ISSECTS AFFECTING VEGETATION 



larger grasses mentioned above, and care should be taken in such 

 cases to treat these in the same way. The method employed in dis- 

 posing of the stubble and stalks will depend largely on the condi- 

 tions in individual cases. If the stubble is cut low and the land is 

 moderately heavy, a thorough deep plowing may suffice, an inch or 

 two of well-eettled soil being sufficient to prevent the escape of the 

 adult moths. Bringing the stubble to the surface where it can dry 

 will kill some of the contained larvae, but this method depends too 

 much on the state of the weather to be trusted. By far the most 

 effective plan is to remove the stubble from the field with a rake and 

 burn it. 



Any method which will insure the complete destruction of the 

 over-wintering larvae, if persisted in and carried out simultaneously 

 over large sections of the country, will effectuallv preclude serious 

 damage from the insect (Cir. 116, B. of E., U." S. Dep. of Agr.) 



Corn Ear-Worm. This is another general feeder which in- 

 cludes corn in its attacks. In the South it is the notorious "Boll- 

 worm" which is so destructive to cotton ; it attacks tomatoes and a few 

 other plants as well as corn. The presence of the caterpillar is first 

 made known by small holes to be seen in the leaves enveloping the 

 growing ear; on investigation the worm will be found devouring the 

 milky grains and spoiling the ear by its excrement and the rot which 

 usually sets in; sweet corn is especially liable to be spoilt by this at- 

 tack. Any ear that is seen to be affected should be opened and the 

 caterpillar destroyed; this seems to be the only thing that can be 

 done. The moth is a handsome creature, ochre yellow in color, with 

 darker bands across the wings, which measure an inch and a half 

 when expanded. With us there is but one brood in the year, and 

 much may be done to keep the insect in check by clean cultivation 

 in the fall of the year. 



In the great corn-growing States to the west and south the crop 

 is very seriously injured year after year by the Chinch-bug, a small 

 black bug, with a white mark on each side of the wings. As it ap- 

 pears in millions, these hosts inflict an enormous amount of damage 

 by sucking out the juices of the plant. 



The Seed-Corn, Maggot. This was observed during April and 

 May, doing great damage to late-planted beans in the vicinity of 

 Diamond Springs, Va. In certain areas rows were entirely killed 

 off, necessitating replanting. As many as five to ten maggots were 

 present in single seed beans and in many cases this number could 

 be found in nearly every seed. It was noticed that the early-planted 

 fields seemed to have escaped with much less loss. In one field the 

 loss was estimated at about 85 per cent of all the beans sown. The 

 beans were attacked just after sprouting, and when many larvae are 

 present they eat out the stem, radicle, and cotyledons. 



This species also attacked the roots of cabbage in nearby fields, 

 Small plants were generally selected for attack, and the wilted ap- 

 pearance of the leaves showed plainly which were the infested ones, 

 These, when examined, proved to have numbers of maggots at the 



