"Fie upon thee, pest." 



PESTS 



The Cut Worm. 



A light olive green worm about an inch long 

 with strong mandibles or nippers. It is found 

 in the loose soil at the place it had its last 

 meal. It goes into the ground in the daytime 

 and works its nefarious trade at night, like 

 any robber. It changes from a worm into a 

 red chrysalis and again into a moth, called the 

 gothic dart moth. Kill him on sight. 



To prevent the cut worm cutting off your 

 tomato and other plants, wrap paper around 

 the stem before planting, as he will not cut 

 through the paper. Or sprinkle wood ashes 

 around the plant. He does not like to crawl 

 over the ashes. Kainit of potash salt is often 

 helpful in destroying this and other under- 

 ground pests. 



There is a small white worm that destroys 

 young squash vines by boring into the stem 

 and root and killing the vine. It is the larvae of 

 a small beetle with two yellow stripes on its 

 back and looks like a lady-bug. It is called the 

 cucumber beetle. Use lime around the root 

 to destroy the worm. Some may think toads 

 are a pest, if found in large numbers. No, the 

 toad is the gardeners best friend. It destroys 

 cut worms, bugs and beetles. 

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