The Army-worm. 251 



or two. Thus from the historical record of the insect, one might 

 justly conclude that 1897 will not be an " army-worm year " 

 either in our state or iu the country at large. Doubtless armies 

 of the worms will appear in very limited localities in some parts 

 of the country but quite probably not on the same farms that 

 were ravaged last year. 



There are other reasons for thinking that farmers, whose crops 

 sui3fered last year, need not lose any brain matter in worrying 

 over the possibility of another " army-worm year " in 1897 or for 

 several years to come ; in many cases the worms had not been 

 seen on these farms, until last year, since 1861 or 1875. There 

 is no doubt but what another brood of the worms appeared in 

 New York after the very destructive brood which worked in Julj^. 

 But in those localities where the insect was so destructive in July, 

 apparently nothing was seen of the caterpillars of the next brood 

 which worked in September ; they were not numerous enough to 

 attract attention by their injuries. There must have been a fear- 

 ful decimation among the many millions of worms constituting 

 the July armies either about the time they became full grown or 

 when they had reached the next or pupa stage. And there was. 

 If there had not been, at the normal rate of multiplication, there 

 would have been enough caterpillars developed in September to 

 have caused the ravages of the July brood to have appeared 

 insignificant in comparison. The principal causes of this great 

 decimation in the ranks of these armies of worms are discussed 

 under the natural enemies of the insect. Suffice it is to say here, 

 that as some of the same causes worked upon the September 

 brood, we believe that the number of army- worms which went 

 into hibernation last fall in New York state was not materially 

 greater than in other years when nothing is heard of the insect 

 the year following. 



In short, we believe that the history of the insect and the 

 evident and very effective work of its enemies last 5^ear, in New 

 York at least, strongly indicate that the army-worm will be a 

 scarce article of diet for the birds in 1897 and for some years to 

 come in most parts of our state. At any rate, we would strongly 

 advise farmers to not hesitate a moment about sowing grain crops 



