248 One Thousand Questions in Agriculture 



still be in the egg state and under cover, at the time the early spring spray- 

 ing for the thrips. 



Control oi Pear Slug. 



/ am sending, under separate eozer, some samples of cherry tree 

 leaves that have been attaeked by a small snail or slug. Kindly let me 

 know what they are, and how to rid the trees of them. 



The creatures you speak of are the pear slugs, or the cherry slugs, 

 as they are sometimes known. Although sHmy, like the big yellow slug 

 that is a pest in vegetable gardens, it is no relation thereto, but is the 

 larva of an insect. Its olive green color, slimy appearance and the way 

 it eats the surface of the leaves make it about the easiest of all insects 

 to identify. Parasites and predacious insects usually keep it in fair con- 

 trol. Whenever artificial methods of control are needed the slugs can 

 best be destroyed b}^ sprinkling dust of any kind upon them. If you can 

 get a machine for sulphuring a vineyard and use some air slaked lime 

 or other fine dust, it will fix them quickly and inexpensively, though any 

 way of applying dust may be used. 



Cutworms and Young Trees. 



What method should be used to proteet young fruit trees from 

 cutworms f 



Hoe around the trees or vines and kill the fat, greasy grubs which 

 you will find near the foliage. Put out a poisoned bait which the worms 

 like better than the foliage, viz.: Bran, 10 pounds; white arsenic, ^ 

 pound ; molasses, J^ gallon ; water, 2 gallons. Mix the arsenic with the 

 bran dry. Add the molasses to the water and mix into the bran, making 

 a moist paste. Put a tablespoonful near the base of the tree or vine and 

 lock up the chickens. 



Control of Squash Bugs. 



We are troubled zvith pumpkin bugs. Please tell us what to do for 

 them. 



When the bugs first make their appearance in the field they can be 

 easily disposed of by hand picking and dropping into a bucket containing 

 about two inches of water with about one-fourth inch of kerosene on top 

 to kill the bugs. The picking should be done in the morning, as the 

 bugs are apt to fly in the v/arm part of the day and scatter where already 

 picked. Two persons can pick over an acre in one and a half hours, and 

 two pickings are usually sufficient for a season, as after the vines begin 

 to run over the ground pretty well the bugs will not be able to hurt them 

 much. A pair of thin old gloves will help to keep ofif one's hands 

 some of the perfume from the bugs. The sooner the work starts 

 the fewer bugs to pick. Cleaning up of all old vines in the fall and 

 removing litter in which the mature bugs hide for the winter will 

 permit less eggs to be laid in the spring and there will be fewer bugs 

 to pick as a result. 



The Corn Worm. 



Last year all my ears of corn were infested with maggot, growing 

 fat thereon. Can you help me scare them away? 



