53 



office we have kept larvii> feeding during- October and November and 

 have secured eggs in nunil)ers during the tirst two weeks of January. 



Dr. Riley was doubtless right when he remarked (Rep. Comm. Agric. 

 1884, p. 298) that his St. Louis notes on the biology of this species 

 " indicate at least two annual generations, with a po.s8ibility of three." 

 The climate in the District of Columbia and vicinity is much the same, 

 and the writer feels positive that at least two generations and a smaller 

 third generation are normally produced. 



Attack begins as with most cutworms, with larva> which survive the 

 winter in April and May, and may continue practically without cessa- 

 tion until the latter days of August. The third generation is too 

 small and makes its appearance too late to cause much trouble. 



REMEDIES. 



After what has been said in the introductory chapter concerning the 

 factors which conduce to the injury of violets 1)y cutworms, it is 

 obvious that one of the tirst requisites in our efforts at controlling 

 these pests is to avoid for use in the greenhouse soil that has grown 

 up in grasses or weeds that may contain cutworms. To avoid this all 

 that is necessary is to select the soil in the spring and pile it up for 

 use in the fall. In the interim, if no vegetation grows upon the piles, 

 the cutworms will all leave them and thus the soil will be free. This 

 holds true to a certain extent also of some species of white grubs and 

 wireworms, as well as some other insects. If the use of fresh soil is 

 necessary, it should be sterilized by subjecting it to heat. It is advis- 

 able also to keep the beds as free as possible from grasses, and not to 

 permit a rank growth of grasses or weeds to accumulate in the imme- 

 diate vicinity of greenhouses and to keep the houses as tightly closed 

 as possible, especially at dusk and at night, at the time when these 

 moths fly about looking for suitable places for oviposition. 



Careful growers keep this insect in subjection in ordinary cases by 

 closely watching for the tirst evidence of attack and then searching 

 for the insects and destroying them. During the daytime it is not 

 difhcult to find them just beneath the surface of the earth about the 

 stems of the plants which thej^ have attacked during the night. By 

 digging in the soil the insects can be discovered without much trouble, 

 and can then be destroyed. 



Where fumigation is practiced many cutworms are destroyed, but 

 for plants grown out of doors and in frames if the insects become 

 numerous it may be found necessary to use other than mechanical 

 methods. For this purpose poisoned baits, the standard remedies for 

 cutworms, are the best. Green bait is prepared by spraying a patch 

 of clover or some succulent weed with paris green, one pound to 

 about 150 gallons of water, mowing it close to the ground, and spread- 

 ing it while fresh about the plants to be protected. 



