Cutworms 



has been done the bran should be just moist enough to stick together, 

 but not so wet that it will not crumble freely. In this condition it 

 can be evenly and thinly scattered over the field to be treated. 



How to Apply the Bait 



The poisoned bait should be scattered broadcast over the infested 

 field. This can be done by hand, care being taken to prevent large lumps 

 from being left in the field unbroken. If the bait is thinly and evenly 

 scattered there is no danger of poultry or livestock being poisoned by 

 eating it. If properly scattered a mixture made of 20 pounds of bran 

 will cover 2| acres. 



Time to Put Out the Bait 



Since the cutworms, as a rule, do not begin feeding until late after- 

 noon or early evening, the bait should not be spread until about sun- 

 down. If spread earlier in the day, especially if the weather is hot and 

 dry, the bait will become dried out before the worms begin feeding. 

 In this case the results are apt to be disappointing. It is claimed that 

 cutworms feed much more freely on shorts when dried out than on bran.* 



Treating Fields Before Planting 



Infested fields should be treated with poisoned bait before plant- 

 ing. If properly applied one application of Kansas Mixture is sufficient 

 to rid a field of cutworms. After being treated in this manner a field 

 can be planted with safety. 



Other Poisoned Bait 



Freshly cut clover or alfalfa thoroughly sprayed with Paris green 

 and water (1 lb. Paris green to 25 gallons water) and spread over infested 

 fields is often substituted for Kansas Mixture. It is very doubtful if 

 this is as satisfactory as the poisoned bran mixture. This method 

 should be avoided because of the danger of poisoning live stock. 



Rolling 



Rolling is sometimes recommended for killing cutworms. How- 

 ever, it is a doubtful method and one which is very apt to be disappoint- 

 ing in its results. Unless the surface of the field is very smooth and 

 compact, rolling is a waste of time for this purpose. If done at all it 

 must be done at night when the worms are moving on the surface. Gen- 

 erally speaking, rolling is not to be recommended. 



Discing 



Discing is even less effective than the roller, for destroying cut- 

 worms, and is not recommended. 



Plowing 



Deep fall plowing will often give good results, especially if the soil 

 is thoroughly disced before plowing and the surface well worked down 

 afterward. 



Replowing of infested fields in the spring, if the plowing is deep 

 and the surface thoroughly worked afterward, has given good results 

 when the season is not too far advanced for the planting of early matur- 

 ing crops. 



*E. H. Streckland, "Control of Cutworms in the Prairie Provinces," Circular No. 6, Department of 

 Agriculture. Dominion of Canada (1916). 



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