Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1913-09-04
Control Of Cutworms.
BY PROFESSOR II. c. SEW
ERIN, South Dakota State
College, Brookings.
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cutworms are moths with dark fore
wings marked with lighter or darker
spots and bands. The hind wings are
lighter in color than the fore wings
and both pairs of wings are folded
over the back when the moths are
resting. These moths fly about, es-
pecially at night, and are attracted in
large numbers to lights. During the
past summer the moths were espe.
cially numerous in houses and many
specimens were received by me from
anxious housewives who imagined
them to be "millers," whose offspring
would work in WOODEN goods. The fe-
male cutworms deposit their eggs in
the late summer in grass land or in
land where a crop has been allowed
to grow up in grass and weeds, laying
then in clusters on the stems or leaves
of grasses or weeds or on stones or
tWigs.
The little c%aterpillars that hatch
from these eggs in July, August or
September feed on the roots of what
ever vegetation is available until frost
sets in, and then these worms bur-
row deeper and deeper into the soil
until finally they hollow out a small
space inside Of which they curl up
and hibernate until the following
spring. The next spring the cutworms
are exceedingly hungry after their
long fast and attack any vegetation
at hand with surprising voracity.
The cutworms usually become full
grown during the late spring or early
summer, and are then one and a half
or two inches long and of a dark
color, which harmonizes with that of
the soil. The mature worms then hol-
low out a cell a few inches beneath
the surface of the ground and inside
of this transform into a brown oval
body known as a pupa. In three or
four weeks, that is, in June, July OF
early August, these pupae give rise to
the mature moths. Thus there is us.
ually but one generation per year.
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CONTROL. 1T is evident from the
life history that cutworms may be
more effectually controlled by blowing
in the late fall and again blowing and
narrowing thoroughly in early spring
so as to keep the land fallow and thus
starve them out. Land which is to be
planted to corn or other crops subject
tn W. NY, ipi1r1r chO,11l ho 1,1ou-nC
as early as possible in late summer
of the preceding year and kept fallow
so that the moths will not deposit
their eggs upon it, as they will if it is
left in grass or weeds.
If cutworms are found injuring a
crop of any kind they may be de-
stroyed by using a poisoned bait of
some kind. Fol this purpose clover or
alfalfa may be sprayed or dipped in
water containing one-third of a pound
of Paris green per fifty gallons of
water. The clover or alfalfa is then
moved close to the ground and spread
in little heaps over the field infested
with cutworms. If this material is
put on before corn, potatoes or other
crops appear above ground the cut
worms will be forced to feed on the
poisoned bait.
Another poisoned bait that may be
used with even better results is pre-
pared as follows: Thoroughly mix
one pound of Paris green, or a similar
amount of white arsenic with twenty
five to t%hirty-fve pounds of bran or
middlings; dilute one quart of any
cheap molasses with two or three gal
Ions of water and mix with the poi
soned bran; add enough water to the
mixture to moisten all the bran, but
not enough water to have the result
ing mixture sloppy when it is to be
ladled out. The exact proportion OF
this poisoned bran mash is not impor-
tant, and in making up small lots it
is customary to stir in just enough
Paris green to give the mixture a
faint tinge Of green and then add
sWeetened water until the mass is Of
the right consistency. This bait is
scattered over the infested field as
near evening as possible in little heaps
by hand or in rows by means of a
seed drill. If this bait is to be used
in gardens where cutworms are injur-
ing c%abbages, tomatoes, potatoes, etc,
place a tablespoonful of this material
at the base of each plant. On an acre
of potatoes treated in this way not
more than ten pounds of the mash
need be applied. If the plants are in
rows as trees are in a nursery, for
instance, a line of this bait may be
placed along each side of each row.
On corn land this bait may be applied
either with a seed drill, placing the
mash on the surface of the ground
near the plants, or by hand, placing a
tablespoonful of the material at the
base of each plant.
In some instances it will be found
that cutworms will leave grass lands
and enter cultivated fields to do their
destructive work. In such cases poi
Boned clover or alfalfa should be scat
tered along the borders of the cult