The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-09-19
"COTTOAlEAFW WORM
Cannot Live In North Carolina
In the Winter
State EntOmOiooiSt Franklin Sherman
Tells Farmers who Are Troubled
With What Are Called Army
Worms What TO DO When They
Attack Cotton.

Worms What TO DO When They
Attack Cotton.
Recently there have been a number
Of dispatches in The News and OBJ
server regarding the insect called the
army worm" in the cotton fields in
Nash, Edgecombe and other counties.
h matter has been brought to the
attention of the North Carolina De
partment of Agriculture, and MIR.
Franklin Sherman, en~tomologist, has
answered the question relating to this
outbreak that is of great interest TO
all cotton growers. Mr.. Sherman dis
cusses the matter and gives a remedy
in the following statement:
During the past non the cotton
leaf-Worm has appeared IN destructive
numbers in a numbe OF localities in
Eastern North Carolina, special re-
ports of it having been received from
EdgecOmbe, Nash, Wake ands Wilson
counties. 1t is frequently called by
the Eame of army worm" though
it is entirely different and distinct
from the true army worms which feed
on grains and grasses.
This cotton leaf-worm is a true
caterpillar and when matured It be
comes q moth or miller. 1t is nor
mally confined to the more southern
| states of Texas, Louisiana, MISSISSIPPI
| and Alabama, where it endures the
mild winters; but as far as knoWn it
does not endure the winters in this
State. and so must spread into the
State (by flight OF moths) from the
South, in any season when it is de-
StructiNe. Sc far as known it feeds
only on the cotton plant, and # It
does attack others it is only to very
slight eXtent-unless p~erchance 1t IS
learning to feed ca other plants. 1t
is this year doing considerable damage
to the south Of us, 50 the outbreaks
in this State is only the result of its
numbers elsewhere.
During the past eleven years the
only record We have had OF destruc-
ton ty it IL North Carolina was in
1905, when there was an outbreak
in Lanoir anG Pitt counties.
The caterpillars feed on the leaves,
mostly on the top portions OF the
plant. It is, therefore, entirely, feast
BILE to kill them by the application OF
Paris .green-the difficulty being that
they are very and'active and
occur in such numbers that even
though the application is Thoroughly
made, they may yet do a considerable
amount of damage before beinG
checked.
Remedy Suggested.
Dust the cotton plants with Parls
green, and be prompt about it When
you find the worms. For this purpose
YOU NAV use the Paris green pure Nl
YOU wish) and apply i in any way
just SO you get a light, even dustins
over the plants, especially the tor
portions where they feed most.
But we think it safer to mix tht
Paris green With an equal amount 90,
weight) Of dry, air-slaked lime OF
land plaster. Thus, Il pound OF Parl:
green and one pound Of lime 90
plastcr) can be thoroughly mixed 70
gether and this mixture dusteo OF
the plants just enough to whiten tn
leaves q little SO that there shall 81
some Of the poison on every inch Q
leaf surface-or as nearly so as prac
ticable.
How shall we make the applica
tiono If you nave a regular aust
gun or blower it should do the work
Or YOU may tie it in a thin nusliI
or cheese-cloth sack and shake !
along the rows. Or a tin can witt
tight top can be used by punching
some small holes in the bottom ant
use it like q pepper-shaker. or i
there is a slight breeze it might %
possible to streW it on broadcast D,
hand and depend on the breeze &c
distribute it to some extent-but tn
would likely not be very thorough II
its effect. Again, you may take {
pole six or eight feet long, hang
sack of the mixture at each emo
mount a mule or horse and ride dow
every second or third middle an'
shake the pole as You go SO tina
the .aixture will filter out in a ligh
; loud of dust and settle on the leaves
; Or. YOU car. take a piece OF plan
about FIVE feet long and W. or thre
inches wide. bore an inch hole nea
5 each end and under these holes tao
. loose Jack at each end Of the plank
5 Fill the sack through the holes an
carry along the rows by hand, shak
: ing as you go. No need to treat tn
: whole field if they are only in
part-fght them where they are ah'
where they are still doing damage.