The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1909-09-08
SERIOUS DAMAGE
BEING DONE BY THE WIRE
WORMS TO COLLEToN CROPS.
The Killing Of the Field Larks Said
to be the Cause Of the Destructive

Secretary James Henry Rice. JE..
os the Audubon Society Of Sortn
Carolina. who has just finished
tour OF the eastern counties. arrived
in Columbia Friday night. AS TO
The menacing outbreak OF ws'e
worms N Col!eton county which
aas infested a country 20 miles long
BY Is broad. practically destroying
al the crops. Mr. Rice had the fol-
lowing TO say:
The outbreak originally came
rom the killing OF meadow la-ks.
or aeld la.ks. as they are generally
saown in South Carolina. II has
been gathering volume 70. three
,ears 0. more. and IS low spread
ng. To what exten, i: may finally
spread 10 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
:ha, IN one year South Carolina IL
SELF suffered s5.ooo.oo0 damage to
be corn crop through the work Of
xi.e worms
The Clemson authorities and the
department OF agriculture are Doth
seriously concerned owe. the pres
IN. outbreak. which began within
sho., distance OF the town OF
Wal,ecbo-o-jSst across the swamp.
The worm makes a thorough Job
of the crop by attacking and de-
stroyirg the roots. and because he
s under ground no bird. except a
| boring bird can be OF any use IN
destroying wire worms. The lark
| is Ideally adapted TO this end and
;eeds largely on them.
On being asked about The origin
| ,: the worm. A: Rice said:
The wire worm IS the offspring
,e one OF the click beetles. or IL
plain English. swapping bugs. The
esgs are laid IL May and June anG
IRE about the size OF number eigh,
:ho,, white in color. They are laid
,ear grass roots. They sooo hatci
~, and the larvae develop slowly
,assing the frst winter IN the la-va
Or wcrn form. The next year the,
develop greatest des:ruct!seaess
attacking first grass. grain. corn an,
hen almost anything that comes Il
their way. They have some -
joints. each joiae being fanked wit,
J tiny spine and the head IS arme:
with sharp nan6ibles. The life his
:ory OF the wire worm IS in all re
s2ects similar 70 the life history O.
he white grub Commonly know
IS grub worm by the small boy
he offspring Of tie May bet,le o.
Tune bug.)"
1T would be improper for me I,
discuss what the eatomologists ar,
!oiHg until they are ready 70 max,
their own report public. but q,
not hesitate TO say Ehat nothini
can avai! agaias; the wire worm ex
cepc the work Of the felS lark ant
Of this the ea;omologis:s are full,
aware.
The infested territory is DANCE.
ousiy nea: the great tr, king bel
around Charleston and should th,
. pest spread back into tais belt ID,
destruction will be enormous. ans
the consequence frigh:tu!. We CO.
only hope that its spread will B.
coined TO narrow area
When the larSs are allowed &c
come back and feed unmoles:ed the,
are capable OF checking any suct
outbreak and Of keeping It well with
in bounds. It will be worth the les
SOD. costly as /: is. IL /, shall serve
as warning sor the future. A.
It Is many farmers have lost every
thing and are downcasc and dis.
hearteoed over the outlook :