The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-06-16
STOP THE ARMY WORM.
Spray, Poisoned Bait, and Ditch Traps
Will Control This Pest.

Watchfulness is the first weapon to use
against the army worms. Upon the dis
covery of the pest in its younger stages
depends very largely the possibility OF
stamping out infestations before serious
injury to crops has occurred, declare en-
tomologists of the United States depart
ment of agriculture.
Army worms are the young of certain
moths or millers that fly only at night.
The eggs from which the army worms
hatch are commonly laid on grasses or
grasslike grains and the tiny caterpil-
lars, upon Matching, feed for several
days near the ground, hidden by over
hanging grasses or grains. They may
escape notice until nearly full grown, by
which time they have become widely
distributed over the infested fields.
Meadows should be examined frequent
ly during the spring and early summer
months, particularly those planted to
timothy blue grass, wheat, and especial
ly millet. One should not be satisfied
with looking merely at the surface of
the stand; the thicker and longer the
growth, the greater the danger from the
army worm. The grain or grass should
be parted with the hands in various parts
of the field and the lower portions of
the growth examined closely in order
that the presence of the small, greenish
caterpillars may be discovered. If these
be found in any number the area COW
cred by the infestation should be de-
termined and rigorous action taken at
once to destroy the worms before they
become large enough to begin their jour
ney to other portions of the farm. II
the infested spot be small, the grass
or grain can be moved off and straw
scattered over the spot and burned, thus
destroying the worms.
If the caterpillars have become dis
tributed over a considerable area this
can be marked off by stakes and the
crop sprayed heavily with mixture of
Paris green at the rate of one pound
to so gallons of water. If tender plants,
such as corn, are to be sprayed, two
pounds of freshly slaked lime should be
added to so gallons of the mixture, to
prevent burning of the foliage.
In case the worms are crawling in a
body surround them with a furrow or
ditch and crush them with log drag
as they fall into it. If shallow post holes
are sunk in the bottom of the ditch at |
intervals of about 20 feet the worms will |
crawl along the ditch bottom and fall
into the holes, where they may be de- |
stroyed.
Poisoned bats of varying composition |
have long been used as a means of de-
the many different species of |
cutworms and also the army worm. An |
effective bait of this kind may be pre-
pared and used as follows: To 50 pounds
of wheat bran and one pound of Paris
green or two pounds of arsenate of lead
add the juice of one-half dozen oranges
or lemons. Then bring the mass to
stiff dough by adding low-grsde molssses
or syrup, preferably moiasses, and scat
ter the mixture broadcast in small pieces
throughout the infested field. This pois-
oned bait may be used safely in alfalfa
and corn fields where it is desired. if
possible, to save the crop for forage pur-
poses.
In case this poison is used, care should
be exercised in preventing stock from
gaining access to the poisoned grass or
grain and being injured or killed by eat
ing il. It is far better to sacrifice a por-
ton Of the crop, if the destruction of the
pest can be accomplished, because If
army worms are not destroyed, they will
lake the crop anyway and probably de-
vastate other portions of the farm.
Additional information regarding the
lrmy worm may be obtained from farm
rs bulletin 73l, which will be sent free
IN application to the department Of ag-
-iculture.