CUTWORMS. 



Most gardens suffer more or less damage each season from 

 cutworms. As with other insects, the pest has its periods of 

 abundance, alternating with periods when the damage is less 

 severe, but in the average the injury done is considerable. 

 Occasionally not only are gardens attacked, but certain field 

 crops as well. In some years there is noteworthy damage to 

 the buds of young fruit trees. 



NATURE OF INJURY. 



The ordinary work of cutworms in gardens is familiar to most 

 people. In the spring, when the young plants have just pushed 

 through the ground, the discovery is made some morning that 

 many of the plants have been cut off near the surface of the soil. 

 The withered top, usually lies close by. Of the author of the 

 mischief nothing is to be seen. 



THE MOTH THAT IS THE PARENT OF ONE 

 OF OUR COMMON SPECIES OF CUTWORMS. 



If 'now, we were to remove the soil to the depth of an inch 

 or so, close to one of the mutilated plants, we should be likely 

 to find a dingy-looking, naked worm, about an inch long, lying 

 curled up in the ground. It is this worm that is responsible 

 for the damage. The habit of the pest is to work at night only 

 and to hide away before daylight, remaining concealed until 

 darkness comes again. 



In field crops, such as corn, the work is quite similar, except 

 that usually it attracts less notice because of the larger area 

 of the crop, unless an exceptional number of worms are at work. 



The injury to the buds of young fruit trees is due to certain 



