The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-09-07
SIRIUS uAMAGe
BErNG DONE BY THE WIRE
y !v.1-G Ii giGil o.. -t-'H.-
WORMS TO COLLEToN CROPS.
The Killing of the Field Darks Said
to be the Cause OF the Destructive
Outbreak.


~ II Eifl
Outbreak.
Secretary James Henry Rice, Jr.'
of the Audubon Society of South
Carolina, who has just finished a
tour of the eastern counties, arrived
in Columbia Friday night. AS 10
the menacing outbreak, OF wire
worms in Colleton county which
has infested a country 20 miles long
by Is broad, practically destroying
all the crops, Mr.. Rice had the fol-
lowing to say: :
1.-THE outbreak originally came
from the killing of meadow larks'
or field larks. as they are generally
known in South Carolina. IT. has
been gathering volume for three
years or more, and is now spread
ing. To what extent it, may finally
spread no one can say; such out
breaks have covered whole States
and have caused millions Of dollars
in damage.
"a gentleman connected with the
government recalled few hours ago
that in one year South Carolina it
self suffered s5,oOO,OOo damage to
the corn crop through the work OF
wire worms.
"The Clemson authorities and the
department of agriculture are both
seriously concerned over the pres
ent outbreak, which began within
short distance of the town OF
Walterboro-just across the swamp.
1.-THE worm makes thorough job
of the crop by attacking and de-
stroying the roots, and because he
is under ground no bird, except
boring bird can be of any use IN
destroying wire worms. The lark
is ideally adapted to this end and
feeds largely, on them m
On. being asked about the origin
of the worm, Mr.. Rice, said:
j, "The wire worm is the offspring
of one of the click beetles, or in
plain English, swapping bugs. The
eggs are laid in May and June and
are about the size of number eight
shot, white in color. They are laid
near grass roots. They soon hatch
out and the larvae develop slowly,
passing the first winter in the iarval
or worm form. The next year they
develop greatest des.ructiveness,
attacking first grass, grain, corn and
then almost anything that comes in
their way. They have some IA
Joints, each joint being fanked with
a tiny spine and the head is armed
with sharp mandibles. The life his
tory of the wire worm Is in all re-
spects similar to the life history Of
the white grub Commonly, known.
as grub worm by the small boy
the offspring Of the May BEETLE or
June bug.)" f"
ut would be. improper for me to
discuss Iwhat the. entomologists are
doing until they are ready to make
their own. report: public but I do
mot hesitate to say that nothing
can avail against the wire worm ex-
cept the work of the field lark and
Of this the entomologists are fully
aware. - - -.
"The infested territory is danger
ously near the great trucking belt
around Charleston and should the
pest spread back into this belt the
destruction will be enormous, and
the consequence frightful. We can
only hope that it's spread will be
cofined to q narrow area.
when the larks are allowed to
come back and feed unmolested they
are capable of checking any such
outbreak and of keeping it we'll with
in bounds. 1t will be worth the les
son, costly as it is, If it shall serve
as a warning for the future. AS
it is many farmers have lost every
thing and are downcast and dis
heartened over the outlook"
LAWN PARTY.