New York Aqbiodltubal Experiment Station. 633 



the last two years the cutworms have been most desti'uctive on 

 the margins of the so-called " drowned " lands, or what is known 

 as the " gray soils." These " gray soils " have been under cul- 

 tivation the longer, and have received a larger amount of loam 

 than have the more recently developed lands known as the 

 " black soils." It was an easy matter to select sections where 

 99 per cent, of the crop on all fields was destroyed. On June 

 12, 1896, the estimated acreage of onions destroyed in the vicinity 

 of Florida and Big Island, Orange county, was as follows: Es- 

 timating 2,000 acres as the total acreage sown in this valley, 200 

 acres on the margins of the valley next to the bluffs could be 

 selected, on which 99 per cent, of the onions were destroyed by 

 the cutworms; 600 acres could be selected on which 75 per cent, 

 were destroyed; on a belt of "semi-gray and black" soils 400 

 acres could be selected, of which 50 per cent, were destroyed; 

 while the remaining 800 acres on '' black soil " had 10 per cent, 

 destroyed. This gives a total average of 46 per cent, destroyed, 

 or nearly one-half. One gentleman estimated that 75 per cent, 

 of the whole crop was destroyed, but this estimate was made 

 from the poorer portions of the fields. By going directly across 

 the valley in any one direction the amount of damage would not 

 appear so great as by following around and viewing the fields 

 from the uplands. 



Causes which Aid in the Increase ok the W cntMs. 



The growers of onions have a theory that the cutwormn prefer 

 the so-called " gray soils." From observations made during I'^o."; 

 and 1896 it is thought that there are other reasons why l!ie < ut- 

 worms occur on the " gray soils," which also account to a certain 

 extent for their occurrence on the onion fields in such countless 

 numbers, even though they are hand picked each year. The hills 

 surrounding the swamp lands are usually pasture lands, many 

 of which have not been under cultivation for the past decade. 

 Rere this species of cut worms breeds unmolested, except by its 

 natural enemies, year after year. Dry seasons like 1894, 1895 

 and 1896 are favorable to their increasing in large numbers. 



