June, '19] SMITH: EAR WORM INJURIES 231 



as is not infrequent, fertilization may not be prevented for as Dr. 

 Taylor further writes, "any portion that emerges beyond the husk is 

 receptive." There are other well known sources of nubbins, but no 

 record has been found of this one in literature. Observations here 

 and in North Carolina indicate that it is of frequent occurence. 



The fourth source of loss is the kernels actually eaten (PI. 11, fig. 7). 

 This varies from a fraction of one per cent to perhaps tw^enty-five per 

 cent. The number of ears damaged here and southward is frequently 

 100 per cent. 



The larvae living in the ears and devouring the kernels scatter excre- 

 ment in the damaged areas to the extent that a repulsive and unsightly 

 condition results (PI. 11, fig. 4). In the case of sweet corn, many ears are 

 rendered totally unfit for food. Sometimes the damaged portions can 

 be cut off and the ears then used but such ears are manifestly less 

 desirable than uninjured ones. Here is a source of loss of especial 

 importance to growers of sweet corn. Ears of field corn, ear worm- 

 damaged, are usually fed to stock. Haslam (1910)^ found bacteria of 

 the Aerogenes group in this excrement which is recorded as being fatal 

 usually to horses and rabbits when injected into their veins. Such 

 corn is less attractive than perfect ears though the public appears to be 

 largely reconciled to corn thus damaged. The corn exhibited at the 

 corn show at Statesville, N. C, November 23, 1918, manifestly the 

 choice ears of the various crops represented, showed 62 per cent of the 

 ears ear worm-damaged. 



Following the ear worm activity on soft corn appear various molds 

 (PI. 11, fig. 6). These molds not onlj^ detract from the appearance of 

 the corn but render the parts thus attacked undesirable for food. Has- 

 lam (1910) and others found that symptoms of blind staggers result from 

 feeding moldy corn to horses. Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, 

 and lihizopus nigricans are mentioned in this connection. Twenty- 

 four ear worm-damaged ears of field corn, which had been invaded by 

 molds, were submitted to Dr. W. A. Taylor for determination of the 

 molds and the following genera were reported: Penicillium (13 ears), 

 Fusarium (12 ears), Cladosporium (10), Acrostalagmus (7), Rhizopus 

 (3), and Veriicillium, Macrosporium, Tricothecium , Oospora (1 each). 

 Though much study remains to be done on the effect of the toxic 

 properties of these and similar molds on domestic animals, it is known 

 that stock, especially horses, sometimes die as a result of being fed on 

 moldy corn. 



A seventh source of loss has been entirely overlooked. \ very few 

 writers state that ear worm larvic continue eating corn after it hardens, 



> Haslam, Thos. P. MoninKo-Eiu»'pli;iliti.s. Kans. Statr Ar. College Exj). Sta., 

 Dept. of Veterinary Science, Bui. 17:i, pp. 235-253. 1910. Bib. 



