584 Report of the Entomologists of the 



The Experience of this Season. 



Extent of the outbreak in the state* — During the past three 

 weeks, letters and telegrams have been received at the Station 

 from various sections of the state giving accounts of the ravages 

 of the army vv^orm and asking advice as to the best known 

 methods of checking the onward march of this destructive pest. 

 Circular letters and telegrams were sent in reply giving instruc- 

 tions and suggestions. Up to date, letters have been received 

 from twenty-eight counties representing the more important 

 agricultural sections of the state. 



Although the attack has been widespread, the damage done 

 seems to have been most keenly felt in those sections of the state 

 which are devoted largely to dairying and stock raising. In these 

 sections oats, corn, rye, wheat and timothy are extensively grown 

 while thousands of acres are reserved for pasture. Unfortunately 

 the army worm feeds chiefly upon the crops above mentioned and 

 has been especially destructive this year to both corn and oats. 

 Add to this the fact that, owing to the comparatively dry weather 

 during the past two years, the hay crop this season is unusually 

 light, and it will be readily understood that this invasion of cater- 

 pillars has been an especially serious matter to many farmers. 



The invasion an unusual one. — This invasion of the army worm 

 is one of the worst in the history of the state. Old residents 

 say they have never before experienced such destruction to their 

 crops by caterpillars of this kind. The amount of damage done 

 would be difficult to estimate. Farmers in various sections of 

 the state report that the oat and corn crops were practically 

 ruined. In many cases the oats were cut and hauled to the barn 

 with the worms still clinging to them. This soon produced such 

 an unwholesome condition in the stacks that removal of the grain 

 to open air was made necessary. Where the caterpillars attacked 

 corn, the crop was usually ruined very quickly unless vigorous 

 efforts were at once made to check the advancing insects. 



•Plate XLIX indicatps the extent of the outbreak in this state. The dots indicate the coun- 

 ties from which the outbreak was reported. Four of the.^e counties, which were not in our list, 

 we found in a list by Dr. Lintner, published in the Ootintry Gtntleman,. 



