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the soil within a short distance (an inch or so) of the plants upon which they have 

 been feeding. When a plant is seen to have been cut off, the cutworm will most 

 likely be found coiled up beneath the surface, close to the injury. Under normal 

 conditions they feed only during the night and rest during the day, but when food 

 becomes scarce owing to their occurrence in large numbers, they migrate during 

 the day and if in extraordinary abundance, oftentimes assume the marching habit 

 so characteristic of the army-worm. In general, cutworms are similar in color 

 to the ground in which they hide. They are cylindrical in shape and when full 

 grown are about an inch and a half, or more, in length. 



The Red-backed cutworm is so named owing to the reddish colour of the 

 upper portion of the body. The Greasy or Black cutworm is of a uniform dark 

 greasy-gray or blackish colour. The Variegated cutworm ranges from pale gray 

 to almost a dull brown and is marked on the back with several conspicuous yellow 

 spots. The Dark-sided cutworm is dull grayish, some having a pale greenish or 

 other light coloured tinge. The sides are noticeably darker than the rest of the 

 body. The White cutworm, which often does serious injury by climbing fruit 

 trees and destroying the buds, etc., but which also works in vegetable gardens, 

 is of a general whitish colour, without any distinctive markings. The W-marked 

 cutworm is easily recognized by the series of conspicuous W-marks on the back. 

 The sides of these marks are bordered with bright pale yellow\ The Spotted 

 cutworm has a row of triangular shaped blackish marks on either side of the back, 

 those on the rear segments being the most conspicuous. All of the above are very 

 common species and are the most destructive kinds which occur in Canada. 



Preventive measures for the control of cutworms consist of ploughing deeply, 

 in fall, all land where the caterpillars have been present. Many eggs are deposited 

 by adult moths after midsummer on weeds, remnants of crops, etc. If such are 

 gathered up and burned, all useless plants which w^ould attract the moths for the 

 purpose of egg-laying will be removed. If not gathered up, the land should be 

 ploughed deeply. Such a practice will destroy the eggs and young cutworms as 

 well as many other kinds of hibernating insects. Cabbages, cauliflowers, etc., 

 w'hen set out can be protected from cutworms if a band of tin or paper is placed 

 around the stem. Old tomato or other tins in which vegetables have been canned 

 are very useful for this purpose, and if thrown into a bon-fire the tops and bottoms 

 will fall off, leaving the central piece of tin, which, if cut down the middle, will 

 be sufficient for protecting two plants. 



The most important remedial measure is the prompt application of the poi- 

 soned bran remedy as soon as the presence of cutworms is detected. This is made 

 by moistening the bran with sweetened water and then dusting in Paris green in 

 the proportions of half a pound of Paris green to fifty pounds of bran. The bran 

 should be noticeably moistened (but not too much so to prevent its being crumbled 



