70 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



weather has produced three. In the latter part of August or in September, 

 the cjrgs arc hiid for the first l)rood ; these live over winter in the flaxseed 

 state, producing llics in April, wliicli immediately attack the wheat left by the 

 fall brood. 



The most popular remedy is late sowing, but its success is an open question. 

 I should say, sow the most thrifty growing wheat which you can obtain. Sow it 

 in due season and in the best of soil. Add plaster to the soil and anything else 

 which will produce a large stalk. The larvns of the fly lives upon the stalk, 

 and if we can produce a large straw it will grow its head and feed the larvae 

 too. Suppose in the spring you And your field filled with this insect in the 

 maggot or flax-seed state? If not too late for safety, and if the wheat is very 

 thrifty, turn in a flock of sheep and let them feed it down. Some have sug- 

 gested the burning of stubble, but as this destroys alike our friends and our 

 enemies, I should hardly deem it advisable. 



Many and just are the complaints entered against another troublesome insect. 

 I refer to the cut worm. This little mischief maker is the young of a very 

 common moth — or miller, as they are often called. 



Wire worms and grubs are often called cut-worms, and the evil which these 

 grubs bring about is often laid to the cut-worm, and cut-worm remedies are 

 applied without success. It is well known among farmers that cut-worms 

 live upon the tender shoots and underground stems of plants. These worms 

 are well known too, and I will simply say that grubs and wire-worms have many 

 feet and are the young of beetles instead of moths. The large white grubs are 

 the 3'oung of the May beetle, and the wire-worms are supposed to be the young 

 of snapping beetles, — or bugs, as they are commonly called. 



Many remedies have been advanced. Most popular among these are digging, 

 protection of stalk, and fall plowing. It is doubtful whether fall plowing is to 

 be recommended. It might give the birds a chance to pick up a few, but the 

 ordinary freezing and thawing of our winters has little effect. The most effec- 

 tual remedy for large fields has been to sharpen up the fingers and proceed to 

 meet the enemy on his chosen ground. Nor is this actually "locking the barn 

 after the horse is stolen," for it jirevents the loss of any more plants by the 

 jaws of our fallen foes at any rate. Transplanted plants may be saved by pro- 

 tection. Suppose you are setting out young cabbage plants. Take a piece of 

 writing or any glazed paper and wrap around the plant just above the ground 

 and reaching down to the root, keeping it in place with a mound of earth. 

 Ashes, lime, or any other alkaline substance added in sufficient quantities to 

 kill or drive away the worms would also kill the plants. Climbing cut-worms 

 scorn to grovel in mother earth, and aspire to higher things. They may be 

 found at night taking the buds from dwarf or young fruit trees. These, and 

 I might add, all cut-worms, may be caught in great numbers by placing heaps 

 of freshly mown clover or grass upon the infested ground. The worms will 

 secrete themselves beneath the pile, and may be caught and destroyed. To 

 keep them from ascending the trees, use strips of firm, glazed paper three or 

 four inches wide, gathered or cut short at the upper edge. If the paper is 

 gathered, tie it around the tree trunk so that the lower edge sliall not touch 

 the tree. The band will then assume the shape of an inverted tin pan over 

 which the worm cannot climb. By cutting one edge of the band short it may 

 be tacked upon the tree. The larvae of the codling moth — or apple worm, as 

 it is commonly called, belongs among the meanest of insect foes. The little 

 moth flies only in the night, is not attracted by light or very much by jars of 

 sweetened water, and lays its egg in the blow end of the apple. As soon as the 



