March, '13] CUTWORMS , 3 



species in the same group of insects, which* develop a climbing 

 habit in their search for food. These also work at night, crawl- 

 ing up the trees and devouring the tender buds, returning again 

 to hide in the ground during the day. In greenhouses these 

 same worms sometimes cause severe loss by climbing the stems 

 of such plants as carnations and eating into the buds. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE PEST. 



Cutworms are the immature or larval stage of various species 

 of moths, which, like their offspring, are active mostly at night 

 and remain quiet during the day. These moths are rather 

 dull colored, in shades of gray or brown, with darker or lighter 

 markings of similar shades, but without bright colors. They 

 are readily attracted to lights. All are closely related. 



With most of the species concerned, the moths are on the wing 

 in late summer, laying their eggs in fields that have grown up 

 to herbage, especially where the ground is covered with weeds 

 or with the remnants of close-growing garden produce. The 

 eggs hatch in the course of a week or two, and the tiny worms 

 that come from them spend the rest of the fall feeding and 

 slowly growing. By the time winter arrives, they are about one- 

 half to two-thirds grown. They then hide away in the ground 

 and remain dormant through cold weather. 



In the spring as warm weather comes on, they resume activity 

 and are ready to make a vigorous meal on whatever food plant 

 is available. 



About this time the ground in the gardens and fields is being 

 cultivated preparatory to the season's crops, and the hungry 

 worms in such places may be compelled to forego feeding for 

 some days or weeks. As soon as the first vegetables have shown 

 their heads above ground the worms have their first chance at 

 a meal, with the result that in the course of two or three nights 

 whole rows of young plants in a garden may be cut off. 



As the season progresses the worms reach full growth and 

 shortly change to a resting stage or pupa. In another two 

 weeks the adult moths emerge, ready to lay eggs and thus com- 

 plete the year's round of existence. 



REMEDIES FOR CUTWORMS. 



Poisoned Bran Mash. The most satisfactory remedy for 

 cutworms is a home-made material known as poisoned bran 

 mash. . It is simply a mixture of paris green, bran and sweetened 

 water, prepared as follows: 



If a large amount is needed, mix thoroughly one-half pound of 

 paris green with twenty-five pounds of dry bran. Then prepare 

 some sweetened water by mixing one quart of cheap molasses, 



