12 



THE l^EPORT OF THE 



No. 36 



Insects Attacking Field Crops. 



Cutworms. In light soils cutworms were fairly abundant, and in the earlier 

 part of the season did considerable damage in some fields. Young turnips, beets, 

 radishes and newly set-out cabbages and cauliflowers were attacked by the Eed- 

 backed Cutworm (Euxoa oclirogaster) and the Dark-sided Cutv/orm {Euxoa mes- 

 soiia), the two common cutworms of the district. 



Fig. 1. — Dark-sided Cutworm. 



EooT Maggots. These insects were not so abundant in 1912 as they were the 

 year previous. They were, however, present in sufficient numhers to destroy many 

 radishes, cabbages, cauliflowers, and, in some flekls onions. In one of our fields of 

 turnips on the Farm, 16 per cent, of the plants were attacked by the Radish Mag- 

 got. The most interesting outbreak of rooi maggots was that of the Corn-seed 

 Maggot, which did conspicuous injury to seed corn, not only in the Ottawa dis- 

 trict, but also at several points in eastern Ontario. The season was especially 



Fig. 2. — The Seed-corn Maggot: a. ft, flies; d, maggot; h, puparium; all very 

 much enlarged. (After Chittenden, U. S. Dept. Agriculture.) 



favourable for this insect, and many farmers thought that the cold, backward 

 spring was responsible for the seed failing to germinate. Unfortunately, our 

 knowledge of the life-history and habits of this insect is by no means complete, and 

 until we have further information it will be difficult to find successful control 

 measures. The remedy which we have suggested in the past is to sow seed corn 

 in good season in well prepared soil and not deeper than one or two inches. 



White Grubs (Lachnosienia). Strawberries, potatoes and corn were the 

 crops chiefly damaged by White Grubs during the past season. In some fields of 

 corn, near Ottawa, these grubs were remai'kably abundant. 



