The log cabin Democrat. [volume] (Conway, Ark.) 1901-1982, 1915-09-23
ARMY WORM MAY
VISIT THIS STATE
Farmers Should Be Prepared to Meet
Invasion by This Pest With Pois-
oned Bait Of Arsenate of Lead

Those Of US who have had trouble
warning in the fact that this insect
is busy this year in Texas and is very
likely to work its way northward.
The rayages of this insect are largely
to be averted through intensive cult,
vation and the use of arsenate of Lead
and poisoned bait.
The full grown grass worm or faifl
army worm, as it is often called, in
about one and half inches long. ~
Is of a pale yellowish brown or black
color, being notified and streaked|
with yellow. On each side of the abb
domen there Is broad waving band
OF yellow, notified more or less with
reddish. On its head there is a yell
low inverted "Y."
Feeds on Corn and Sorghum.
The grass worm Is essentially n
grass pest. feeding upon our variousI
Wild grasses and upon our tame|
grasses, including corn, sorghum.
Johnson grass, Sudan grass, millets,
etc. It In also very fond of alfalfa.
and will feed upon cotton when
grasses are not readily available.
Particular care must be-. taken to.
keep the late corn and cane. well Gull
tivated. It might be said in this CON.
nection that many fields OF; corn were.
lost In. 1912 on account Of poor culti-
vation. The worms will feed upon
crab grass which is allowed to grow
up in field. and will later turn their
attention to the main crop. Aside
from this, the importance of cultiv1~
ton will become apparent when It is
known that the worms enter the
ground! for the purpose of transform
ing to tho pupse stages BY. cultivat-
ing. afty to ninety per cent of theI
worms in the ground can be killed.
thus preventing heavy emergence of
moths which would otherwise depesitI
eggs for larger generation.
Use Arsena4e; o. Lead.
Where the worms have made thefrl
appearance in . corn field it Ia adj
visable to dust with arsenat@ Of lead
At the rate of three to five pounds perl
acre. the latter being, mixed first With
two or three times its weight Of cheap
-four. The material is applied in thel
same way that cotton L. busted forI
the army worm.
Where corn is to- be. used: as fodder.
busting with arsenate Of lead would
be attended with danger. In such IN
event . poison bait cam be scattered
broadcast on the ground w1\re4 the
worms are at work. This might be
applied at the nate. of. seven, pounds
per aero.
Poisoned 1ait:
Poisoned bait can, be madn. a. fol-
lbws: Mix one hundred pounds Of
wheat bran with two to three pounds
Of Paris green. and after the poison
has been uniformly worked into the
bran. work the matter into q thick
nolasses. to which has previously been
added the Juice. of SIX lemons or or.
anges. This MATERIAL WILL then b
ready to- apply
Alfalfa fields which, are- infested
should be Immediately cut where this
practice can be resorked' TO- without
injury to the plants. After the hay
has, been removed. one may apply
poisoned bait. or else the worms may|
be. killed, by taking, q number of folds|
Of chicken wire, Weighing, this down.
with q section harrow and draggingI
IL oven the infested field.
Where fields are threatened By mi
grating worms they should be sur>|
rounded by a deep furrow. Worms|
which fall into this furrow can bel
killed BY dragging log back andj
forth as long as the migrating Is taxi
ing place.-Gsorge J. Baker. Professor
Of Entomology. Arkansas College al
Agriculture