Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1918-10-29
Insect Damage to Corn In 1918.
WHY SOME FIELDS WERE GROWN AT 4
Loss.

The complaints sent to and the investi-
cations made by the eutomologist of the
Maine Agricultural Experiment Station
have shown that the inssct 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 Of various times In the
growing period and In some instances
have resulted In total loss. One might
hear at certain times complaints indica-
tive Of apprehension, such as: "My corn
isn't coming even." my corn isn't
coming at all" "My corn isn't doing
ss we'll as 1t should on new ground"
All Of these statements indicate, beside
climatic factors, the presence OF insect
enemies that lurk hidden beneath the
rootlets of the corn plants.
OF the insect enemies with which the
corn plants have bad 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 wsbworm caterpillars crawl up
and feed of the small leaves while they
ground. The latter are exceedingly de-
struotive during an outbreak but are
never present the second year after culti-
vation Of the land. One outbreak occur
ring near Orouo this year cleared . field
Of 20 per cent of the young corn plants;
the field had been recently plowed up
from sod. As sod webworm caterpillsrs
are always found in meadow lands they
may be expected when those fields are
broken. But the most consistent pests
of corn have been the ground inhabiting
white-grubs and wireworms.
These are frequently responsible for
the complaints referred TO previously,
aud examination of the soil In the vicin-
ity of the failing seed generally reveals
the cause of the trouble. Often the
wireworms attack the seed, and feed
within 1t as soon as 1t softens up.
Others wait for the sprout to form
and then chew 1t of and bore into the
seed. Naturally the plant never appears
above ground and the result is the
familiar missing hills. Sometimes In
fields where the infeststiOn Ia less serious
the corn plants start unevenly and con-
tinue throughout the season growing at
different rates so that . very irregular
appearance 10 given the field. Our stten- |
tion was called this season to an example
of the latter type Of uneven growth and
examination Of the roots Of one some
what stunted plant showed that Ii was
supporting no less than II wireworms
and white-grubs. II is doubtful, how
ever, IL the corn plant would ever pro-
duce grain no matter how long the grow
ing season happened to be. In this in
stance inquiry was made concerning the
previous history of the field and 1t was
found to have been In sod for many
years.
In 80 acre field near Orono the frst
planting was failure due to insect at
tack and the field was replanted to
ensilage corn which hourished and made
fairly good growth. The replanting
was done by hand and the old plants
were left undisturbed with the result
that the wireworms and white-grubs con-
tinued feeding on them until after the
new ensilsge plants were well started
and could resist the onslaught Of the
insects with less visible effect. In this
instance, the old plants served as trap
and the new seed WAS very we'll pro-
as an agricultural practice, 10 prohib-
tive. As In the former example cited,
the failure was due to neglect of the fact
that insects remain over from sod and
are potentislity to be reckoned with.
One should not forget, either, that
corn should be carefully handled In this
northern latitude to produce maturity
before the frosts of early fall destroy
the crop. When the first planting Is
lost there is seldom sufficient growing
season remaining in which to mature q
crop and the cost of preparing the land
may be q total loss. Where the insect
factor of corn production has been
neglected the crop may be affected IN
two ways. wireworms may not only de-
stroy the seed when replanted corn
would be caught by the early frosts but
they may 90 check the developments OF
the plants without destroying them that
full maturity is retarded and the frosts
oyertake the growing corn.
When sod land is broken for corn
MANY insects which had fed upon the
grasses will ind corn satisfactory food.
The prevailing climatic conditions en-
phasizs the importance OF the insect
factor of corn production In Maine.
Crop rotation is the only satisfactory
means Of controlling the worst insect
enemies of corn. This should be
three or four year cropping system be.
ginning with q small grain. A small
grain Withstands insect attack with less
loss than corn because the root system
IA more numerous and the number oil
plants per acre 10 far greater. System
attic crop insurance is sound; bit or
miss cultivation is q gamble; one bar
yests grain while the other more often
produces . crop of insects.-Chas. D.
Woods, Director.