270 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



ing can be no better illustrated than by reference to the cele- 

 brated " army worm year," 1861, when the loss on grass and 

 grain crops in western Massachusetts alone amounted to over 

 $500,000. 



Remedies. 



The army worm is a pei^t that never arouses popular atten- 

 tion until it is too late to prevent damage, and the fact that 

 the insect only appears at somewhat extended intervals of 

 time explains, in great measure, the lack of information 

 among the farmers concerning the remedies to combat it. 

 In this case, as in many others, prevention is better than 

 remedy, and the occasional burning over of mowings and 

 pastures cannot be too strongly advocated. This procedure 

 destroys the hibernating insects. AVhere the army worm 

 appears in abundance in grass and grain fields the crop 

 should be cut at once. A furrow should then be ploughed 

 around the infested field with the straight edge toward the 

 land to be protected. As soon as the crop begins to dry, the 

 worms commence to migrate, and crawling into the furrow 

 are unable to climb up the straight side, unless the project- 

 ing grass roots afibrd a foothold, in which case the furrow 

 should be deepened by spading. Holes dug in the bottom 

 of the furrow furnish places in which the worms will col- 

 lect, when they can be destroyed. Gen. W. W. Blackmar 

 of Hino-ham has met with excellent success in destroying 

 these insects by burning sawdust soaked in kerosene oil in 

 the holes where the worms collected. A somewhat similar 

 measure has been employed with good results by Mr. A. I. 

 Hay ward of Agawam. 



Rolling infested fields has been recommended by many 

 writers, and at my suggestion was thoroughly tried, but with- 

 out anything like satisfactory results, although the ground 

 was level and hard. 



Infested corn fields may be sprayed early in the season with 

 Paris green,* one pound to two hundred gallons of water, 



* Arsenate of lead or arsenate of barium, three pounds to one hundred and fifty- 

 gallons of water, may be substituted for Paris green. Arsenate of barium is a 

 promising new insecticide, which has been used experimentally with good results 

 against the gypsy moth during the past summer. Its use as an insecticide was first 

 suggested by the writer during the winter of 1895-96 as a result of investigations 

 upon the different arsenates, and it has so far proved superior to any of the arseni- 



