Fig. 20. The Dark Sided Cut- Worm. 



328 Wiscoxsix State Horticultubal Sociktt. 



Climbing Cat - "Worms. 

 From what is generally 

 known of the cut-worms' 

 habits and from their form 

 andappearance,the common 

 opinion is that their depre- 

 dations are confined to the 

 portions of plants that are 

 in or near the surface of the ground, and the statement that they 

 climb trees and destroy leaves and fruit there will hardly be 

 believed by many. But careful observation has demonstrated that 

 some of the species do climb rose bushes, grape vines, and others 

 shrubbery, and even standard trees and there eat out the fruit, 

 flower and leaf-buds, to such an extent as sometimes to destroy 

 the plant or tree, and some entomologists are of the opinion that 

 all of the species can and do feed in the same way when driven 

 by scarcity of food nearer at hand. Prof. Eiley in treating of this 

 class of worms says: " Orchardists in spring frequently find 

 the heart of their fruit-buds, on young trees especially, entirely 

 eaten out and destroyed, and this circumstance is attributed to 

 various causes ; as birds, winged insects, beetles, slugs, or late 

 frosts, unsuitable climate, etc. Never have cut-worms received 

 the blame, all of which should have been ascribed to ihem, for 

 the germ hold of many species on a sandy soil in early spring is 

 the fruit tree. This is a very important fact to fruit raisers, and 

 let those who have attempted to grow the dwarf apple and pear on 

 a sandy soil, and who have become discouraged, as many have, 

 from finding their trees affected in this way every year, take 

 courage, for knowing the cause they can easily prevent it. 



"These climbing cut- worms will crawl up a tree eight or ten 

 feet high, and seem to like equally well the leaves of the pear, 

 apple and grape. They work during the night, always descend- 

 ing just under the surface of the earth at early dawn, which 

 accounts for their not having been discovered at their work of de- 

 struction in former years. They seldom descend the tree as they 

 ascend it, by crawling, but drop from the leaf or bud on which 

 they have been feeding; and it is quite interesting to watch one 

 at e:tr]y morn, when it has become full fed, and the tender skin 



