QUESTION DRAWER. 



Leached Ashes. 



905. SiK, — My garden has been filled in 

 about one foot from an excavation running 

 from 2 to 3 feet, and the soil though not blue 

 clay, is poor. 1 can get any quantity of 

 leached ashes from an adjacent potash fac- 

 tory for 15 cents a load. I have already cov- 

 ered the },arden one inch in depth, having put 

 on about 28 loads, the gaideir being GO feet by 

 100. Would it he advisable to haul more in 

 the spring ? Could 1 injure the land by too 

 mircb ? 



It might be possible to give an over- 

 dose of unleached ashes, but in our 

 opinion it would be quite safe to work 

 in as much more of the leached ashes, 

 and get beneficial results. 



Cutworms. 



906. Sir, — Could you kindly inform me 

 whether lime or salt is best suited for land 

 where the cutworm does harm? Or do you 

 know of anything beiter suited to destroy the 

 cutworm ? It was the worst enemy I had to 

 corrtend with in my garden. 



John Eeid, Ertreit. 



Reply hy Fro/. J. H. Fanton, O. A. 

 C, Guelph. 



There are many species of cutworms, 

 some of which are very troublesome in 

 the garden and in the field. The moths 

 from which they come lay their eggs 

 during midsummer ; these soon hatch 

 and the larvae feed upon the roots and 

 tender shoots of plants. When cold 

 weather arrives, they bury themselves in 

 the ground and pass the winter. In 

 spring they re-appear and become de- 

 structive. When the larvae are full grown 

 (about June) they go down into the 

 ground and enter the pupa stage, from 

 which they emerge about August, and 

 deposit their eggs, often in grass fields, 

 on the grass stalks. Hence they are 

 usually found in crops following sod. 

 They are not observed in the sod field, 

 because they have plenty of food ; but 

 when the field is sown with a new crop, 

 they at once become destructive, by 

 feeding upon the young plants. 



The larvae (worms) are about one-and- 

 a-half inches long, smooth, naked, and 

 presenting a greasy-looking appearance. 

 The color varies, but is generally some 

 shade of green, gray, brown, or black ; 

 most are night feeders; when disturbed, 

 they curl up at both ends. They cat off 

 the plant at the surface or a little below, 

 suck the juice from the lower part, and 

 let the rest wilt. The moths usually 

 have the front wings of a mottled gray 

 appearance, with some spots ; the hind 

 wings are of a much lighter color. The 

 expanded wings measure one to twoand- 

 a-half inches across. The above is the 

 life history of most cutworms. 



REMEDIES. 



1. Fall ploughing, the earlier the bet- 

 ter, so as to disturb and starve them 

 before going into winter quarters. This 

 refers to fields likely to be infested. 



2. Plant with corn and use a top- 

 dressing of salt. Salt to some extent 

 kills the worms or drives them off and 

 gives the plants a chance to get a good 

 start. 



3. Where practicable, poisoned baits 

 may be used, such as small bunches of 

 clover, cabbage leaves, etc., dipped in 

 Paris green solution (i lb. Paris green to 

 100 gals, water), and placed where worms 

 v.'ill feed upon them and be destroyed. 



4. Some make a mixture of i part 

 Paris green and 50 parts bran (by 

 weight), add water and mix, having it 

 thick enough to dip out without drip- 

 ping. A little sugar added to water 

 improves the mixture. Cutworms are 

 fond of this, and will eat the poison 

 when put where they are. 



5. Cabbage plants may be protected 

 by putting a piece of paper around the 

 stem, so as to prevent the worm getting 

 at it. 



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