Epl'ORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 273 



report. Tliero is little doubt but tliat by a thorough spraying of the 

 fields at uight with this mixture the worms cau bo destroyed by whole- 

 sale. It should be used most thoroughly at the points in the field 

 where the worms are first noticed to work, and from which they spread 

 to surrounding i)ortious. The first appearance should be watched for 

 with the greatest care, and should be followed by the most energetic 

 ellbrts to destroy them. 



We now give the reports submitted by Mr. Smith and Mr. Bennett, 

 premising that in the case of the latter gentleman we do not indorse all 

 of his suggestions, but give them for what they are worth as coming 

 (rom a practical gardener. As will be noticed, these suggestions are 

 not supported by any evidence of actual experiment in the onion fields. 



REPORT OF JOHN B. SMITH. 



June 18, 1885. 



Dear Sik: In pursuance of your letter of instructions of the 15tli instant I went to 

 Goshen yesterday. I liad notified Mr. Greene, wlio met me at the depot, and piloted 

 me around among the farms most infested. 



Onion farming is here carried on extensively in low meadows, drained swamp land, 

 and the like, and several hundreds of acres form one vast onion field.- The persons en- 

 gaged m onion farming are largely small holders, cultivating 1, 2, or 3 acres, or 

 thereabouts, and dependent upon this crop for support. The crop requires constant 

 care, but no severe labor, and the whole family, from the baby up, turu out to help. 



Looking upon this vast field from a ridge, it appeared beautifully green in places, 

 variegated by ugly bare patches, sometimes an acre or two in extent. These patches 

 represent the work of the Cut- worm, of which. I sent you a large number of specimens 

 by yesterday's mail. 



Everywhere through tho fields were men, women, and cMldren, engaged, as inves- 

 tigation proved, in hunting Cut- worms, and with such success that three little girls 

 had picked in the morning a three-quart pail full. In one spot, less than 15 inches 

 square, I saw 40 full-grown larvae taken, and, while they are not everywhere so abun- 

 dant, yet one could gather half a dozen by simply turning over the earth for a short 

 distance along a row. 



There is only one species. The difference in size, difference in color at various stages, 

 and difference in habit at different periods of growing led to the idea that more than 

 one species was engaged in the work. I ascertained by inquiry from several farmers 

 that the larva appeared some two weeks since, or as soon as the onions had fairly 

 started, and were, when noticed first, between one-fourth and one-half an inch in 

 length — most of them nearer to the latter measurement. At this period of their lives 

 they were difficult to distinguish from the earth in which they hid ; but early in tho 

 evening they came out, climbed to the tops of the stalks, and ate downward. They 

 wore in such numbers that one man said he was fairly discouraged looking at them. 

 There was a larva to every stalk, and sometimes more than one. Curiously enough few 

 tried poisons, but every one turned out what force he could muster, and all night long, 

 by the lifjht of lanterns, gathered Cut-worms. As the worms increased in size, they 

 ceased climbing and cut off the stalk at the surface ©f the ground ; this change of 

 habit is very easily explained by the fact that the slender onion stem would not bear 

 the weight of a fat grub. Still, with all their exertions, the farmers did not succeed iii 

 subduing the enemy, and many small farmers lost their entire crop, a loss of some $200 

 to tho acre. It was observed that the insects started from centers, and spread in 

 every direction from those points. Some genius noticed this, and advised isolating 

 these patches by ditching. This was tried and proved successful to a great extent 

 where the sides of the ditches were made perpendicular. The earth is friable, and the 

 insects could not get out of a ditch 12 inches deep. Some patches were saved in this 

 way, others h.ad already been invaded and were destroyed. Some few escaped alto- 

 gether, but these were few indeed. I noticed also that weedy fields were loss injured 

 than clean fields, probably because, there being a greater abundance of food, the dam- 

 age to the staple Avas less severe. The onion is easily run out by weeds, and growers 

 keep their fields as clear of these intruders as they possibly can. The cleanest fields, 

 however, suffered most, because there was nothing to eat save onions, and strong fla- 

 vor was no objection to the worm. 



A few experiments looking to their destruction had been made. One man used Paris 

 green, but without much success, because the onion offers very little surface for an 

 adherence of the poison. Another used pure kerosene, applying it to six rows by 

 brushiug the tips with a brush dipped in the oil. He gathered grubs from other por- 

 tions of his field until 4 a. m., then examined those six rows and found nothing on 

 tiiera, but larva) between tho rows, lying on theii- backs, api)arontly gasping for 



18 AG— '85 



