218 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



1-2 EDWARD VII., A. 1902 



recently been ploughed up. As the caterpillars remain beneath the surface, it is al- 

 most impossible to reach them with any remedy. In my report for 1898, I refer to an 

 attack by this same cutworm on a field of oats which had been almost destroyed in th« 

 last week in May. At that time the caterpillars were 

 almost full grown and very effective work in the way 

 of cleaning the land was done by turning on flocks of 

 chickens and turkeys which devoured large numbers, 

 but soon crows took so many of the young chickens 

 that the poultry had to be shut up again. However, 

 I am quite sure from what I know of the habits of 

 crows that they kept on at the useful work of destroy- 

 ing the cutworms. By June 8 the caterpillars were 

 full grown or they had been eaten by the chickens Fig 4 —The moth of the 



and crows, and the land was again sown and produced Glassy Cutworm, 



a heavy crop. 



A knowledge of the habits of even such common insects as many of the various 

 kinds of cutworms is frequently of much money value to farmers. When insects ap- 

 pear in large and destructive numbers most of them become full grown, and as in the 

 case of cutworms cease feeding at about the same time. Therefore if enough is known 

 of their habits to recognize when they are full grown and consequently will not eat any 

 more, a field may be re-sown at once without any danger and with no unnecessary loss 

 of valuable time. 



Cutworms are very seldom noticed until they are nearly full grown and their de- 

 predations are so great that they attract attention by their inroads upon a crop. In 

 most instances these attacks are not reported until it is too late for remedial measures. 

 This was generally the case in Manitoba last spring, although the moths were noticed 

 as particularly abundant in 1900 by collectors of insects. Mr. A. W. Hanham, of 

 Winnipeg, writing on the insects of the season in December, 1900, says ' C. ochrogas- 

 ter (the parent moth of the Red-backed Cutworm) was by far our most abundant cut- 

 worm moth this year. I never went out during their season without seeing them in 

 such numbers as to be a perfect nuisance when collecting.' Practically the same re- 

 port was received from Mr. E. F. Heath, of Cartwright, Man., Mr. H. W. O. Boger, 

 of Brandon, Man., and Mr. L. E. Marmont, of Rounthwaite, Man. 



' Morden, Man., June G. — In this country the cutworm is undoubtedly with us 

 every spring time, but never before in the history of the country did it work so 

 much damage as it did this season. Usually manifesting itself entirely in the gar- 

 dens, it this year during the dry month of May invaded the grain fields and in several 

 localities in this district has already done great damage to the growing crops. Many 

 fields of grain were completely eaten off. The grubs seemed to have a preference for 

 oats, but wheat also suffered. One farmer reports 70 acres of growing wheat com- 

 pletely destroyed, and another, 40 acres of oats as bare as though never planted. Re- 

 ports of serious losses from this cause are general, and the infliction appears to be seri- 

 ous enough to call for investigation. Unlike the grasshopper, the cutworm is a regular 

 institution of the country, and its operations this season show that it may develop de- 

 structive powers heretofore unexpected. Some of the farmers here are ploughing up 

 and re-seeding the grain fields destroyed, although this seems to be a useless proceed- 

 ing while the worms are still in the soil to eat it off again. It may be stated here that 

 there is a general impression that any plant cut off by the worm will not grow again, 

 but this is open to question. In most cases the plant is undoubtedly destroyed, but it 

 is not so in all cases, and grain crops certainly ought to come again, the same as if 

 cut down by severe frost. It is a new experience here for grain fields to be seriously 

 damaged by the familiar cutworm and is no doubt to be accounted for by the unusually 

 favourable conditions. The worm thrives in loose dry soil, but it cannot reproduce 

 itself, because the cutworm is a true caterpillar and does not reach its full develop- 

 ment till mid-summer when it completes the round of its existence by becoming a 

 moth.' — J. F. Galbk-Utii. 



