The Bulletin. 21 



stroy the lice. They are an entirely distinct species of insect and attend 

 the lice for the purpose of securing the honey-dew. 



Although with us this Root-louse is recognized as a pest only on cot- 

 ton and corn, it is known to feed on the roots of many other plants 

 which may tide it over in places or in seasons when corn or cotton are 

 not within its reach. 



REMEDIES. 



Throughout our cotton-growing region the time-worn two-year rota- 

 tion of corn one year, cotton the next, and then back to coi'n again, 

 acts directly in favor of the increase of this louse, for it feeds upon the 

 roots of both these plants. Hence a rotation which shall at least every 

 third year put some crop on the land other than cotton or corn would 

 surely offer a hope of relief. 



Corn (or cotton) fields which have been infested may be deeply 

 winter-plowed to break up the ants' nests, the soil being deeply culti- 

 vated (or disked) before being planted to the next crop. 



It stands to reason that thorough preparation of the land, liberal 

 fertilization, and frequent cultivation will all tend either to discourage 

 or interfere with the ants or the lice, and will encourage the crop to 

 healthy growth which may withstand moderate attacks. 



THE CORN BUD-WORM. {Diahrotica 12-punctata, Oliv.) 



Order Coleoptera. Family Clirysomelidw. 



(Also called "Root-worm" and "Drill- worm.") 



Description. — A slender worm or grub, half an inch long, yellowish 

 white, destroys young corn by eating into the stalk below ground, killing 

 the central portion. Worse on lowgrounds in cool belated seasons. The 

 adult beetle is about one-third inch long, yellowish green with twelve 

 black spots, feeding on many plants and often destructive on squash and 

 related crops. 



Injury in North Carolina. — The Corn Bud-worm is a pest of long 

 standing in this State, so much so that a certain amount of injury by 

 it is taken largely as a matter of course. From the very considerable 

 number of letters which have come to us regarding it, we quote from 

 several to show the nature of the injury as the farmer sees it : 



"Have been troubled witti something that kills my corn from time it comes 

 up until 6 or 8 inches high ; looks like a worm had cut the heart of the corn 

 under the ground near the root ; the heart dies and the stalk is worthless." 



"Corn Bud-worms are the worst insect I have to contend with. On low 

 bottom-lands they kill about one-half of it in cool spells. They work about 

 an inch from the grain of corn." 



"A great deal of my corn is killed by Bud-worms when about a hand high." 



