THE FARMERS' MONTHLY, NOVEMBER, 1928 



Corn Borer is in 



Hampsliire County 



The European corn borer has at last 

 found its way into Hampshire County. 

 But like so many other pests which are 

 already making their depredations, this 

 one can be controlled satisfactorily by 

 following the recommended practices of 

 the U. S. Department of Agriculture. 



The corn borer has been in eastern 

 Massachusetts for some time but so far 

 has traveled westward in Massachusetts 

 only to Worcester county. The borer of 

 the eastern portion of the state is a two 

 brood type while the corn borer now in- 

 festing Hampshire County is a single 

 brood type. It probably came to us from 

 Berkshire County and is the same type 

 which is present in Northern Ohio, On- 

 tario and Eastern Michigan and New 

 York. 



Most of the corn growing towns west 

 of the Connecticut river are now infested 

 with the likelihood that the borer will 

 soon be found over most of the county. 



The European corn borer, as its name 

 implies is essentially a boring insect and 

 causes its mo.st important injury to corn 

 by the tunneling and feeding of the lai-vae 

 or borers within the stalks and ears. 

 Life History 



The one brood type passes the winter 

 as a borer inside some part of the corn 

 stalk, stubble or ears although it may 

 pass the winter in weeds or other plants 

 near the corn field. Soon as warm weather 

 comes in April the borers begin their 

 activity. In May and early Junetheborer 

 pupates to emerge later and the moths 

 will be found throughout late June, July 

 and early August. The female moth lays 

 an average of 400 eggs each and lives 

 from 10 to 24 days. The egg is nearly 

 flat, white when first laid and later 

 changes to yellow, becoming darker before 

 the young borer hatches, which they do 

 in four to nine days. By closely examin- 

 ing the under surface of corn leaves it 

 should be possible to find these egg masses 

 infields where the moths are numerous. 

 The young borer feeds for a few days up- 

 on the surface of the leaf, near its place 

 of hatching, but soon enters the plant and 

 complets most of its development therein. 



Control Measures 



The most effective measure for control 

 of the corn borer is clean plowing under 

 of cornstalks, stubble and other corn rem- 

 nants. The mere act of plowing does not 

 of itself kill the borers because sooner or 

 later most of the borere crawl to the sur- 

 face. However, when the plowing is done 

 in a clean manner these loose borers can 

 not find shelter and soon perish as a re- 

 sult of exposure to the weather, or 

 through destruction by their many natur- 

 al enemies which includes birds, ants, 

 ground beetles, and various insect para- 



sites and predators. When poor plowing 

 leaves corn remnants on the surface the 

 borers crawling from the ground use 

 this material for protection and are able 

 to complete their development to the moth 

 stage. Plowing for the one brood type 

 which infects Hampshire County may be 

 done either in the fall or in the spring be- 

 fore May 1. Corn which has been through 

 the silo will contain no live borers. Fine- 

 ly cut or shredded corn fodder may be 

 fed to .stock or used as bedding. If 

 thoroughly trampled by the stock and 

 later mixed completely with manure any 

 borers present will probably be killed. 



Changed Practice Is Necessary 



The rather common practice in Hamp- 

 shire County of seeding in the corn must 

 become taboo wherever the corn borer is 

 present. This is because fall or spring 

 plowing of corn fields must be done to 

 control the borer. This should not work 

 as much hardship on the farmer as he at 

 first anticipates because farmers in other 

 corn borer infested territory have changed 

 from this same practice to that of spring 

 or mid-summer seeding. For example 

 seeding could be made in oats or following 

 a crop of oats. 



A quarantine has not been placed on 

 this area as yet but farmers in making 

 plans for 1929 should know that this will 

 very likely be done before long and should 

 plan to make the necessary changes in 

 their farm practices.. 



One man in Oklahoma whose wife was 

 following the model garden project said 

 that he didn't like Swiss chard. Then he 

 added: "But a horse or cow doesn't like 

 sweet clover, either, until they have to 

 eat it and then they get fond of it. I 

 guess I have as much sense as a horse or 

 a cow, so I'll at least try it." 



— Farmer's Wife. 



Several Methods For 



Water-Proofing Slioes 



For waterproofing shoes that must be 

 worn in the snow and dampness of winter 

 the chemists of the United States Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture recommend the use 

 of the following formulas. Which to use 

 will depend, as a rule, on the convenience 

 of gathering or purchasing the materials: 



Formula 1. Neutral wool grease, 8 

 ounces ; dark petrolatum, 4 ounces ; paraf- 

 fin wax, 2 ounces. 



Fonnula 2. Petrolatum, 16 ounces; and 

 beeswax, 2 ounces. 



Foi-mula 3. Petrolatum, 8 ounces; par- 

 rafRn wax, 4 ounces ; wool grease, 4 

 ounces; and crude turpentine gum (gum 

 thus), 2 ounces. 



Formula 4. Tallow, 12 ounces, and cod 

 oil, 4 ounces. 



To apply any one of the compounds, mix 

 the ingredients thoroughly after melting. 

 The mixture should be applied warm, but 

 not hot, and to all outside parts of the 

 boot or shoe. In the winter a slight ex- 

 cess over what the leather will absorb will 

 do no harm. Grease with particular care 

 the welt and the edge of the sole. Then 

 saturate the sole with the waterproofing 

 mixture. This can be done conviently by 

 setting the shoes in a shallow pan that 

 holds melted grease enough to cover the 

 soles. Do not put rubber heels in such a 

 mixture. To waterproof the soles of rub- 

 ber-heeled shoes put the mixture in a pie 

 plate and let the heels hang over the edge. 



Shoes so treated are not as water- 

 proofed as rubber boots, but do afford a 

 considerable measure of protection and 

 resistence to wetness. 



You simply cannot say your prayers if 

 you are suffering from a bad attack of 

 indigestion. — Bishop of Chester. 



For DITCH DIGGING 

 SUB-SOILING 

 TREE PLANTING 



at a minimum of cost, time and labor we recommend 



DYNAMITE 



Let us tell you about it. 

 Your neighbors have used it. 



That Good Hardivare Store 



Tel 11 Foster-Farrar Co. ^':^^iy 



162 Main Street 



Open 



Satun 



Evenii 



Northampton, Mass. 



