The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1916-04-21
CUTwORM CONTROL
Cornfields May he Protected by Plow.
ing at the Proper Time and U.s.
ing Poison.

Numerous complaints of the raw
ages of cut worms, especially in re-
lation to corn, are received each sea.
son by the department. Prompt &C
ton is necessary for controlling cut
worms after their presence becomes
noticeable in the spring, which is
usually about the time the corn be-
gins to sprout. Because of the fact
that the delay necessary between the
time the worms make their appear
ance and the time reply can be re-
ceived from the department is often
disastrous to the crop, the Importance
of recognizing these insects and
knowing how to control them is evil
dent.
Cutworm injury almost invariably
occurs in the spring, the plants
usually being cut off at the surface,
or little below the surface, of the
ground, beginning as soon as the first
plants sprout and continuing until
late July, by which time the worms
are full grown. Feeding takes place
at night, the worms resting during
the day beneath debris or in the soil
at depth of from one-half to / inch
below the surface, and since they
closely resemble the color of the soil
in most cases, the cause of the injury
is often not apparent. However, if
the soil surrounding the cutoff plant
be examined carefully, the culprit
will quite likely be found curled up
in the soil.
Life History.
The various cutworms are known
under a number of popular names,
such as the CLASSY cutworm, clay
backed cutworm, etc., but the injuries
caused by them are very similar and
their habits in general are also much
the same. The parents of cutworms
are grayish or brownish moths or
"millers," which commonly occur at
lights during summer evenings. Each
moth may lay from 200 to 500 eggs,
either in masses or singly, in fields
covered with dense vegetation, and
hence are to be found more often in
cultivated fields which have been in
grass or weeds the preceding fall. The
eggs hatch in the fall.
Land to be planted to corn the
following spring, especially such land
as has laid in grass for a considerable
time and likely to contain cutworms,
should be plowed in midsummer or
early fall about the time the eggs are
laid, or better, before the eggs are
laid, for. then vegetation which is
suitable for the moths to lay their
eggs upon is removed. The earlier
the preceding year grasslands to be
planted to corn are plowed,T the less
will be the probability that the cut
worm moths will have laid their eggs
thereon, and the less. consequently,
will be the danger of injury by cut
worms the following year.
Late fall and winter blowing of
grasslands, although not as effective
as early blowing, will destroy many
of the alternating cutworms, as well
as such other important corn pests
as white grubs, and should be prac-
ticed when earlier blowing is imprac-
ticable.
Pasturing hogs upon land supposed
to harbor cutworms is a beneficial
practice, as these animals root up
and devour insects of many kinds,
including cutworms, in large num-
bers. Farm poultry if trained to fol-
low the pillow, will prove of inestima-
Bile value.
When cutworms are found to be
abundant on corn land, the use of
the poisoned bait is recommended.
This may be prepared as follows:
Mix SO pounds of wheat bran, 2
pounds of Paris green. and 6 finely
chopped oranges or lemons. Then
bring the whole mixture to the con-
sistency of stiff dough by the addi-
tion of cheap molasses, such as is
used in cattle rations, adding water
when necessary. Distribute
this bait over the infested field in
small Jumps. taking care to sprinkle
it sparingly around each hill. In case
bran cannot be readily obtained, mid
dlings of alfalfa meal may be sue
cessfully substituted. In fields known
to be infested. the distribution of this
bait should be started as soon as the
corn begins to appear above ground
so that the cutworms may be elimin-
ated as quickly as possible and the
injured hills promptly replanted.
During the warmer spring months
cutworms do most of their feeding at
night and burrow into the soil to the
depth of an inch or two during the
day, so that the bait will usually be
more effective If applied during the
late afternoon or early evening hours.