of paris green to IS gallons of water.
AS soon as the poisoned mixture has
dried on the clover, cut it and distribute
| it in small punches or handfuls around
the plants that are being attacked by the
|cutworms This poisoned clover should
be cut and distributed late in the even
ing, so as to be fresh and attractive to
the worms when they come out of their
hiding places at night. Nearly all the
species of cutworms do their feeding at
night and hide in the loose earth Or I'M
der vegetation, sticks, etc, during the
day.
Caution-Do not forget that the clover
patch which was sprayed will retain the
poison for some time, or until there
have been several hard washing rains
OH it, and that stock must not be al
lowed access to the spot III the mean
time. Do not forget also that the
punches of poisoned clover distributed
about the garden will also retain the
poison after they have dried, and must
not be thrown or placed where stock can
get them When the punches of pois-
oned clover have served their purpose,
that is, when they become too dry to be
longer attractive to the cutworms, they
should be carefully gathered up and
either buried or burned, preferably the
latter.
the poisoned clover mentioned above,
and is prepared from so lbs of wheat
or rice bran; I-2 lb white arsenic or
To- OF paris green; I quart black mo-
lasses; sufficient water to noisten. Mix
the arsenic and bran together dry, STIR
ring together thoroughly SO that the
poison will be distributed all through
the bran. Then add the quart of mo-
lasses and stir, and afterwards adding
enough water, and stirring well, to make
the mixture moist and sticky, but not
sloppy or wet enough for the water to
drip from it.
With small paddle place about
tablespoonful of this mixture beside
each of the garden plants just at night
fall. This swedish mixture is attrac-
tive to the worms and they will eat it
greedily.
Another way TO use this poisoned bran
mash is to place pieces of board about
he garden, fat on the ground, and put
little of the bran mash under each If
there is very little rubbish about the
gsrden the cutworms will seek shelter
under these pieces of board during the
day and will find the poisoned breakfast
ready for them If the soil is dry
sprinkle the ground literally with water
under each board before putting down
the bran mash, as dry places are not at
traetIve to the cutworms.
Caution-Do not allow children or
stock to get at this poisoned mixture. |
Thoroughly wash all vessels, pals, pad
lies, ETC., used with it and keep your
supply of paris green or arsenic in a
safe place and have it labeled deadly |
Eoison.
WILMON NEWELL,
Entomologist |
COppErTInN or MA MT