CUT WORMS AND ARMY WORMS 



549 



ground and feed by cutting off the plants at this point. They are 

 more commonly found in the grass lands, but very frequently at- 

 tack cultivated crops, particularly on land that was in grass the 

 previous year. 



Army worm (Heliophila unipuncta). 



Of the methods used to protect trees and plants from cut worms, 

 poisoned bait is probably the most common. This consists of bran 

 and molasses or other sweet substance poisoned with arsenic and 

 distributed in handfuls about the plants. The proportions are as 

 follows : forty pounds of bran, two gallons of cheap molasses, and 

 five pounds of arsenic. Cheap glycerine may be used to prevent 

 the mixture from drying. This will be eaten by the worms in prefer- 

 ence, usually, to the plants which it is desired to protect. 



Cut worms and army worms may also be captured by means of 

 traps. Because of their habit of feeding at night and remaining 

 concealed during the day, pieces of boards may be placed on the 

 ground around the growth to be protected and these may be turned 

 over during the day and the worms killed. 



In case of outbreaks of army worms the most important and 

 successful means of fighting them is to keep them out of the 

 orchard or vineyard entirely. This can be successfully done if they 

 are discovered in time or if already in one portion they can be 

 kept from spreading over the rest of the property. They travel 

 in immense numbers in a definite direction, coming generally from 

 an adjoining or nearby grain field. If a furrow is plowed along 

 the side of the place to be protected it will effectively stop their 

 progress. This furrow should be plowed as deep as possible, with 



