The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1916-10-27
FALL FLOWING FOR TOBACCO.

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Careful study of tobacco insect pests
and methods of eradication has been
made by James Johnson, tobacco ex-
pert of the University of Wisconsin.
AS he points out, some knowledge OF
the life history of these insects is nee
essary to properly cope with them. Ere
quently they can be best attacked when
in that stage Of their development in
which they do no damage to growing
crops. One of the simplest and easiest
methods of attacking these insects is
through fall blowing of the tobacco
field, which destroys all vegetation on
which the insects may feed and also
exposes these insects in their winter
stages to alternate freezing and thaw
ing.
During the crop growing season the
most certain and practical method of
control is through destruction of the
insects by poisoning. There are three
ways of using poisons against these
tobacco insects spraying the tobacco
plant, spraying trap crops, and using
poisoned bait.
In using poisoned bait it is advisable
to keep the field as clean as possible of
weeds two or three weeks preceding
transplanting time in order to reduce
the food supply Of the worms and rem
der them hungry. A couple of days
previous to transplanting spray small
patch of clover with paris green at the
rate of one ounce to six gallons of
water. Cut the clover in small pieces
and scatter in small handfuls about the
fields, preferably on cloudy day and
in the evening, when cutworms are out
for feed and the clover will not dry out
too rapidly. If these poison bates are
not more than 6 to feet apart the
worms will have no trouble in finding
them.
In place of poisoned clover bait poi
soned bran mash may be used. This is
made by mixing one pound of dry paris
green with 40 pounds of bran. To this
add little sweetened water or cheap
syrup, stirring it thoroughly until
moistened uniformly. This is scattered
about the field in the same way as the
clover bait and seems to be more at
tractive to the worms even than clover.
All poultry should be excluded from the
treated area for some time, or at least
until the rain has washed the poison
away.
For controlling the large green horn
worms arsenate poison spray is best if
the pest is at hand in serious proper
tions. When the worms appear only in
small numbers they can frequently be
held in check by hand picking during
topping and suckering. Fall plowing
and poison bait are the easiest ways to
control the common cutworm. Grass
hoppers ordinarily are not injurious to
tobacco, but have been known to do
immense damage when their other feed
crops have been removed by harvest or
drought. Grass lands and fence cor
ners are the constant breeding places
for grasshoppers, so that tobacco fields
should be kept as far away from these
as possible. Fall plowing is beneficial
in that it exposes the eggs to the
weather or buries them so deeply that
young grasshoppers cannot reach the
surface.
There are three other insects which
are sometimes troublesome. The field
beetle chews small holes in the leaves
in the field and frequently in planting
beds. Spraying is fairly satisfactory
in the bed, where the arsenate of lead
should be used at the rate of 6 or 8
pounds to so gallons of water.
Wireworms are sometimes trouble
some in tobacco fields and are among
the most difficult of insect pests to con-
troll. Tobacco growers should avoid
planting on sod known to be infected
with wireworms, and fall plow or sum-
mer fallow all such ground before
planting to corn or tobacco. The white
grubs or larvae of the June bug are
difficult to attack, but late fall piowing
e. s,i-oTaer fa'levFng : the best means
OF nsiding them in check