Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1918-11-12
Control Whswornsb by Crop Rotation.

4 ocr9s PArfs. Ne. -
Sontroa Whewornsb by Crop Rotation
Among the many inquiries received
oy the Maine Agricultural Experiment
Station are frequently letters expressins
encouragement because OF the preva
/ ieuce OF wifeworms. Often total losse,
occur when corn or potatoes are planted
she hrst year after breaking old sod land
and much loss occurs annually In re-.
ouced yields which Is directly attribute.
| ole TO this pest. It Is the purpose OF
this letter to discuss some principles In
handling lands which will at once main
tain the fertility of the soil and control
one or the worst ground inhabiting in
sects affecting Maine agriculture, the
wireworms.
"Wirsworms" is q common name for
q numoer or species of insects which
10 ioit the ground in their immature or
iarvai stages. In this larval stage they
are one-haif to one inch long with q
wiry. cylindrical, tough, waxy brown.
SHINING body. They squirm somewhat
sideways when picked up and when un-
covered IN the soil attempt to bore back
through the ground into which they dis
appear very rapidly. They should not
be confused with the "millepedes"
which are about the same size. have
many legs along the under side, are a
darker brown and curl up in ring when
disturbed. Millepedes are more often
found under boards whereas wireworms
always live in the ground. The wire
worms live during years in the soil
all the while feeding upon the roots Of
grssses and weeds. As eggs are laid
each year there are always at least three
generations resident In the sod-lands at
one time. As Q generation reaches a |
mature condition each individual con-
structs an earthen cell in which IL lies |
dormant from August of one year to |
June OF the next while they "change |
over" to dark, slender beetle. These
adult ''click-beetles. select out and lay
eggs in the old meadow-lands and old |
hay fields from which the vireworms
develop. This latter point should be
borne in mind, that the natural breeding
place of Wireworms is the old meadows
md old bay fields that have not recently
produced . cultivated crop. II then,
hese fields can be made unacceptable to
he adult beetle she will not lay eggs In
hat Held but In other more natural loca
ions. How can We make those fields
unnatural to the wireworm adult egg
aver?
Obviously Ii is easily camouflaged by
,utting in another crop so unlike hay
hat the adults do not lay eggs there.
.et rs take several pieces of land aud
practice a cropping system that will
include not more than two years in sod
or single piece of land and during the
'ther years growing small grain, clover
nd cultivated crop. What effect does
bis cropping system have on the WIRE
Vorms? In the first place the crops
ave made the land unsuitable for the
dults to lay eggs in and nc new genera
ions have developed while each year
be resident wireworms have reached a
nature condition, have changed over"
o beetles and have flown away. So |,
bat eventually the land has become
free from q pest which
vas formerly q serious check to Guilt
ated plants. It Is possible that a !,
econd year in sod may induce Q few
smales to lay eggs in the grass land but
" ony Oooo thso Uut
of wireworms whereas ordi-
lary sod land always has st least three.
rom the standpoint Of systematic wire
worm control there Is no process any
more effective than crop rotation al
hough fall plowing greatly reduces the
lumber Of individuals. Fall blowing
educes the number OF wireworms In the
oil, crop rotation prevents any more
rom getting in. /
One should not be deceived because
10 sometimes gets good stand Of corn
o spite of wireworm attack. It 10 not
unusual for Q spring wireworm attack
o be succeeded by fairly good growth
luring Q particularly favorable summer
nd early fall. But In this latitude one
annot trust that the climate will be
avorsble. 1t is too much of a gamble
nd that is exactly where wireworms
'ecome especially important under ,
dsine conditions. A spring setback to
orn due to wireworm attack will not
My materially reduce the yield but 1t
nay prove disastrous to the entire in
estment. As regards yield and wire
Torms, one should not forget that 1t Is
be number of filled out grains on the
OBJ which count up the bushels OF the
ield and that plant cannot produce
Maximum of wireworms and grain at
hs same tims.-Chas. d. Woods, d.
ector.