232 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



ground, they change to chrysalids and emerge as perfect moths towards the end of the 

 month. 



It has been noticed by many observers that Army-worms are frequently destructive 

 in seasons following years of unusual drought and that they are seldom abundant in the 

 same place for two successive years. In 1895 collectors of insects were struck by the 

 number of Army-worm moths which flew into houses or were seen in several parts of 

 Ontario. From this it was feared that there might be trouble from Army-worms during 

 the present year. This turned out to be the case, for in July and August reports of 

 serious injury were received from almost every part of the province, from Russell county 

 in the extreme east to Essex in the extreme west, and from Welland to Algoma district. 

 The loss was greatest, according to the Ontario Crop Rej)ort for August 13, 1896, in 

 Essex, Kent, Haldimand, Welland, Lambton, Huron and Wellington. Nor was loss 

 from the Array-vvorm confined to Canada, but considerable harm was done in some of 

 the Northern United States. In the Massachusetts Crop Report for July, 1896, a good 

 article on this subject appears by Mr. A. H. Kirkland, and at the last meeting of the 

 Association of Economic Entomologists held at Buflfalo in August, 1896, injuries by 

 Army-worms were mentioned by other entomologists. 



The Array-worm feeds, under ordinary conditions, upon various members of the 

 grass family, having apparently a special preference for oats and timothy, but it also 

 occasionally injures seriously rye, barley, wheat and many grasses, as well as, when such 

 food is scarce, pease, beans, lettuce and other vegetables. Mr. Kirkland records that the 

 loss in the Massachusetts cranberry swamps from Army-worms was very considerable 

 this year. He also made some interesting observations on the periods of occurrence of 

 the different broods and found that this year there were three broods in Massachusetts. 

 As stated above, we have only two broods in Canada, but according to Dr. L. O. 

 Howard, there may be as many as five or six broods in the south. In the Ontario Crop 

 Report referred to above, is given a long list of extracts from correspondents in all parts 

 of Ontario. The following from some of my correspondents give interesting information on 

 the subject. Those extracts which bear upon the unusual abundance of the moths again 

 this year are of exceptional interest, and in Mr. Metcalfe's experience at Port Hope in 

 catching a large number of the mature moths, we may have the suggestion of a remedy 

 which it would pay to practise on a larger scale when the moths are noticed to be 

 unusually abundant. Of course, when this is the case, not only should the moths be 

 captured as much as possible, but infested lands, whenever possible, should be burnt 

 over in the autumn or early spring and a keen lookout should be kept the following 

 year for the first appearance of the Army-worms, so that the well-known remedies may 

 be applied. 



" Marshville, Monk Co., Ont., July 3. — You will find inclosed some most voracious 

 insects which are in my rye in innumerable numbers; they have nearly destroyed it and are 

 now moving on to my corn. What are they ? How long will they live ? What can be 

 done for them ? They seem to have been bred in my fall grain. Are they confined to 

 it 1 They have eaten the timothy (small) out of my rye, and have left the clover as yet, 

 but I am sure they will eat it when hungry. Please give me as early an answer as 

 possible." — J. E. Reamly. 



" Humberstone, Welland Co., Ont., July 9. — I write in relation to a pest which 

 appeared suddenly in this district one week ago, about the 2nd inst., the Army-worm. 

 This place is a village on the Welland Canal, one mile north of Port Colborne and Lake 

 Erie. About a mile below this place, and extending two or three miles, is a tract of low 

 land, the soil being a black loam. It was in this tract of land, on the farm of James 

 Phillips, two miles north of this place, that the Army-worms were first noticed in 

 countless numbers destroying principally oats and corn. In the oats, these worms first 

 take the leaves, then the head, afterwards the stalk. Some farmers are applying Paris 

 green to their corn crop. Is that safe or desirable 1 What is it advisable to do, in order 

 to prevent their destroying the oat crop 1 Can anything be done to prevent their 

 entering any field ? The worms are of various sizes, from half an inch to one inch and 

 a half in length, and are of a dark colour. All the information the farmers can give in 

 relation to their origin is that on the night of the 1st of July there had been a slight 



