'224 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



64 VICTORIA, A. 190T 



There is no doubt that there are two broods of this inoth in Canada, as was stated 

 to be the case by Dr. Riley, in Missouri, many years ago. The moths of these two 

 broods appear normally about the end of June and after the middle of August ; but- 

 it seems as if some individuals of this latter brood may be delayed in emergence till- 

 late auttinm, or even till the following spring. Prof. Otto Lugger writes that he has 

 taken this moth so frequently at St. Anthony Park, Minn., very early in the spring,, 

 from March 2 to 27, that he feels almost certain that at least some of the moths may 

 hibernate as such. He has also found them very late in autumn, after all foliage had 

 disappeared from plants. In fact, he finds such irregularity in the appearance of this 

 species, that they can be obtained almost throughout the season. On JSTovember 

 9 last, I dug up at Ottawa two pupae which produced the moth ten days 

 afterwards indoors. This was nine days later than the date when the ground 

 was covered with a fall of snow, which has remained ever since, and will in all 

 probability be here until next spring. Therefore, had these pupa; not been found, the 

 moths could not have emerged from them until next year, showing that the species 

 sometimes hibernates as a pupa ; but a large number of the moths, by far the largest 

 of those reared this year, appeared by the third week in August, and it seems probable 

 that with this species, as with a great many other cutworms, egg-laying would take 

 place by the end of August and the beginning of September, that the young- larvai would 

 hatch and make part of their growth before winter, or even, as in the case of Carneades 

 ochrogaster, Gn., that the eggs might remain unhatched until the following spring ; it 

 would thus appear, from the very diverse dates at which the perfect moths and cater- 

 pillars have been found, that this species may pass the winter in almost any stage, 

 and this is doubtless the case with a great many other species, the life histories of which 

 have not been perfectly worked out. An excellent article on the Variegated Cutworm 

 has been published by Prof. Slingerland (Bull. 104, Cornell Agric. Exp. Stn., 1895.)- 



The most important facts with regard to the insect are the class of crops which 

 are likely to be injured by it, and the best remedies with which to prevent its injuries. 

 As to the range of its food plants, the extracts given above indicate pretty well that 

 almost any vegetation is acceptable. 



Professor French, in the Seventh Report of the State Entomologist of Illinois, 

 says: 'The Variegated Cutworm is widely distributed, and it is probable that we 

 have no other species that is more voracious or is a more general feeder. While some 

 kinds of cutworms are not found much out of certain situations, this may be sought 

 in an*?- place during its season with a good prospect of finding it. There seems to be 

 no cultivated crop that is free from its attacks, and when these are not at hand, it 

 readily preys upon weeds that are found in fields and by the roadsides.' 



Remedies. — The remedies for cutworms have been given so frequently in former 

 reports that it is hardly necessary to repeat them in full here. Briefly, they 

 cofisist of: 



(1). The banding of freshly set-out annual plants with rings of paper or tin. 



(2). The poisoning of the caterpillars either with traps of fresh vegetation tied 

 in bundles and, after being dipped is a mixture of Paris green and water, or other 

 poison, distributed at short intervals over infested land, when the cutworms appear, 

 A modification of this remedy which has given the greatest satisfaction in British 

 Columbia during the past season, is known as the poisoned bran remedy. This was 

 first used successfully on a large scale some years ago in California as a remedy 

 against grasshoppers in vineyards, since which time it has come more and more into 

 use, owing to its efficacy and the ease with which it can be prepared and applied. 

 This mixture consists merely of bran, moistened with sweetened water, and Paris 

 green, mixed in the proportion of 1 pound to 50 pounds of bran. In m^aking this 

 mixture, the most convenient method is to dampen a small quantity with the sweet- 

 ened water, a fev; ounces of sugar in a pail of water, and then add more dry bran 

 until the whole is almost dry again. If the Paris green is added to the bran without 



