317 



Grass Cut "Worms. 



I seud you by this mail three specimens of the worm, or grub, that is doing great in- 

 jury to lawus in this city. I have not heard of them elsewhere. Although somewhat 

 familiar with the habits of the worm, having seen it work in other States, I do not 

 know its name. It works immediately under the ground, feeding entirely ou the 

 roots. It appears to move iu a body, and the first indication of their appearance is 

 dead grass, and the sod in such places to the depth of nearly one-fourth of an inch can 

 be rolled up. What is the remedy, and must lawns so destroyed be plowed up ? My 

 investigation so far convinces me that the grubs or cut-worms destroy the sod en- 

 tirely, and in that case re-seeding seems to be the only alternative. You will greatly 

 oblige me by giving me a report for publication iu the Northwestern Farmer. — [E. 

 A. Webb, Fargo, Dak., June 30, 1888. 



Reply. — * * * Your box on receipt was found to contain three cut-worms, one 

 of which had been destroyed by the other two. The remaining two belonged to en- 

 tirely different species. The whitish worm with a brown head is the so-called Glassy 

 Out-worm {Hadena devastatrix) which was treated iu the Auuual Report of this Depart- 

 ment for 1686, on pages 578 to 580, as injuring timothy in Indiana. The larger darker 

 worm with dark stripes is the so-called Bronzy Cut-worm (JSfephelodes violans). This 

 worm was cuiiously enough found working with the Glassy Cut-worm in Indiana as 

 mentioned in the article above referred to. It has been known to entomologists for 

 a long time, but has seldom done any particular damage. If you have the 1886 Re- 

 port at hand you will see that the damage done is almost precisely similar to that 

 which you describe. It is altogether likely that the main perpetrator of the dam- 

 age is the Glassy Cut-worm. The course to be pursued will depend upon circum- 

 stances to some extent. As soon as the damage is noticed, and it will probably be 

 confined to a definitely limited spot, this spot should be inclosed within a furrow and 

 the worms killed as they collect. Moreover, if the spot is small I would try drenching 

 it with a dilute emulsion, as this course has been found to be effective against the 

 white grub which works in lawns in a somewhat similar way. If, however, a large 

 lawn has been neglected until it is almost entirely destroyed, it might as well be plowed 

 up at once and chickens and hogs turned in to feed upon the worms. — [July 6, 1888.] 



Another Proposition in regard to Chinch Bug Remedies. 



I have lately discovered a remedy by which the Chinch Bug trouble may be greatly 

 diminished, if the idea can only be brought before the farmers generally and induce 

 them to act accordingly. I hope you will give the plan your recommendation, and 

 have it published in the leading agricultural papers, and get the attention of farmers 

 drawn to the subject as much as possible. The following is the plan given in brief: 



That each farmer sow a small field of rye in the fall forjcarly spring pasture ; they 

 should turn stock on it in the spring as soou as the bugs commence flying, which is 

 towards the last of March or first of April; keep it pretty well grazed until nearly time 

 for the young bug to hatch out, which is about the 20th of May. Then it should be all 

 plowed under, leaving nothing for the young bugs to eat when they are hatched out. 

 The Chinch Bug wants nothing to eat while in the egg state; but soon after being 

 hatched they must go to eating, and can't travel far before eating their first meal — 

 only a few feet at the farthest and they are done. That these things are facts and 

 also that the grazing will draw the bugs to the field 1 have the most positive evidence, 

 and might relate the circumstances by which I came to find it out. But not wishing 

 to bother you with so long a letter I omit it. I will give it yet in another letter if 

 desired, as it might give others a chance to experiment and find out still more on the 

 subject. My plan will certainly commend itself to farmers as a saving, by drawing 

 the hu^s from their i^astures instead of /o them. If the bugs are numerous, as they 

 were here this spring, it will not do to put the rye-field that has been plowed under 

 in corn unless very late, for by that very mistake I am now losing my corn crop. 



