CORN CULTURE 13 



are the larvae of the click-beetle, whose eggs are laid in 

 meadows and pastures in the fall. They hatch out as small 

 reddish-brown worms in the early spring. The worms at- 

 tack the sprouting kernel, and also bore holes through 

 the young plant. Fall plowing and rotation of crops are 

 the best remedies against the wireworm. 



The corn ear worm. The worm is usually found 

 working in the tips of corn ears. It attacks not only corn, 

 but cotton and many other plants. 



The corn ear worm lives through the winter in the 

 pupa stage, and comes out in the spring as a moth. There 

 are several broods each season, but only the last does any 

 great damage to the corn. The harm done by the ear 

 worm is not great, except to sweet corn intended for can- 

 ning. There is no certain remedy known, though fall 

 plowing is thought to reduce their number. 



Smut. The most common disease affecting corn is 

 smut. The smut masses seen on growing corn are pro- 

 duced by a small parasitic plant which lives on the juices 

 of the corn plant. Smut spores, corresponding to seeds, 

 live over winter in the soil, or may be distributed in 

 manure spread on the field, or may even be blown consid- 

 erable distances from other fields. 



The slimy black masses of smut are found on the 

 stalk, leaves, tassel, or ear. Since smut must live off 

 the strength of its host, it is evident that the corn plant 

 is weakened and the yield reduced by the presence of this 

 disease. There is no effective remedy for corn smut, though 

 the burning of smut balls, keeping it from the manure used 

 on the field, and the rotation of crops all tend to control it. 



TOPICS FOR INVESTIGATION 

 1. The corn-root worm of the North can be found a'. 



