The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1920-06-05

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young crops because of the activity
OF certain breed of worm, are
beng warned by the New Iberia
Chamber of Commerce TO watch
out for the pest, while those who
have been visited will find the
mode of battle appended below.
Several farmers IN Iberia Parish
have recently announced their
findings in this matter to the New
Iberia Chamber of Commerce,
which organization took immediate
steps to combat the evil and
ascertain from the Louisiana State
University how best to defeat the
destructive worm. The appended
letter from Thos. Fl. Jones,
chronological Assistant follows:
Chamber of Commerce,
New Iberia, La.
Gentlemen
Your telegram of this date,
addressed TO Mr. w. II. DOdsoD in
which you request information
| regarding "wOrms' that are
causing damage in your section Of
the state, has been referred to
me for attention.
The worm to which you refer is
no doubt the so-called "grass
worm or "army worm. While
this worm is the cause of more or
less complaint every year at about
this season. it is unusually abun
dant this year and we have had
many complaints concerning il
from the southern part of the state.
have personally investigated
outbreaks in West Baton Rouge
and st. James Parishes in the past
few days and feel sure, from what
| saw there and from reports OF
observations made by others, thai
tins brood of worms is practically
full grown, the damage already
done, and in most cases anything
in the way of control Improbable
Most of the damage, fortunately.
has been to young corn, rice, and
sugar cane, and while the crops
will receive a setback from being
partly or wholly defuliated l
believe that they will put forth
new growth and make satisfactory
yields. In this connection there
Is satisfaction IN knowing thai
here is seldom if ever more than
one outbreak of worms year iD
ally one field or restricted locality
The worm when full grown is
about inch IN length, cylindrical,
has s pairs of short legs, varies in
color from light greenlsh to almost
black, is striped, and not clothed
with hair. The minute worms
upon issuing from the eggs begin
feeding near the surface of the
ground, preferably on such grasses
as crab, Bermuda, and Johnson.
Many other crops are attacked
however, rice, sugar cane, alfalfa,
and clover being among those
most preferred. AT first the worm
consumes h1tIe food, only the
green tissue being removed from
the leaves upon which whitlsh
patches appear. As they increase
in size and near maturity however,
the worms acquire ravenous
appetites. This, together with
the fact that they often occnr in
"armles" is responsible for the
severe damage caused. The worms
become full grown in two or three
weeks, enter the soil, and transfer 10
short, cylindrical, smooth,
brown pupae from which the
grayish moths that lay the egg
| issne
Iujary can only be satisfactorily
prevented before the worms
become large. Corn, sugar cane.
and other crops should be kept
free of grass az the worms Often
migrate to the crop after having
defoliated the grass If grass il
already growing iD the fields and
worms are noted on it the grass
should not be destroyed without
destroying the worms IA they will
then attack the crop OfteDtimes
the worms originate iD grass on
the ditch banks and on The
tnrnrows Ii found on grass il
snch loca,ions-they should be
poisoned by spraying the grass
with 2 pounds powdered arsenate
of lead or l pound Paris green and
: pounds freshly slaked lime to 90
gallons of water. Other plants
upon which they are feeding may
also be sprayed With these
mixtures. Arsenate of lead or
Paris green may also be busted on
the plants. diluted with fine, dry
material such as air-slaked lime or
cheap -four. The proportions to use
will depend upon how the material is
applied but each acre should receive
about 4 or 5 pounds of arsenate of
lead OF 2 or pounds of Paris green.
Poison should not be applied to parts
of plants soon to be used for food for
I,,,,1,,re ~. cfo II would aICn no