The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1919-08-07

prepared by the United States DEPART
ment OF Agriculture)
The army worm has cut a wide
swath this year in the vicinities Of
Dallas and Fort Worth, Tex. Strenu-
GUS efforts to prevent its spread have
been made, and absence OF other re-
ports gives ground for the hope that
it may not appear elsewhere this sum
mer. but United States department of
agriculture entomologists urge all
farmers in all states east of the Rocky
mountains to remain on the watch for
the pest until cool weather comes next
autumn.
There are usually three generations
Of caterpiIlars-the form in which the
pest greatly damages crops by feeding
upon them-in q year, but seldom or
never are there two successive out
breaks in any one locality. The in
sects usually appear in the fields very
suddenly, and it seems certain that the
NOTES.-The parents of the caterpil-
lars-at times fly in great numbers for
many miles, in the direction OF the
prevailing winds, and alght in body
TO deposit their eggs at some place
favorable to the development OF their
offspring. This fact accounts for the
appearance Of the army worm in re-
gions far removed from any known
source Of infestation.
How to Identify Worm.
The full-grOTn army worm IS
nearly naked, smooth, striped cater
pillar, about one and One-haIf inch
long. Its general color is usually
greenish, and the stripes, one along
each side and a broad one down the
center Of the back, are dark and often
nearly black. The stripe along the
back usually has fine, light-coIored
broken stripe running down its cen
ter The color of the body between
the dark stripes varies from greenish
to reddish brown The head is green
ish brown, speckled with black.
when an army OF these worms Is
at work In q field" says one OF the
publications OF the department OF
agriculture, which are not given to ex-
aggeration or to seeking after melo-
dramatic effects, ''the ehamping Of
their jaws is plainly TO be heard as
they greedily devour every blade in |
sight In this stage the army worm |
frequently consumes all OF the food /
supply near the place where it has |
developed from the eggs. When such /
is the case the caterpiIlars mass to- /
gether and crawl away in a body In /
search Of other food It is this habit /
which has gained for the insect the |
name OF army worm"
Killing Worms in Burrows.
It is the massing together OF the
TcF-1fI1oz-- s1F, r-f-- -
the chance Of destroying them in great /
numbers. Burrows or bitches are
plowed or dug completely around the
infested area, or directly across the
path Of the advancing horde. In at
tempting to cross such bitches the
worms fall into them. and can easily
be destroyed by crushing them with
a log dragged back and forth through
the ditch or furrOW. II shallow post
holes are sunk in the bottom Of the
ditch at intervals OF about 20 feet,
the worms viii crawl along the ditch
bottoms and fall into the holes, where
they may be destroyed by crushing or
other means. If the subsoil is of such
a nature that water penetrates it but
slowly, the post holes may be partially
filed with water, with a layer OF coal |
oil or petroleum on the top Of It. The l.
oil kills the worms Immediately.
Other Control Measures.
Watchfulness and quick action on
the part OF farmers are essential In
all the control measures, which In
ciUde, IN addition to the ditchfng
method, the following:
In case OF a general invasion, give
the ground q light cultivation, II Dos
sible, after the caterpiIlars have gone