58 TOBACCO. 



harmless. Worming has to be continued until the tobacco 

 is cut ; the last worming to immediately precede cutting 

 and housing." 



Schneider remarks that " from the first starting of the 

 tobacco plant, it has its enemies. First appears a cut- 

 worm that works in the soil and eats the roots off. Then 

 comes a little caterpillar which enjoys itself on the young 

 leaves, and lastly the beautiful and large tobacco-worm, 

 which eats into the leaf, and in a short time leaves 

 nothing but the leaf-stems and stalk. The only remedies 

 against these enemies are the vigilance and industry of 

 the planter looking after them, digging up, picking, and 

 destroying once or twice a day, or as often as there are any 

 traces of them. Children, to whom premiums are offered, 

 will be very successful in destroying them. A herd of 

 turkeys, if given access to the tobacco-field, are a very 

 valuable help. A negro from South Carolina told me a 

 few days ago, that a solution of blue vitriol in water, 

 sprinkled over the plants, will kill the worms. The 

 remedy may be worth trying. Of course the solution 

 must be made weak enough, so that it will not destroy 

 the plants as well as the worms." 



On the same subject, White recommends the planter 

 on the " next, or at farthest, the second morning after 

 having set your plants, go over to see that the worms do 

 not eat up one-half of them. You can tell where they are 

 and have been, by seeing a plant with a single leaf, and 

 sometimes the whole plant eaten off and drawn down into 

 the hole occupied by a large brown or black worm ; you 

 will see little ant-hills like, and round holes in the 

 ground ; by poking around a little in the dirt, you will 



