44 SECOND ANNUAL REPORT OF 



The year 1861 will long be remembered as a remarkable Army- 

 worm year, for this insect was observed in particular localities 

 throughout the whole northern and middle portion of the United 

 States from New England to Kansas. It was first noticed in numbers 

 sufficient to cause alarm, in Tennessee and Kentucky during the 

 month of April ; and toward the close of the same month it appeared 

 in the southern counties of Illinois. By the end of June it had visited 

 nearly all portions of the latter State, proving more or less destruc- 

 tive to grass, wheat, oats, rye, sorghum and corn. 



Its advent in Missouri was simultaneous with that in Illinois, and 

 judging from what facts I have accumulated, it occurred very gen- 

 erally over this State, though recorded only in St. Louis, Jefferson, 

 Warren, Boone, Howard and Pike counties. No mention is made of 

 its occurrence, at this time, in any of the States or Territories west of 

 Missouri, but to the East, scarcely a single State escaped its ravages. 

 In many portions of Ohio it entirely destroyed the hay and grain 

 crops, and in the eastern part of Massachusetts the damage done was 

 reported to exceed a half million of dollars. 



Singularly enough, I can find no trace of the occurrence of this 

 insect in Missouri prior to the year 18G1, and the first intelligible ac- 

 count of it from the pen of a Missourian, is that by Dr. Wislizenus 

 of St. Louis, published in the Transactions of the St. Louis Academy 

 of Science (Vol. II, No. 1, pp. 159-60). My good friend Wislizenus 

 then erroneously supposed it to be identical with the Bombyx grami- 

 nis of Northern Europe — an insect which commits similar devasta- 

 tions on the grasses and cereals in that country. But I believe he is 

 now well aware that it is an entirely distinct species. 



Since 1861 the Army-worm has never spread so generally over 

 such a vast extent of country, though in 1865 it appeared in consid- 

 erable numbers around St. Joseph in this State, and in 1866 did some 

 damage near Quincy, Ills., as we learn from the Quincy IMiig. 



Last year it made its appearance again in vast numbers in many 

 portions of this State, especially in St. Louis, Jefferson, Cooper, Cal- 

 laway, Henry, St. Clair, Marion, Ralls, and Lafayette counties, and in 

 some counties in Illinois and Indiana. The first intimation I received 

 of its appearance in Missouri was the following letter sent to me by 

 Mr. A. E. Trabue of Hannibal, under date of June 8th: 



I inclose a match-box with grass and two worms, which we think 

 are Army-worms. They are here in myriads destroying the grass. 

 Destroyed a hundred acres of blue grass meadow in five days, and 

 are now advancing on me. What are they and their habits? 



Carbolic acid (one part acid, 20 parts water) kills them if they 

 get a good drench with it, but is too expensive at that rate. They 

 will cross a trail of it without injury, though they evidently dislike 

 the smell. Have sent to town for coal tar to see if they will cross it 

 when the ground is soaked with it. The advancing column is a half 

 mile wide. 



The hogs are very fond of them ; will not notice corn when they 



