GRASSHOPPERS AND OTHER INJURIOUS INSECTS OF 1911 AND 1912. 51 



after the horse is stolen. The most acceptable treatment at this 

 date appears to consist of copious watering of the lawn where pos- 

 sible, accompanied by the use of some artificial fertilizer, like ni- 

 trate of soda, (from 250 to 350 pounds to the acre), thus enabling 

 the lawn by vigorous growth to keep ahead of the grub. One 

 should at least resort, in such emergency, to abundant watering 

 where possible, even though fertilizer is not applied. The late J. B. 

 Smith, State Entomologist of New Jersey, claimed to have obtained 

 relief by the liberal use of ground tobacco stems scattered broad- 

 cast and liberally over an affected lawn, followed by copious water- 

 ing. He states that grubs disappeared after this treatment. This 

 suggests, naturally, the frequent sprinkling of lawns with a tobacco 

 decoction. Evidently, this would have to be quite strong and used 

 generously. We have killed them by the use of bisulphide of carbon 

 without injuring the grass, but the process is a slow one and im- 

 practicable where large areas are involved. 



After the lawn is dead in patches nothing remains for the 

 owner to do but to re-sod or re-seed. Robins greatly aid in the ex- 

 termination of the white grub, and may frequently be seen pulling 

 them from under the dead grass. They should be encouraged in 

 this good work. Moles and shrews eat them and we believe that 

 skunks are also fond of them. If the grubs should be carefully re- 

 moved and destroyed when brownish patches are first observed in 

 the lawn their injurious work is at once stopped. They will be 

 found just below the sod if they are responsible for its condition. 



In addition to the above remedial measures, there is no question 

 but that, in the case of injured field crops, hogs turned on to such 

 ground as soon as the crop is harvested is one of the best methods 

 of reducing their number, as they root out and devour them by the 

 wholesale. Fall plowing and proper rotation are important prac- 

 tices where these pests are active. 



