164 



EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



Fig. 4.— The Gothic Dart Moth. 

 Wings open and closed. 



When at rest (See Fig. 4.), their wings lie 

 hoi'izontally over their backs, and the upper 

 ones entii-ely cover the lower pair. The 

 upper wings are genei-ally crossed with one 

 or more waved lines and always bear two 

 characteristic marks, one about half way 

 down the wing, orbicular in shape, the other 

 nearer the tip, renif'orm or kidney-shaped. 

 Owing to their nocturnal habits. Cut-worms 

 frequently do a great deal of harm to vege- 

 tation without being recognized as the cause. 

 It is important, in the view of discovering 

 useful remedies, to ascertain as soon as possible the habits of all these caterpillars." 



The remedies given below are from Bulletin 11, of the Experimental Farm series. 



Remedies. — (i.) Glean Culture. As the young caterpillars of many species 

 hatch in autumn, the removal of all vegetation from the ground as soon as possible 

 in autumn deprives them of their food supply and also prevents the late-flying moths 

 from laying their eggs in that locality. Fields or gardens which are allowed to 

 become overgrown with weeds or other vegetation late in the autumn are almost 

 sure to be troubled with Cut-worms the next spring. 



(ii.) Traps. — Large numbers may be destroyed by placing between the rows of 

 an infested crop, or at short distances apart on infested land, bundles of any succu- 

 lent weed or other vegetation which has been previously poisoned by dipping it, 

 after tying it in bundles, into a strong mixture of Paris green (2 oz. to a pailful of 

 water). The Cut-worms eat the poisoned plants and bury themselves and die. 

 In hot, dry weather these bundles should be placed out after sun-down, and a shingle 

 may be laid on each to keep it from fading. 



(iii.) Banding and Wrapping. — (a.) It will be found to well repay the trouble 

 and expense, to place a band of tin around each cabbage or other plant at the time of 

 setting out. These may very easily be made by taking pieces of tin 6 inches long 

 and 2J wide and bending them around a spade or broom handle so as to form short 

 tubes. In placing them around a plant the two ends can be sprung apart to admit 

 the plant, and then the tube should be pressed about half an inch into the ground. 

 I have found this a useful means of disposing of empty tomato and other cans. To 

 prepare these easily, they need only be thrown into a bonfire, when the tops and 

 bottoms fall off and the side becomes unsoldered. The largo piece of tin can then 

 be cut down the centre with a pair of shears, and forms two tubes. 



(b.) Wrapping a piece of paper round the stems of plants when setting them 

 out will also save a great many and is highly i'ecommended. 



(c.) Hand-picking or digging out the Cut-worms whenever a plant is seen to be 

 cut off, should, of course, always be practised. 



Natural Enemies. — There are two enemies of Cut-worms which deserve especial 

 notice, and, from the good service 

 they do, should be known by sight 

 to every cultivator. They are the 

 Fiery Ground-beetle or Cut-worm 

 Lion (Calosoma calidum, Fab., Fig. 5) 

 and the Black Ground Wasp (Ammo- 

 phila luctuosa, Smith) which closely 

 resembles Fig. 6. Both of these 

 are desperate enemies of Cut- 

 worms, the former feeding on them 

 in all of its stages, the latter digging 

 them out and storing its nest with 

 them as food for its young grubs. 



Fig. .5.— Fiery 

 Ground Beetle. 



Fig. 6. — Ground Wasp. 



