CUTWORMS AND THEIR CONTROL. 38 
cutworm moths will have laid their eggs thereon, and the less, con- 
sequently, will be the danger of injury by cutworms the following 
year. 
Late fall and winter plowing of grasslands, although not as effec- 
tive as early plowing, will destroy many of the hibernating cut- 
worms, as well as such other important corn pests as white grubs, 
and should be practiced when earlier plowing is impracticable. 
Pasturing hogs upon land supposed to harbor cutworms is a bene- 
ficial practice, as these animals root up and devour insects of many 
kinds, including cutworms, in large numbers. Farm poultry, if 
trained to follow the plow, will prove of inestimable value. 
When cutworms are found to be abundant on corn land, the use of 
the poisoned bait is recommended. This may be prepared as follows: 
Mix 50 pounds of wheat bran, 2 pounds of Paris green, and 6 finely 
chopped oranges or lemons. Then bring the whole mixture to the 
consistency of a stiff dough by the addition of a low-grade molasses, 
such as is used in cattle rations, adding water when necessary. Dis- 
tribute this bait over the infected field in small lumps, taking care to 
sprinkle it sparingly around each hill. In case bran can not be readily 
obtained, middlings:or alfalfa meal may be successfully substituted. 
In fields known to be infested, the distribution of this bait should 
be started as soon as the corn begins to appear above ground so that 
the cutworms may be eliminated as quickly as possible and the in- 
jured hills promptly replanted. During the warmer spring months 
cutworms do most of their feeding at night and burrow into the soil 
to the depth of an inch or two during the day, so that the bait will 
usually be more effective if applied during the late afternoon or 
early evening hours. 
Frequently cutworms migrate to cultivated fields from adjoining 
grassland, and in such cases the crops can be protected by running 
a narrow band of the poisoned bait around the edge of the field or 
along the side nearest the source of infestation. 
