EXPERIMENT STATIOX REPORT. 



541 



Fig. 4. 



The Army Worm. After- 

 Riley. 



Avliicli attack the caterpillars and prevent them from reaching their 

 fnll cleA'elopment. Occasionally these checks are Avholly or par- 

 tially absent, either locally or over a considerable territory, and 

 then the species increases rapidly and becomes 

 more or less injurions. 



Usually it is when a dry autumn is followed 

 by a moderately severe winter and a dry spring 

 that danger may be expected, but there seems 

 to be no absolute rule in the matter. 



In 1889 the species was troublesome in a few 

 localities, and in 1896 it appeared in several 

 sections of the State, the reports for these years 

 giving details of the injuries done. Since that 

 time, and until the past summer, no complaints 

 were received, but near the end of August the 

 caterpillars were found at Woodbine, Cape May 

 county, and Mr. Dickerson went down Septem- 

 ber 1st to investigate. It was found that the 

 crops on about ten acres had been pretty thor- 

 oughly destroyed, and damage .to the extent of several hundred 

 dollars had been done. According to Professor Pincus, of the- 

 Agricultural School, the caterpillars had been observed in small 

 numbers in the German millet about ten days previously, but 

 on account of rainy weather they were not again observed until a 

 week later, when it was found that they had done considerable- 

 damage. 



After so eating the Geiinan millet that there were only long 

 stubbles left, they migi'ated on the one side into the field of Japa- 

 nese millet, destroying that, and then into a field of corn next to- 

 that. On the opposite side they entered a field of corn and had 

 already injured a few row-s. On the third side of the German 

 millet they crossed the road and established themselves in a field 

 of cow peas and kafiir corn. They ate the corn and left the peas, 

 apparently avoiding leguminous . crops. The fourth side of the- 

 millet field first infested adjoined a piece of scrul) land, which the- 

 larvfc did not enter. There w'as a small plot of German millet a 

 short distance from the general infested area, and that also was 

 eaten up. The Japanese millet was more mature than the German 

 variety, and on this the head as well as the stalk was left. 



At the time of Mr. Dickerson's visit most of the catei^pillars 



