The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1919-08-01

prepared by the United States Depart
ment of AgricuIture.)
The farmers life sometimes seems
to be just one insect pest after an
other. Just about the time he has
| learned how to combat all the insect
pests in the United States and leans
back to take things easy for a SPELL
somebody manages to import few
new varieties of crop trouble from for
| eign shores. This time it is the Euro
pean corn borer that is going to cause
the farmer to lose sleep.
The European corn borer probably
Is the most injurious insect pest that
has yet been introduced into this coun-
try, according to entomoIogists of the
United States department of agricuI-
ture in Farmers Bulletin 1046. I'm
less immediate and effective measures
are taken to exterminate this pest 1T
seriously threatens the future of Amer
ica's greatest cereal crop. Already it
is known to exist IN an area of 800
square miles in Massachusetts and 400
square miles in New York It's rapid
spread to the entire country is pos
sible. 1t frequently destroys from one
fourth to One-half of the corn crop in |
infested fields in Massachusetts.
How Borer Injuries Corn.
All parts of the corn plant, except |
the fbrous roots, are tunneled by the |
larvae or borers. Their most damag- |
Ing work is done i'm the stalks and |
ears, which they partially or totally |
destroy. They usually enter the upper |
end of the stalk, near the base of the
tassel, and tunnel upwards for short
distance before tunneing down the
stalk. The taSsel is so weakened by
this damage that it breaks over before
Much pollen is thus lost
and grains fail TO form normally on
the ears. These broken tassels, with
at the breaks, are sure signs that the
European corn borer is getting in its
deadly work.
Many times the borers enter near
the junction of the leaf and stalk.
Any small hole with sawdust-like ma
-eriai coming out of it indicates the
presence of borers Several borers
frequently work in one stalk, reducing
t to mere shell. The nutriment to ,
he developing ear is cut off by this
injury. The stalk is weakened, and
ventually breaks.
Some of the borers leave the stalk
nd enter the ears through the husk
nd also through the stem and cob.
iere they feed upon the immature
rain and tunnel the cob. The injury
D the ears and stalks is further in =
reased by soft rot which often fol- :
,ws the work of the borers and re-
uces the interior of infested plants to :
oxious odor.
Two Generations Each Year !,
There are two generations of the r
European corn borer each year. They .
re continuously damaging the corn
! infested fields from before tasseling ,
me until winter stops their activi 4
es. They remain as nearly full
-own borers within their tunnels
the winter and resume
'eding In the spring.
The chief danger to the nations
'rn crop lies In the possibility of
plants being transported -
to sections where the borer does not
ready exist. To prevent this all
ant quarantine laws must be strictly e
forced with regard to plants likely
be infested.
Quarantine measures must be sup q
emented by careful cleanup opera 10
ms in infested areaA Destroy Ill
int material likely to hArbor borers.
Burning Most Effective. ~
In infested areas burning has proved In
e most effective means Of destroying
e borers. Burn al Of the previous
ar's cornstalka. corn stubbls. crop =
nnsatA. stalks Of gardea plants. p