60 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 189. 



In comparatively large areas occupied by weeds this result may be 

 accomplished bj^ a running fire which, under favorable conditions, will 

 effectively burn all plants to the surface of the ground, and kill any larvse 

 that may be present in the roots. 



In the infinite number of small areas present throughout the infested 

 region, and especially in the vicinity of buildings, it is not generally pos- 

 sible to start or maintain a running fire, and, under these circumstances, 

 it becomes necessary to remove the infested plants and burn them in 

 piles or in some receptacle provided for the purpose. This method 

 entails considerable labor and expense, and when appHed to the 320 

 square miles infested, presents a large problem. 



Cornstalks and other infested plants in cultivated areas may generally 

 be cut very close to the ground and burned in piles. The stubble may 

 then be plowed out, raked up and burned, if no better means for its de- 

 struction are available. In small areas of corn it is sometimes more 

 practicable to pull up and biu-n the entire plant than to remove and 

 destroy the stubble. 



During the early fall of 1918 considerable difficulty was experienced in 

 attempting to burn cornstalks and other infested plants, owing to the 

 large amount of water still present in the stalks, some of these plants 

 being still green in appearance and resisting all efforts to burn them, 

 even when kerosene oil was applied. It is possible, therefore, that in 

 some instances infested plants must be burned during the early spring or 

 during mild periods of the winter. It is not necessary to entirely consume 

 the infested plants in order to kill the larvse contained therein, but these 

 plants should at least be given a thorough scorching or be exposed to 

 considerable heat. 



While experimenting with methods for burning infested plants several 

 different types of torches were used. None of these, however, gave any 

 satisfaction during the fall of 1918. This result may have been due to 

 the green condition of many infested plants on which the torches were 

 used, and it is possible that this method may give better results during 

 the %vinter and spring, when the infested plants are dead and dry. 



It is hoped that ultimately some tjT)e of a portable burning apparatus 

 will be developed for use in burning large quantities of infested plants 

 easily and at a low cost. 



Any method adopted for the burning of infested plants throughout the 

 entire infested area will result in a considerable outlay of money. Never- 

 theless, it is beheved that burning is the best method to use in clean-up 

 operations. Figures, compiled from data concerning the towns in the 

 area infested by the pest up to November, 1918, show that about 50,000 

 acres must be treated. 



Burying Infested Plants. 

 Burying infested plants may destroy the contained larvse under some 

 conditions. This method of eliminating infested material is especially 

 desirable from an agricultural viewpoint, because the decaying plants 



