INSECTS INJURIOUS TO CORN 173 



In the Gulf States there are four full broods and along the 

 Gulf Coast there may be five or six, while in the Northern States 

 there are but two generations, with possibly but one in Ontario. 



Control. As the pupae pass the winter in the soil, by all means 

 the most satisfactory and practical means of control is to plow 

 infested land in late fall or during the winter, plowing deeply 

 and harrowing. This will break up the pupal cells, crush some 

 of the pupse, and expose others to the rigors of winter to which 

 most of them will succumb. 



The early planting of field-corn prevents the moths from lay- 

 ing their eggs upon it, as it will have passed the silking stage and 

 other fields which are in silk will be preferred; it being possible 

 thus to reduce the injury by at least a third by early planting. 



Silks and foliage of sweet corn are sometimes poisoned with 

 arsenate of lead applied in the form of a dust, three to five appli- 

 cations being used, and much benefit has been recorded from the 

 treatment but it has not yet proven practical for field corn on 

 account of the expense. 



The European Corn Borer * 



Concerning this insect, a recent importation from Europe, 

 we can do no better than to quote from Mr. Caffrey who, in his 

 introduction to Farmers' bulletin 1046 of the U. S. Department 

 of Agriculture, summarizes the situation as follows: 



" The European Corn Borer probably is the most injurious 

 plant pest that has yet been introduced into this country. It 

 is now known to be present in an area of about 320 square miles 

 near Boston, Mass. Unless repressed and restricted it may 

 spread throughout the country and cause serious and widespread 

 losses to the corn crop. 



The larvae, or borers, tunnel through all parts of the corn plant 

 and destroy or severely injure the ears and stalks. The pest 

 also attacks celery, Swiss chard, beans, beets, spinach, oats, po- 

 tatoes, tomatoes, turnips, dahlias, chrysanthemums, gladiolus, 

 geraniums, timothy, and certain weeds and grasses. 



* Pyrausta nubialis Hiiebner. Family Pyrcdididce. 



See Vinal and Caffrey, Bulletin 189, Massachusetts Expt. Station and 

 Farmers' Bulletin 1046, U. S. Dept. of Agr. 



