The Tomahawk., 1923-06-14
Pertinent Pointers for Practical Farmers
de pspernnsnt Untyshy hlnneea
MINNESOTA CORN PLANT
HAS MANY SUBTLE ENEMIES
Rotation and Thorough Cultivation
Will Keep Down Pests to Minimum.

The corn plant has many foes in the
insect world, especially the corn plant
that is neglected or Is grown year
after year on the same ground. In
sects that injured corn most severely
in Minnesota last year and which are
likely to damage the crop to some ex-
tent the coming season, says Clarence
E. Nickel, extension entomologist, are
white grubs, cutworms, the corn-root
webworm, the western corn root-worm
and the corn-root aphis.
Mr.. Nickel explains that white
grubs are the young or larva Of May
beetles or June bugs. The second
year of the grub's life is the one in
which it does the most injury. Once
a field Of corn Is infested with white
grubs there Is no practical method OF
determination. The most practical
method of reducing the numbers in an
infested field is to pasture hogs and
poultry. The beetles seem to prefer
to lay their eggs in land cropped to
small grains, timothy, or weeds. II
such land Is infested, it Is better to
follow with clover rather than corn,
as clover is not injured to any extent
by the grubs. Flowing during the
latter part Of July Is of special value
at the time the grubs are changing to
beetles.
Early fall blowing and clean cultisa.
ton are important measures Of proven
ton to use against cutworms. The
cutworm moths will not lay their eggs
on bare ground, so that If a field to be
planted to corn in the spring was
plowed early the fall before and was
bare at the time the moths laid their
eggs, no cutworms will be found at
planting time Nine times out Of ten,
says Mr.. Nickel, field infested with
cutworms will be found to have been
weedy and neglected the year before.
Cutworms may be killed with poison
bait made Of paris green, bran, black
strap molasses, and water. This bait
should be broadcasted over the field
in small portions, taking care not to
leave any Jumps which may attract
birds or poultry.
Some of the damage done by the
corn-root webworm in southeastern
Minnesota counties last year was er-
roneously attributed to cutworms, says
Mr.. Nickel. A corn field that is badly
infested with corn-root webworms has
every appearance Of being injured by
cutworms. The webworms are often
difficult to find because the silken tube
in which they are housed is covered
on the outside with particles Of soil.
This pest grows and develops until
we'll along in July, so that replanting
the corn only furnished 1t with more
food and causes a heavier loss for the
farmer. Last year, as will be remem-
bered, many farmers in southeastern
counties replanted infested fields as
many as three and four times without
obtaining a stand After a field OF
corn is once infested with these web
worms there Is no way of getting rid
of them. Mr.. Nickel notes, however,
that the only fields injured by these
pests last year were those in which
corn had been planted on sod land.
IF the sod land to be put into corn
this spring was plowed in late July or
early August last year 80 that the
ground was bare of vegetation at the
time the moths laid their eggs, there
will be no danger from webworms this
year." says Mr.. Nickel. I'm case a
corn field is found to be infested after
the first planting, 1t Is suggested that
the rows of the second planting be put
midway between the rows of the first
planting. The webworms will con-
tinue feeding on the first planting and
allow the second to get good start.
After the plants are once we'll estab-
lished and growing vigorously there Is
but slight danger Of them being In.
jured."
The western corn cutworm attacks
the roots Of the corn, and injury may
not be apparent until late in the sea-
son when a strong wind has leveled
the corn affected The larvae will be
in the soil and consume the smaller
roots of the corn plant; later they bur-
row under the outer layers Of the
larger roots, weakening them so that
the stocks are blown over by the first
strong wind AS this insect feeds only
upon corn, it can be starved to death
by the simple expedient Of planting the
field to some other crop.
Try supper of plain bread and milk
and fruit, or lunch Of bread and a
plain salad, with milk to drink. 1t
adds variety and relieves the strain of
homework.
Farm grown feeds are usually
cheaper than purchased feeds. because
all feeds must be grown on some farm.
II you buy from the other fellow you
have to pay him for growing, maybe
also the middleman's profit for hand.
ling. Grow your own feeds.
Dandelion greens may be served
POW. while the green's are young and