The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1921-01-07

Late fall and winter blowing of
grasslands, although not as effective
as early blowing. will destroy many of
the alternating cutwOrms, as well as
such other important pests as white
grubs. and should be practiced when
earlier blowing is impracticable.
Use Of Hogs and Poultry.
Pasturing hogs upon land supposed
to harbor cutworms is a beneficial
practice. as these animals root up and
devour insects of many kinds. includ-
ing cutworms, in large numbers. Farm
poultry. if trained to follow the pillow,
will prove of inestimable value.
Poisoned Bats.
When cutworms are found to be
abundant on corn land the use of
poisoned bait is recommended. This
may be prepared as follows:
wheat bran POUNDS "
Paris green or crude arsenic. pounds 2
BlackStrap molaSSes quarts
water ..............-..--........ quarts TO
or more as needed
Mix thoroughly together in dry
state the poison and the bran, then
add the diluted molasses and stir Wig
orously until thoroughly mixed.
Distribute this bait over the infest-
ed field broadcast, taking care to
sprinkle 1t sparingly around each hill.
In case bran cannot be readily Oh
tanned middings or alfalfa meal may
be successfully substituted.
Where bran and other filters for poi
soned bats are prohibitively expen-
sive or difficult to obtain in sufficient
quantities. they may be diluted with
equal parts of fresh hardwood saw
dust. The formula for poisoned bait
Paris green or white arsenic. pounds
Fresh hardwood sawdust... pounds q
Wheat bran .........po pounds Is
MOlaSseS ..........................Q quarts
water ........................... quarts 10
or more as needed
This mixture is not quite SO eff
cient as the poisoned bait containing
the entire amount Of bran, but it has
shown good results and may be used
to advantage when necessary. Pine
sawdust should not be used. as this
seems to repel the insects.
Where only a small quantity of poi.
soned bait Is required the following
formula will be found most conven-
rent:
White arsenic or paris green. pound a
Dry bran .......peck
MolasSes ........................... pint
Water ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. quarts to
or more as needed
It is often advantageous to allow
the mash thus obtained to stand for
several hours before using It, as this
seems to result in greater effective.
ness.
In fields known to be infested the
distribution Of this bait should be
| started as soon as the corn begins tC
appear above the ground. so that the
! cutworm may be eliminated as quickly
! as possible and the injured hills
promptly replanted.
| Caution.-Poisoned hats should be
distributed thinly Prevent domestic
animals. including fowls. from eating
it. Arsenic and paris green are poi
sonOuS to animals.
Protective Barriers and Trapping.
Frequently cutworms migrate t.
cultivated fields from adjoining grass
lands, and in such cases the crops car
be protected by running a narrow
band Of the poisoned bait around tn,
edge Of the field or along the sid,
nearest the source of infestation. Thi
occurs In the semiarid states of tn
West and Northwest. Where cut
| worms occur in hordes moving to
gether in one direction they may b,
trapped by the following method
which often is used in army-worm con
troll: A furrow or ditch Gig. 81 4
plowed or dug completely around tn
infested area. In attempting to eros
such bitches the worms fall into then
and can easily be destroyed by crush
ing them with log dragged back ant
forth through the ditch or furrow. l
shallow post holes are sunk In tn
bottom of the ditch at intervals o
about twenty feet, the worms viii
crawl along the ditch bottoms and fa1
into the holes, where they may be dc
stroyed by crushing or other mean.
If the subsoil be Of such a nature tina
water penetrates II but slowly. tn
post holes may be partially filled wit
water. on the top of which a lave
Of crude oil or petroleum may b
poured. Upon falling into such hole
) the worms are almost Immediately d.
stroyed without further action on IN
part Of the farmer.