The Bulletin. 45 



to be observed tbat corn planted June 7tli and 8tb, 1904, made a good 

 crop at Pantego, and in 1905 the insects were disappearing as early as 

 June 6tb. Dr. Credle's observation of their being worse on land just 

 from grass suggests the advisability of avoiding such lands for corn. 



Although the insects seem to be attracted to lights at times, this habit 

 does not seem to tempt them to leave the plants when feeding and can- 

 not be relied upon to lure them to their destruction. 



See Eotation (p. 6), Fertilization (p. 7), Time of Planting (p. 7), 

 Cultivation (p. 8). 



THE CORN EAR-WORM. (Heliothis armigera. Hub.) 

 Order Lepidoptera. Family NoctuidcB. 



Description. — A grayish, greenish, reddish or brownish caterpillar 

 (very variable in color), about one and a quarter inches long when 

 grown, which eats into the ears of corn, often several in a single ear. 

 The adult is a yellowish-brown moth with wings expanding from 1 to 

 11/4 inches from tip to tip. 



Injury in North Carolina. — Among our destructive insects we think 

 that this stands near the head, both in the total amount of damage done 

 and the difficulty of combating it. According as it attacks different 

 parts of the several crops, it is known as the Cotton Boll-Avorm, the To- 

 bacco Bud-worm, the Tomato Fruit-worm, the Corn "Shatter-worm" 

 (when in the top of corn) and the Corn Ear-worm. The insect also at- 

 tacks other plants to more or less extent; has been reported burrowing 

 in the pods of cow-peas, in the seed-pods of tobacco, and others have 

 recorded it as occasionally eating into orchard fruits, though we have 

 not noted this. Here we are principally concerned with its injuries to 

 corn, and in this connection the following records are of interest : 



In the latter part of May and early June, 1902, complaints were re- 

 ceived from Mr. A. T. McCallum at Ked Springs and Mr. A. J. McKim- 

 mon of Maxton, both in Kobeson County. In response to these com- 

 plaints the writer made a visit, giving special attention to the case at 

 Maxton, which was especially serious. Mr. McKimmon had about thirty 

 acres planted in sweet corn for shipment to northern markets, but 

 scarcely an ear could be found which was not infested with several of 

 these larvae. As many as eleven were found in a single ear. The crop 

 was fully 75 per cent (if not 99 per cent) lost from the ravages of this 

 pest. 



Early in January, 1903, Mr. R. W. Livermore, also of Red Springs, 

 wrote asking about methods of combating this pest which had done him 

 serious injury the year previous. From his letters, dated January 6th 

 and 8th : 



* * * The worm which was doing the damage in my early corn last year 

 was the worm which bores into the ear when the corn is ripening. I am 

 inclined to think that this worm shuts out the early sweet-corn crop for this 

 section as a shipping crop to be depended upon. 



