Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-10-24

Orono, Me-, Oct. 23.-The following
was issued today from the ONCE of
Charles d. Woods, director Of the
Maine Agricultural Experiment Sta
ton at the University Of Maine:
The complaints sent to and the in
vestigations made by the entomol.
ogist Of the Maine Agricultural Ex-
pertinent Station have shown that the
insect factor of corn production has
been astonishingly evident in many
sections of Maine during the season
Just passed. Conditions directly
traceable to insects have reduced the
yield by attacks at various times in
the growing period and in some in
stances have resulted in total loss.
One might hear at certain times COM
plants indicative of apprehension,
such as: MY corn isn't coming
even" MY corn isn't coming at ALL"
My corn isn't doing as we'll as it
should on new ground" All of these
statements indicate, beside climatic
factors, the presence Of insect cen
emies that Turk hidden beneath the
rootlcts Of the corn plants.
OF the insect enemies with which
the corn plants have had to contend
this year, perhaps the most persistent
were the wireworms, white-grubs and
the sod webworm caterpillars. The
FIRST two well known pests feed on
the roots and the sod webworm
caterpillars crawl up and feed off the
small leaves while they are yet less
than four inches above ground. The
latter are exceedingly destructive
during an outbreak but are never
present the second year after cult
walton of the land. One outbreak
occurring near Orono this year
cleared a field Of 20 per cent of the
young corn plants: the field had
been recently plowed up from sod.
As sod webworm caterpiliars are al
ways found in meadow lands they
may te expected when those fields are
broken. But the most consistent
pests Of corn have been the ground
worms.
These are frequently responsible
for the complaints referred to previ-
ously. and examination of the soil in
the vicinity of the failing seed gen.
orally reveals the cause of the trou-
BILE. Often the wireworms attack the
seed and feed within 1t as soon as it
softens up. Others wait for the
sprout to form and then chew it off
and bore into the seed. Naturally
the plant never appears above ground
anu the result is the familiar missing
hills. Sometimes in fields where the
infestation is less serious the corn
plants starts unevenly and continue
Throughout the senson growing at
different rates SO that a very irregus
lar appearance is given the field.
Our attention was called this sea-
son to an example of the latter type
OF uneven growth and examination
of the roots Of one somewhat stunted
plant showed that 1t was supporting
no less than IL wireworms and white
grnhs. 1t IL doubtful. however, II the
corn plant would ever produce grain
no matter how long the growing sea-
scr happened to be. In this instance
inquiry was made concerning the
previous history Of the field and 1t
was found to have been In sod for
many years.
In a 50 acre field near Orono the
first planting was a failure due to in
sect attack and the fleld was re-
planted to ensilage corn which
nourishec and made a fairly good
growth. The replanting was done by
hand G,d the old plants were left
und'sturbed with the result that the
wirewormS and whites fubs con.