Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1915-08-25
By w. R. BEATTIE,
The United States department C

The United States department of1 agriculture and the various state ex- pertinent stations throughout the ! South, are sending out warnings to the farmers relative to the annual in- vasion of the fall army worm. This insect started earlier than usual the present season in South Texas, and has made it's way northward, in some instances, as far as Oklahoma and South Arkansas. Under weather conditions favorable for it's develop ment, it will probably over-run the entire Southwest within the next col days. While the first brood is small, if it is not checked, the second brood will doubtless be much larger and do a greater amount of damage. Last year, these worms were so plentiful
 in many localities that they consum- cd the corn, cotton. alfalfa and pas
 ture crops as they went, leaving the
 country almost barren.
 Destruction of the first or earlier,
 brood is the best method of fighting
 the pest, but in sections where this has not been done, it will be abso- lutely necessary for the farmers to take some steps to prevent the rava- ges of subsequent broods.
 Destroying tEe Worms.
 There are several methods of de- stroying the worms themselves, in
 cluding trapping them by means of furrows plowed alongside of a corn or cotton field, running the blow so that the land or straight side will be
 next to the growing crop. In this way the worms crawl into the fur TOW, and are unable to climb the
 other side. Then rock or sack filled with earth is dragged through | the furrow to crush thtm. In pas
 ture land, the method of rolling with
 an ordinary land roller is sometimes l employed. Where the worms have gotten into a field of cotton, it is an
 easy matter to destroy them by dust ing the notton plant with paris green mixed with air slack lime or | with cheap wheat flour, in order to
 make, it go further and prevent the burning of tho leaves. The usual | method of application is to place the poison mixture in two sacks, and hang a sack to each end of short
 pole. Then place the pole across the
 pummel of the saddle and ride up
 and down between the rows, at the same time. jarring the pole gently over the saddle to distribute the l poison This work had best be done
 during early morning, while the dew I is on the plant, so that the poison: will stick to the leaves.
 'Bran Mash" Method. Perhaps the most efficient way oi
 destroying these insects is by means |
 of what is known as the "bran mash. l or poisoned "bran mash" To bushei of wheat bran, add one to one and a half pounds of paris green and mix 1 thoroughly. Then aid enough cheap | molasses to make plastic mixture of the bran and poison. To this
 should be added the juice of about six oranges or lemons as flavorins Then spread the mash in the path of the army worms, keeping just ahead of their front ranks. The
 worms eat this mash readily and die
 by the thousands. Cars should be
 taken that poultry and other live
 stock do not get to the mash
 It is not practical to sprinkle pois-
 on on corn or other crops to be used
 for feed. and for this reason. the
 bran mash gives. us satisfactory method of d strcyins the worms.
 The main hing is to begin in tima and prevent the spread of the insects.