58 



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Control. The best - known 

 remedy is a poison bran-mash, 

 prepared as follows : Coarse 

 bran, 50 Ib. ; Paris green or 

 white arsenic, 2 Ib. ; syrup or 

 brown sugar, 2 quarts ; warm 

 water; sufficient to make a 

 coarse, crumbly mash. The 

 dry ingredients should first 

 be thoroughly mixed together 

 and the water then added. Do 

 not get the material too 

 sloppy; have it so it will 

 fall apart readily after press- 

 ing together in the hand; 15 

 Ib. of the mixture is suffi- 

 cient for each acre if the 

 material is broadcasted over 

 the ground. It is best to 

 apply the mixture in the early 

 spring after the ground has 

 been ploughed and harrowed and before it has been seeded or planted. In the 

 orchard it is better if the ground is ploughed in the fall, so that the poison can 

 be applied in the spring before any vegetation starts into growth. 



d 



Fig. 18. The variegated cutworm, (a) Adult moth ; 

 (ft), (c), (d) full-grown larvae; (e), (f) eggs. All about 

 natural size except (e), which is greatly enlarged. (After 

 Howard, U.S. Dept. Agr.) 



WlREWOKMS. 



These are the lame of a family of beetles (Elaterida?) commonly known as 

 " click-beetles." The larva? are slender and worm-like, with a tough, leathery skin 

 of a yellowish or reddish-brown colour. The body is divided into well-defined seg- 

 ments, and each of the three just behind the head has a pair of short stout legs. 

 The head is furnished with a pair of strong jaws. The larval stage lasts from 

 three to five years, so that the amount of damage which these grubs can do is very 

 great. 



<'ntroL This is difficult owing to the fact that the grub is well protected by 

 its tough coat and feeds below the surface of the soil. Badly infested land should 

 be ploughed in late summer or early fall and kept well harrowed. This will kill 

 some of the larva? and pupa? and expose others to their natural enemies, such as 

 insectivorous birds. Poultry allowed to run on the land at this time would also be 

 of assistance. In gardens, or where the infestation is especially bad in limited areas 

 in a field, trapping may be useful. For this purpose the poisoned bran-mash given 

 for cutworms (which see) may be used, but owing to the habits of the wireworms 

 it is better to place it under boards, flat stones, etc., rather than throw it on the 

 sorface of the ground. Infestation is generally much worse in grass land, or in 

 the crop following the breaking-up of this. Hence a short rotation with as little 

 seeding-down to grass as possible is advisable. 



THE CABBAGE-ROOT MAGGOT (Phorbia brassicce). 



The cabbage-maggot is the immature form of a fly which resembles, but is 

 somewhat smaller than, the common house-fly and has proportionally larger wings. 

 The adult female is capable of laying about fifty eggs during the course of her exis- 

 tence ; these are deposited on the ground near the plants. When the eggs hatch the 

 young larva? work their way through the soil to the roots, first eating the young 

 rootlets and later attacking the main root. The results are so serious that the plants 

 often die. They are particularly destructive to newly-set-out cabbage-plants, the 

 early varieties suffering most. There are several broods each year. 



