45^ Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [lo July, 191 i. 



move on to the crop, and when they come to the sprayed portion devour it 

 greedily, and are soon destroyed. If vegetables are sprayed it is advisable 

 to thoroughly wash them before using. 



The trench system is a simple and effective method of eradication. A 

 trench or furrow should be either ploughed or dug around the crop towards 

 which the cut worms are feeding. It must have clear cut sides ; those 

 nearest the crop should be undercut so as to prevent the cut worms from 

 crawling out of the trench. Deep holes should be made in the trench at 

 intervals of, say, five yards. When travelling towards the crop the cut 

 worms fall into and crawl along the trench and ultimately into the holes. 

 A few shovelfuls of earth, well rammed, will then speedily destroy them. 

 Should the pest be already in the crop it will be necessary to run a few 

 furrows through it. 



Another plan that answers well is to place a flock of sheep in the 

 infested paddock adjoining the crop. The constant walking about of the 

 sheep will destroy the cut worms. 



If cut worms are prevalent in gardens, rake the ground up close to the 

 plants. By this means many of them are turned up ; and, if poultry are 

 allowed to run over the ground very few will escape their notice. Thev 

 are also easily injured by the rake and are then likely to be eaten by ants 

 and insectivorous birds when exnosed on the surface of the ground. 



Numbers of cut worms are destroyed by hymenopterous and other ,^ara- 

 sites. Very wet and cold weather also keeps them in check. 



PRACTICAL HINTS ON CUT WORM DEP-;TRUCTI0N. 



F . de Castclla. Government Viticulturist. 



At Mr. French's request I have pleasure in supplementing the article 

 in which he deals with Cut Worms, generally, by a few remarks sum- 

 marizing the experience of North- Eastern vine-growers who, during the 

 past three seasons, have found one of the most serious obstacles to. the 

 successful reconstitution of their vineyards in the ravages of Agrotis cater- 

 pillars, commonly known as Cut Worms, as well as of several small 

 beetles* which, like them, hide below the surface of the soil during the 

 day and ravage the leaves and shoots of the young vine at night time. 



The experience gained by vine-growers may prove of value to other 

 agriculturists, as well as to those about to plant vines for the first time. 



In these insects we have no new pest, but one which has long been with 

 us. Vine-planters of 20 years ago knew them well, though, owing to the 

 small amount of vine-planting carried out until quite recently, this fact has 

 been forgotten, and cut worms are often erroneously looked upon as a 

 recent introduction. 



The prevalence of the trouble varies greatly. It is common to find, 

 in the same district, one vineyard whiclr suffers .severely, whilst another 

 perhaps only a mile away, is quite free. Sandy .soils are usually more 

 liable than stiffer ones. In many of the pine-ridge vineyards recently 

 planted near the Murray, damage from cut worms has been severe. Never- 

 theless, trouble has also been experienced in some vineyards planted on 

 stiffer soil, though, as a rule, to a lesser extent. 



* Specimens >ent to Mr. French were iclentifled ae Hopatium Ausfrate and different spscies of 

 Haplonchya and Hetpronyx. 



