10 



THE EEPOET OF THE 



No. 36 



Attacking Field Cropb. 



Cutworms. The cutworm which caused most injury in 1911, in the Ottawa 

 district, was the Eed-backed Cutworm (Paragrotis ochrogasier, Gn.). In May 

 many newly set out cabbages and cauliflowers were cut off and much damage was 

 also done to radishes, peas, beans and other field crops. On June 5th larvae were 

 found in a field of beans, which varied in size from half an inch to one and a 

 quarter inches in length. Wherever the well-known poison bran remedy was used 

 the attack stopped at once. In the use of this mixture it is important that the 

 bran be noticeably moistened so that the Paris green, when dusted in, will adhere 

 to practically every particle. In one ins)tance, which came to my notice, the bran 

 was insufficiently moistened, and when placed in the field was much too dry and 

 many of the particles had not been poisoned. When the mixture is quite dry the 

 cutworms, of course, are not attracted to it as 'they are when the bran is moistened. 



Fig. 1. Variegated Cutworm — a, moth; b, c, d, caterpillars; e, egg (magnified); /eggs 



on a stem. 



The mixture should be scattered after sundown, so that it will b^e in the very best 

 condition to attract the cutworms when they come out at night to feed. One half 

 a pound of Paris green is sufficient to poison fifty pounds of bran, the latter being 

 first moistened with sweetened water. Salt may be used instead of molasses or 

 cheap sugar. If salt is used, half a pound may be dissolved in half a gallon of 

 water and then added to the fifty pounds of bran; 50 to 100 pounds of bran is 

 sufficient for an acre, according to the closeness of the plants. 



The Radish, ot 'Cabbage Root Maggot, was again abundant and caused much 

 destruction. On May 26th the first flies were seen, and on May 29th large num- 

 bers of eggs were present on the stems of cauliflowers and cabbages, particularly 

 the former. These soon hatched and the maggots at once began their work of 

 destruction. The remedy which we have found most useful during the last two 

 years for radishes is to water the plants once a week from the time they begin to 

 appear until they are ready for the table with a decoction of hellebore, using two 

 ounces to every gallon of water. For cauliflowers and cabbages the best protection 

 can be had from the use of the well-known discs made from tarred building paper. 



