Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1915-06-25
prepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agricultural

Rotation or alienation of crops is a
simple and efficient method of getting
ride of the "curlew bug" widespread
pest in corn and rice fields. Don't
plant corn after corn or rice, or rice
after corn is a useful maxim to re-
member in localities infested by the
bug.
The curlew bug, which is one Of the
so-called "Snout Beetles" or curculios.
about half an inch long, is particularly
fond OF swamps and marshes where 1t
feeds on large-stemmed grasses and
sedges OF cultivated crops, corn and
rice most closely resemble its natural
food and in consequence the bug is
menace to these crops in almost every
state in the South and in large Sec
tons of the middle West and South
west as well. 1t cannot live on the
small grains or on such plants as cot
ton or cowpeas. In consequence II
infested fields are planted to oats, rye,
barley, cotton or cowpeas, the curlew
bug disappears at once.
In practice, cotton, cowpeas, or win
ter oats will probably be the best
crops to use for this purpose in the
South. In Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Mis-
souri,, southern Wisconsin and Arkan-
sas, oats, rye, barley or cowpeas. After
year of one of these crops, the field
can be planted again to corn. If the
pest returns, similar alienation
should be resorted to once more.
IN, In q N
infested cornfield throughout the win
ter and, if the field is planted to corn
again, come out in the spring to feed
upon the young corn plants. BY means
of it's long snout, at the end of which
are situated the mouth and jaws, the
beetle punctures the stem of the plant
and thus either secures its food or
deposits its eggs. Usually the pune
ture is made a little below the sur
face of the ground and extends into
the crown of the plant. II the pune
ture is made just above the root, the
plant will throw up number of It'll
lers" and suckers" while the main
stem itself will be without ears and
stalky in appearance. In this respect
the work of the curlew bug produces
somewhat the same effect as that of
the Hessian fly on a young wheat
plant in the fall. If the puncture is
made higher up on the stem, food is
obtained from the folded leaves above
the crown. When these leaves finally
push forth, the effect of the puncture
made by the beetles snout is revealed
by rows of holes across the leaves.
frequently there will also be dis
torted growth on the stem.
While the damage done by the bee
ties in feeding OF laying their eggs is
in many cases doubtless severe-if
the corn plants are very young at the
time of attack they are probably de-
stroyed in this way-generally speak
ing the greatest damage is caused by
the larvae Matching from the eggs, es-
pecially In the East The grubs of
this insect apparently can live without
difficulty for considerable length
Of time in the stems of plants that are
completely covered by water
With these insects in full possession
| Of field, there does not appear to be
any thoroughly practical and effective
measure for preventing or overcoming
their ravages. which frequently result
in total loss of the crop. While
throwing up the soil or killing up the
| young plants with the cultiYator might
prevent the beetles themselves from
puncturing the stems low enough down
to cause the plants to sucker or be
come distorted, this is by no means
assured. We only know that the high
err up the insect punctures the stem
the more likely is the attack to result
| only in the transverse rows of holes
across the leaves. In any case this
ridging or killing up would only form
a slight protection against the injuri
Gus effects of the feeding of the bee
ties. Once the larvae have started tc
burrow their way downward in the
stem there is no way whereby they
can be reached by any measure lkel,
to seriously affect them.
Helps Tor Peach Growths to contro
Insect pesta.
After a grower has pruned intelli
gently, titled and fortified his orchard
well, and irrigated it If that has baer
required, the orchard may be kbor
\ lived and the crops financial failure,
If he neglects to give proper attentio,
to the control of the insects and dis
eases which habitually occur in hi,
region. While it is true that there ar,
some rather serious peach parasite,
which are regional in their occurrenc,
and some of those which are wideI,
disseminated remain unknown Tins 70
in certain districts. it is likewise trT,
that considerable number OF hot,
Insect rests and fungous diseases or,
to be found pretty nearly eyervWbar,
in the country in which peaches a.
grown.
Every fruit grower should no :,
close touch with the agrienltproI -
pertinent station in his state So ,ba
he can refer emergency matters the
without delay. Not infreouentIv ~
securing of information regarf;ns ~
control of some insect pest that ba a