bb FIRST ANNUAL REPORT OP 



they seem to feed on the volunteer oats in the same field, but entirely 

 destroy the young wheat." 



Subsequently, upon visiting Allenton, Eureka, and other places 

 in St. Louis county, I ascertained from L. D. Votaw and others, that 

 this worm had been known to attack wheat in the fall for many 

 years back. They come to their growth the latter part of October, 

 descend into the earth and pass the winterin the chrysalis stale. The 

 only manner in which I can account for their appearing only on that 

 wheat which was sown on oats stubble, is by supposing that the scat- 

 tering oats that were left after harvest had sprouted before the wheat, 

 and had thus attracted the parent moths. On this supposition the 

 worms had hatched and fed awhile, before the ground was ploughed, 

 and planted to fall wheat, and this seems the more likely, since the 

 worms were full-grown, almost as soon as the wheat appeared above 

 ground. If this supposition be correct, the attacks of tin's worm can 

 be effectually prevented by ploughing the land early and keeping the 

 ground clear of all vegetation until the wheat is planted. No other 

 rational explanation can be given, fori found by experiment that they 

 would devour with equal relish the young plants of both oats, wheat, 

 and a variety of grasses. 



In the Canada Farmer for April 15, 1867, an account was given 

 of the ravages of "cut-worms" on Spring wheat, in the county of Hu- 

 ron. Judging from the account however, the worm' referred to, was 

 the common "White grub ;" but if it be the same as that spoken of 

 above, the fact can be ascertained by the description which I subjoin 

 herewith. 



The Wheat Cut-worm. — A dark pitchy black cut-worm, the characteristic mark being, a 

 very distinct pale buff or flesh-colored stigmatal band. Dorsum generally of a brownish shade, the 

 dorsal line of the same color, with a more or less distinct dingy shade each side of it. The subdor- 

 sal region is always the darkest part of the worm, being of a pitchy brown : but edged above, at 

 junction of dorsum, with a fine light buff-colored line, and generally variegated in the middle, with 

 very minute light colored irrorations. Eight sealing-wax-like black elevated piliferous spots on 

 each segment, those on dorsum usually having a white base outwardly. Greatest \\ idth at seg- 

 ments 10 and 11, the spots upon them being also the largest. Head, deep polished brown, with the 

 usual inverted Y-shaped white mark, and some white spots at sides ; also with white lips, and per- 

 fectly white palpi. Cervical shield, of same color as dorsum, but polished, and with the dorsal and 

 sub-dorsal white lines quite distinct upon it. Caudal plate with a bright cream-colored longi- 

 tudinal dash (generally constricted in the middle) between two black spots. Venter and li - glassy 

 glaucous. The young worm is almost uniformly pitchy black, with the light stigmata! bai (al- 

 ways visible however. Indeed this band is always constant no matter how much the worms vary in 

 depth of ground-color. 



There are various other naked caterpillars which are frequently 

 found upon the ground near vegetation of various kinds. Thus du- 

 ring the months of July and August, a species with the hack of each 

 segment very characteristically marked as represented at Plate 1, 

 Figure 12. may often be found. It seems to feed on a variety of herbs, 

 and produces a prettily variegated moth known as Prodenia comme- 

 lince, Gu6n6e; but though this and other species may have the cut ling 

 habit, they have never attracted notice so far, and I shall pass them 

 over and proceed at once to suggest the proper preventives and 



