The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1912-08-08
The GRASS, on
FALL ARMY WORM,
INFORMATION FROM CLEMSON
THAT WILL BE PROFITABLE
TO Our FAKMERS.

TIE following bulletin attempts
to handle only the important points
in connection with the damage Of
the pest. and its control. Any tur-
tner information desired will lie
cheerfully supplied upon request to
the Division of Entomology. Glenn
son College, S C.
1t is We'll 70 impress the fact that
the insect about which there IS 81
much current excitement is not the
same as the cotton leaf worm or
caterpillar which was present in the
cotton fields last fall. There are at
present. so far as specimens sent in
and Investigations made by this Gl-
vision show, no cotton caterplllars
in this State, though they are doing
damage in lower Alabama and Geor-
gia. The cotton caterpillar is inJu-
rious only to cotton; the grass worm
does damage more general IN char
acter-to grass, corn, peas, cotton,
etc. This latter insect is doing cor
siderable damage over almost the
entire South; SO this State is not
alone sustaining the effects of its
ravageS.
The preferred food of the fall
army or grass worm is grass, such
as crab grass, bermuda, water grass.
etc. The pest is present every year.
but unnoticed. The wealth of grass
due to lack of fproper culture last fall
and spring has given it this year un-
excelled opportunities for breeding.
The almost total absence of its nat
ural enemies also promotes the
marked increase in numbers this
season over previous seasons of re-
cent years. They have reached such
enormity of numbers that there has
been a shortage of the preferred
food and the pest has been forced to
migrate to the adjoining corn and
cotton fields to make its living there
and to carry on its destructive dam
age in so doing. The worm begins
its work in bottom lands, and at
first appears in the grass. Here it
can be most easily controlled, by
deep turning of the grass and worm,
or thorough spraying or busting of
these acres with arsenate of lead ac-
cording to directions given below.
The third generation of worms is
now entering the grass to change into
moths. These deposit egss, which
Matching in a very short time, will
produce another generation OF
worms. 1t is we'll to bear this fact
in mind, for the apparent cessation
of injury is due to this cause.
On the first appearance of the
worm the farmer should dust the
infested areas with powdered arse
nate of lead, undiluted, using three
pounds of poison to the acre. 1t is
best to make the application when
the leaves are moist with dew, as is
generally the case early in the morn
ing. Arsenate of lead paste may be
used in the form of a spray the
strength of two to three pounds of
arsenate to fifty gallons of water,
with the addition of three pounds of
unslaked lime. Paris green will al
so poison the worms, but it is not
safe to use, since even if extreme
care is exercised in the dilution and
application of it, serious damage of
foliage from burning often results,
sometimes not becoming apparent
until three or four weeks after
wards. Powdered arsenate of lead
is about as cheap, sticks to the leaf
better and can be used undiluted
without burning the foliage. 1t
would be no mistake, even in the
case of this however, to add small