Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-05-09
is ENEMY OF CORN RAISER
Root Aphis Is a Peculiar Insect
Often Very Destructive
to Maize Crop.

IN many parts of the corn belt con-
/ siderable damage is done to the corn
crop each year by the insect known
as 'he corn root aphis. 1t is considered
one or the worst enemies of the corn
raiser, but when it's life habits are un-
uerstood it can be kept under control
ana resulting damage reduced to a
| minimum. The insect is blush green.
silsntly Whitened by a waxy bloom.
Inc presence of ants burrowing
ABOUT the young corn plants in the
liela VIII apprise the farmer of the
presence of the corn root aphis, for the
TWO are found together, the aphides
pe1ng helpless without the presence of
the ants. The damage to the corn
plant is not done, however, by the ants,
as many farmers suppose, but by the
ant cow or corn root aphis.
Inc eggs of the aphis are laid in
the fall and are cared for by the ants
during the winter, they shifting them
about as they do their own eggs In
the spring when they hatch the young,
winch are all females, are carried out
] 10 pasture, as it We're, on the roots of
young foXtail grass, smart weed and
even ragWeed During bad weather
OF on cold nights the ants carry them
back to their burrows The weeds
mentioned are those usually found in
the last years corn land. When, how
ever, the corn is planted and it begins
to come up the ants carry the aphides
10 the corn roots and colonize them
there. These young aphides soon begin
TO give birth to living young, all fe-
are placed on the freshest and most
tender rootlets of the plant. In con-
slderatlon of their tender care the aph
lues secrete a sweet fluid known as
money dew This has led the aphides
TO being called the ants cows.
AS remedies for this pest rotation
OF crops and good cultivation are i'm
portant. The soil should be stirred
Wen after blowing, being sure to get
ria or all weeds and keep stirring it
untll the first cultivation of the crop,
so as TO prevent the ants from coll
ohlzlng. Late fall or winter blowing is
also recommended. Where ground has
been fortified with barnyard manure
the corn root aphis does not become
so destructive
DR.. Forbes of the Illinois experiment
station has secured good results from
treating the seed with some strong.
smelling solution to drive the ants
away. His treatment is as follows:
The substance found most effective
for the treatment of seed corn was a
mixture OF oil of lemon and wood alco-
mol. 10 one gallon of wood alcohol add
one pint of oil of lemon and sprinkle
ana thoroughly stir three fluid ounces
that is to say, six tablespoonfuls-
thls mixture into each gallon of corn
shortly before planting, making sure
that the fluid is equally distributed and
that each kernel of corn has it's proper
share. A thorough stirring after the
application of the mixture is all that is
necessary. The odor of this compound
which will last for weeks in the ground,
is extremely offensive to the cornfeld
ant, and these insects will not enter
corn nils as long as it continues. AS
the root lice cannot get access to the
corn or maintain themselves there ex-
cept by the aid of the ants, the hills
remain virtually free from both insects
for at least six weeks
The wood alcohol should not cost
more than 81 a gallon nor the oil of
lemon more than 50 a pint, and the
above amount of the mixture will be
sufficient to treat the seed for forty
hVe acres, making a cost for materials
or less than 10 cents per acre. Care
should be taken TO buy these sub
stances from thoroughly reliable drug
gists, the oil of lemon especially being
subject to adulteration. If the mixture
is not entirely clear when shaken up
the materials are impure.