Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1913-10-08
EXPECT MAY BEETLE
TO BE VERY NUMEROUS
Thought That the White Grub Will Not
Bother So Much, However,
in 1914

A very conservative estimate places
the damage to corn, timothy, and
potatoes in Iowa, Wisconsin and H.
linois done by the common white
grubs in 1912 at not less than 81, OOO,
600. This estimate resulted from u
personal survey by John J. Davis,
scientific assistant, Bureau of Ento-
moIogy, whose interesting pamphlet
on the Common White Grub was re-
Gently issued as Farmers Bulletin
No. 543 by the Department of Agri.
culture.
The damage to the same crops in
other infested areas can not be figured
at less than S.. 600, 900 which brings
the total loss. exclusive of straw.
berries, nursery stock, lawns, and
miscellaneous crops to not less than
$12, 600, 900 for one year. Injury was
sustained in almost every section of
the country uorth of the Ohio River
from the Atlantic Ocean to South
Dakota
Observations seem to make it quite
certain that in the northern States
the total life cycle Of this Injurious
species is three years. May beetles
were unusually abundant in 1908 and
1911 and the grubs caused the greatest
damage in 1909 and 1912. There is a
general belief, which is erroneous,
that the common white grubs Of the
field and the white grubs found in
manure heaps and rotten logs are
identical. The grubs of May beetles
are not known to breed in refuse of
any kind.
The grub of the southern green
June beetle is also com monty mistaken
for the more serious pest. The grub
of the June beetle seems to prefer
fertilized soils and may also be dis
tinguished- from the true white grub
by its peculiar method of crawling
on its back.
Farmers in the regions infested last
year will find it of special value to
do deep blowing this all. Ordinarily
the best time to pillow is between
October l and Is. The grubs will at
this time have changed to pupae and
|ad1lt beetles. These pass the winter
in cells. and if the cells are disturbed
their inhabitants will be destroyed.
1t is important to remember that
blowing should not be delayed until
cold weather, for then the grubs will
have gone down to tneir winter quar-
tiers beyond the reach of the pillow.
An infested field may be thoroughly
freed from grubs by pasturing it
with hogs, and this method should be
followed wherever possible Hogs
will root to depth of foot or more
in search of grubs For infested
lawns hogs are efficacious but are
not usually desirable, as they tear
up the sod.
Domestic fowls-turkeys in parti
cular-are preferable for lawns, and
if given the run of infested fields
when the land is being plowed will
destroy large numbers of grubs. |
Pasturing of hogs to root out these
grubs should not be delayed later than !
the middle of October nor practiced |
earlier than April or May. since in
winter the grubs are probably too |
deep in the ground to be reached.
The May beetles usually deposit |
their eggs in fields of grass. timothy,
and small grains, especially in the
of timber where they feed !
The crops planted in these fields the
year following a season of beetles
should be those least susceptible to
grub injury. Such crops are small |
grains, buckwheat, clover, alfalfa.
and peas. There is no authentic re-
cord of the grub attacking these crops.
In 1914 maximum acreage of such
crops as corn and potatoes should be
planted, as this will be in general
season for beetles rather than grubs.
These should be kept thoroughly
during the fight of the
heetles May and June. Land which
is planted to small grains. timothy,
and other crops which cover the
ground with vegetation at this time
should be planted in fields farthest
from trees.
Liberal applications of commercial
fertilizer will assist grass in over
coming grubs if there are not too
many of them When a lawn is
BADLY infested the sod should be re-
moved and the grubs gathered by
1and, after which fall blowing will
probably prove satisfactory. In
Europe cheap labor is often employed
20 gather grubs after the pillow, es
where the grubs are numer.
)us.
PRESBYTERIAN Church.