10 FARMERS' BULLETIN 835.. 



tributed over a considerable area, this can be marked off by stakes 

 and the crop sprayed heavily with a solution of Paris green at the 

 rate of 1 pound to 50 gallons of water, or of arsenate of lead at the 

 rate of 2 pounds of the paste or 1 pound of the powder to 50 gallons 

 of water. In case this poison is used, care should be exercised in 

 preventing stock from gaining access to the poisoned grass or grain 

 and being injured or killed by eating it. It is best by far to sacrifice 

 a portion of the crop, if the destruction of the pest can be accom- 

 plished thereby, because if the army worms are not destroyed they 

 will take the crop in any case and probably devastate ether portions 

 of the farm. 



POISONED BAITS FOR THE ARMY WORM. 



Poisoned baits have long been used as a means of destroying the 

 numerous species of cutworms and also the army worm. An efficient 

 bait of this kind may be prepared and used as follows: To 50 pounds 

 of wheat bran and 1 pound of Paris green or 2 pounds of powdered 

 arsenate of lead add the juice of one-half dczen oranges or lemons. 

 Then bring the mass to a stiff dough by adding low-grade molasses 

 or sirup, preferably molasses, and scatter the mixture broadcast in 

 small pieces throughout the infested field. This poisoned bait may 

 be used safely in alfalfa and cornfields where it is desired, if possi- 

 ble, to save the crop for forage. 



MECHANICAL MEASURES AGAINST THE ARMY WORM. 



In case the worms are not discovered until they have begun to 

 travel in a mass, usually they can be destroyed by furrowing or ditch- 

 ing completely around the infested area (see fig. 6). The worms will 

 fall into the ditches and can be killed easily by crushing them with 

 a log dragged back and forth through the ditch or furrow. If shal- 

 low postholes are sunk in the bottom of the ditch at intervals of 

 about 20 feet, the worms will crawl along the ditch bottoms and 

 fall into the holes, where they may be destroyed by crushing or other 

 means. * If the subsoil be of such a nature that water penetrates it 

 but slowly, the postholes may be filled partially with water, on the 

 top of which a layer of coal oil or petroleum may be poured. The 

 worms die almost immediately upon falling into such holes. 



SUMMARY OF CONTROL MEASURES FOR THE ARMY WORM. 



(1) Watch fields of growing grass and grain carefully, especially 

 the meadows, during the spring and early summer months, to dis- 

 cover the army worms before they become full grown and spread 

 over the entire farm. When the worms are discovered at work, do 

 not lose a minute, but attack them, vigorously ~by means of the meas- 

 ures outlined in the foregoing pages. 



