Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1918-10-15
|. ate Fall blowing and Insect Coutro

Late folI fIoWmS anu suSeCt SousfVs'
The Maine Agricultural Experiment
Station aently has occasion to advise
cultivstors to start the preparation OF
their seed bed in the fall Of the year and
this would seem an appropriate time to
point ont some OF the advantages OF
slate fall plowing."
"Lste fall blowing" seems to work In
better on many Maine farms than early
fall or late summer following and in
some respects it is advantageous, espe-
cially from the standpoint OF insect con-
troll. It 10 q we'll known fact that in-
scots become sluggish as the cold comes
on and many Of them crawl into the
ground to hibernate. Others, such "a
wireworms, white-grubs, cutworms, and
many Others which live in the ground
curl up and pass the winter In . quies-
cent condition. Now when these are
turned up by the plow and exposed to
the weather they are often too sluggish
TO crawl back into the ground and are
easily captured by their natural enemies.
Where "wireworms" have been espe-
cislly numerous slate fall plowing" will
destroy great numbers by exposing them
10 the birds, skunks and the tiny moles
and field shrews. The mole depends
entirely upon insects for bis food and
wireworms constitute large part OF nis
diet especially In the meade w and corn
land. Fall plowing always helps our
animal friends by breaking the sod and
making the underground insects avail
able to them bot it also has an imme-
diate value In destroying the wirewoIm
adults. When wireworms "change over
10 adults or "click- beetles they con-
s,ruct a little earthen cell In which the
process occurs and then the soft beetle
rsmaips over winter In the cell. II. now,
the cell 10 broken open by blowing, the
beetle will be killed and will lay no eggs
in the adjacent meadow land. Beside
the many ground inhsbiting insects thus
dss,royed their eggs are frequently
broken and turned up to the weather
and great numbers such as grssshoppeI
egg packets are entirely prevented from
Matching.
In case the soil 10 known to be infested
vith vireworms and trouble was ex
psriencsd this year in growing corn, fol
instance, the cultivator often wonoels
what crop he may plant In snch iano
0ass, barley, rye, buckwheas, clover ano
other similar small grains and neid crops
seem to suffer less and are always In
cluded in the same rotation system VIII
corn. In the same way, when meadow
land is plowed up trouble may Dc avo'o
sd IL wire worms are abundant by plant,
ing to one of the small grains followee
by clover and corn when less injury VII
be observed. Complete eradication o.
vireworms is almostimpossibie out ta'
numbers are reduced TO. . minimum o.
crop rotation.
Beside the advantages Of insect con
troll. weeds are destroyed and the furroW
slice 10 given time 70 sottle down ageanS
the subsoil and to establish good oepii
larry connections for moisture. omai
grains thrive better on . fairly comPac
| seed.bed ~ wbich fall blowing estsolisne
| 90 well. Fall plowing also relieves IN
spring rush at seeding time and neip
solve the labor shortage problem OCCUR
| ring At that time. And, after Gil ID
| climate oompsls M to pulSerize the seeo
bed we'll ip the spring and to give IN
plants m early start.-ChaA ID. woooe
Director. ---A