14 AGRICULTURE 



work only from late June to early August. During late 

 August and September the worm is found only in the beetle 

 stage. Go into a corn-field and secure several of these 

 beetles. They are green, and about twice the size of a pin- 

 head. Learn to recognize the insect at sight. 



2. If possible secure a number of the pupae of the corn- 

 root worm. About the middle of August they can be found 

 in great numbers around the roots of corn in a field where 

 the worms have been at work. Keep the pupae in warm 

 moist soil in a box covered with netting or glass and watch 

 for the beetles to come out. 



3. Find hills of corn which have suffered from the 

 corn-root worm. How do you discover where they have 

 been at work? Does the hill pull up easily as compared 

 with a good hill? What is the condition of the ear? 



4. Observe several fields that have been in corn for a 

 number of years in succession. Do they show signs of the 

 root worm? Compare with fields on which a rotation of 

 crops has been grown. 



5. Secure several ears of corn in which the ear worm 

 has been working. How does the worm proceed in its 

 attack? Make a study of the worm, and become able to 

 identify it at sight. Would you want to eat canned sweet 

 corn from a field which had suffered from these worms ? 



6. Secure samples of corn smut affecting (1) the ear, 

 (2) the tassel, (3) the stem, (4) the leaves. Does the 

 stalk look healthy? Is the ear good? After the smut ball 

 is dry, note the fine powder which flies from it. This is 

 the spores which reproduce the plant for next year. 



7. If possible, secure samples of the corn-root aphis, 

 the cutworm and the wireworm. Learn to identify all these 

 accurately and quickly. 



8. 'Other such enemies to be noted are : the corn moth 

 or caterpillar, the stalk borer, the white grub and the corn 

 bill bug. If possible, secure specimens of these, learn to 

 identify them, tell how they damage the crop and how to 

 exterminate them. 



5. Saving the Seed 



The first care if we would secure a good stand of corn 

 is the seed. We must have seed that will grow and show 



