The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1914-08-27
Arms nrsRolING
THr ARMY WORM

]
grain have been bhgh,ed and de-
stroycd, and human ingenuity has
becn tested in the effort TO cope with
tho inflic,ion. Doubtless the number
Of the worms and the injury caused
by them have been exaggerated, new
ertholess great damage has been done
in some localities in spite Of all that
could be done 70 check their ravagcs
A great quantity Of poisoned bran was
scattered about promiscuously, or
sown in the trenches surrounding the
fields. As n result. numerous army
worms. many birds, ard come nopltry
were destroyed.
Entomologists 81 the United States
Department OF Agriculture have rec
commended wholesale poisoning from
time TO time for cutworms and army
worms. Others have followed them in
this recommendation and the news
papers have published this means of
defense far and wide Nevertheless,
this wholesale poisoning is unneces-
sary in the case Of either army worms
or cutworns as other methods may be
used quite as effectively, Most state
laws penalize the broadeasting Of
poisoned bats. Mr.. T. Gilbert Pear
son, secretary of the National Associ-
alton Of Audubon Societies, has al
ready issued warning against the
wholesale use Of poisoned bran and
some of the newspapers have opposed
it editorially, but without avail.
Nothing is more fully established
than the fact that many birds from
the domestic fowl down to the chip
pering sparrow feed on the army
worm. While examining the recent
invasion of these insects, ] found the
following birds feeding quite CON
stantly on them: the robin, bluebird,
catbird, English sparrow, chipping
sparrow, field sparrow, song sparrow,
king bird, red winged blackbird,
bronze grackle, and cowbird The
brown thrasher, red-eyed towhee,
flicker and several others were re-
ported as feeding on the worms.
These birds and the humble toad must
have eaten great quantities, and in
cases where birds were encouraged
and where no poison was used, the
results were plainly to be seen in the
reduction of the army worm pest.
On my own farm at Wareham. and
on some neighboring places where
about 70 nesting boxes for birds were
put up last spring, bluebirds were
seen feeding on the army worms early
in May. Other birds followed suit.
No injury from the army worm was
noticed during the season on my farm,
and very little on the others, but 20
rods away tie grass was eater, and
quarter Of mile away tie injury be-
came serious, continuing over a con-
siderable part Of the town.
On farm on the Island of Martha's
Vineyard where poison w used freely
hardly bird was to be seen and the
owner admitted that Tie birds had
been poisoned, while on the State
game reservation, only few miles
away where no poison had been used
and where many nesting boxes ard
bird-houses had been erected, birds
were plentiful, and the worms al
though very numerous had done little
serious injury The corn showed no
noticeable damage. This may have
been due in part to the hundreds Of
heath hens on the reservation and in
part to the number of small birds as
well as to the intelligent use Of nom
poisonous methods to chesk the pest.
There was much evidence to be seen
on all sides that tho irds were flock
ing to the defense Of the fields. The
warden thought that he had lost part
Of his oat crop, bu: e made no otner
complaint.
On the great State Farm at Middle
boro where the pest had appeared in
tremendous number, the superintend
ent fought it without the use Of poi5-
ons because Of the danger to birds
which were regarded as among the
best friends Of the farm.
1t cannot be expected that our birds
in their present numbers can entirely
check such an outbreak as that Of the
army worm, but if we can avoid kill
ing them by poisons and if we can in
crease their numbers they may be
able to prevent the first increase
which finally results in the over
whelming hosts that have attacked
our fields this year.
EDWARD HOWE FORBUSH.-
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