The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1912-07-10
ARMY WORM HAS APPEARED.
ALMOST TOTALLY DESTROYS A
FIELD OF CORN AT GRAVES.

Has Not Been Reported in Other Sec
tions of County. State EntOmol-
Ogist Gives Remedy for Pest.
The army worm, which has done
an unusual amount of damage in that
section of Georgia south of Terrell
county to such crops as grain, corn,
grasses and in some instances cot
ton, made it's appearance here the
latter part of last week in a field of
young corn belonging to Mr.. w. d.
Davidson at Graves. The worms,
which have appeared no where else
on Mr.. Davidson's farm or elsewhere
in the county as far as has been
reported, have almost completely de-
s'troyed this field of corn, which is
only few weeks old. AS a general
thing corn in this section is too far
advanced to be damaged by the in
sects
The army worm is not new pest.
1t is always present to a certain ex-
tent, but as a rule is held in subjec-
ton by parasites or weather condi
tons. The past season has been
favorable to all kinds of destructive
insects and plant diseases.
Each female moth of the army
worm deposits from 500 to 700 eggs,
consequently they can cover large
area in a very short time when con-
ditions are favorable. There are sew
eral broods year, but the second
brood, which is now present, is the
one which does the most damage.
They feed on corn, grain and grasses
mainly, but may attack other crops.
They have been known to eat almost
everything they come in contact with
and they travel at very rapid rate,
hence the name army worm" The
caterpillar stage lasts from three to
four weeks; this is the stage at which
they can be fought.
This worm is easily controlled if
you begin in time. When they are
advancing efforts should be made to
check their progress and prevent
them from infesting other fields. The
most satisfactory methods, accord
ing to, the state entomologist, Mr..
Worsham, are by the use of paris
green or arsenate of lead. The lat
ter is preferable.
How to Use Paris Green.
Paris green can be obtained at al
most any drug store at reasonable
price About one pound is necessary
for one acre. The best method of ap-
plying is by mixing with four or five
pounds of cheap flour or of air-slak
ed lime and busting it on to the
plants. The busting apparatus can
be made from a One-inch board, four
and-aIhalf feet long and three inches
wide, by boring an inch and half
auger hole five inches from each end
and attaching under each hole sack
five inches wide by about fifteen
inches long. The sacks can be made
from unstarched sheeting running
about four pounds to the yard, or of
.8 ounce ducking If it is found that
the poison is being applied too fast
or two slow the proportions of lime
or -four and paris green must be
changed so that the required amount
of actual poison will be applied per
acre.
BY applying in this way one person
can dust fifteen to twenty acres per
day by riding on horseback and dust
ing as he passes between the rows.
How to Use Arsenate of Lead.
If arsenate of lead is used the pow
dered form should be employed. 1t
can be used alone or with an equal
quantity of flour or air-slacked lime.
1t should be applied by busting as
in the case of paris green and at the
rate of about three pounds of the
arsenate of lead per acre.
The best time to dust is the early
morning or late afternoon, but sat-
isfactory results can be obtained If
application is made at any time dur
ing the day.