The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-10-09
Farm Pests that Require Foresight
for Their Control.

of Entomology at the State ENperl-
ment Station at Clemso:. the vllter
desires to become as familiar as pos
sible with the insect pests that men
ace the agricultural crops Of South
Carolina. 1t is the aim Of this OF
flee to be as useful as possible to the
farmers, truck growers and fruit
growers all over the State. We
are aware that the losses occasioned
by insect pests are enormous every
year. In order to prevent such losses
it is necessary for this Division and
the citizens Of the State, especially
the agricultural workers, to come as
as near together, and work as closely
in harmony as possible.
In the regular correspondence with
farmers a large number Of letters
contain complaints about serious IN
juries caused by wire worms and
white grubs. These two problems
confront the farmer every spring and
summer. As there is no specific that
can be recommended against these
pests we must depend on general
methods Of farm practice. A good
system Of farm practice is infinite
" better than all the sprays and
nostrums so often recommended.
While the farmer thinks ahead and
plans his course of procedure for the
purpose Of maintaining soil fertility
or regaining it when lost, he rarely
asks himself the question, What
course must I pursue to avoid insect
injury to the crop I am intending to
plant. The complaints about in
furious insects reach US when the in
jury is actually being done and when
often no practicable remedy or pre-
ventative can be recommended.
In order that this Division may be
in the best possible position to help
the farmers Of the State to solve this
and other insect problems it is nee
essary that the entomologist be kept
informed as to the farm operations
on Individual farms. In order to bring
this about every farmer and every
citizen Of South Carolina who grows
plants Of any kind is invited to be-
come a correspondent Of this Divis-
ion. Every farmer is invited to read
this article and comply with the re-
quest of this Division, and we have nc
doubt that we can be of material SER
vice to such correspondents during
next season in helping them to avoid
losses to their crops caused by IN
sects or other animals.
Write to this Division saying that
you wish to belong to the special
group Of correspondents. We will
then send you blanks requesting yoD
to draw a sketch Of your farm orch
ard or plantation, showing what crops
are now growing and where you IN
tend to plant the next crop. We will
also send blank circular containing
questions which we want you to an
swer and circular explaining our
purposes. Only one farm sketch is
necessary and this will be carefully
filed at this Office. On the blanks sent
you we expect to receive a report OF
the condition Of your crops once each
month. When such report reaches
this Office it will receive careful at
tention. Your farm sketch will then
be referred to and in this way we
know what you are doing at given
time and what you intend to do. 1t
will enable US to warn you at the pro-
per time against certain farm opera
tions that will encourage insect pests
and at the end Of the season we are
IN position to recommend what could
best be- done in order to eradicate
white grubs, wire-wocms, cutworms,
chinch bugs, corn hill bugs, corn ear
worms, cotton boil worms and other
pests. In the case Of farmers not
taking advantage Of this and writing
to US another spring regardless these
pests, we will be obliged to state that
we are at a great disadvantage in
recommending anything that is Of i'm
mediate practical value. To make
these monthly reports requires little
tine on your part and the cost Of
sending twelve such reports year
is twenty-four cents.
These monthly suggestions Will be
supplemented by newspaper articles
and Experiment Station bulletins