84 INSECTS IXJUIITOUS TO STAPLE CROPS. 



by kerosene or by burning straw on them. Several deep 

 parallel furrows will act in the same way, and if a series 

 are properly made, they will also be found efficient. If it 

 be possible to turn water in the ditches, or if they become 

 filled by rains, the addition of a little kerosene, so as to form 

 a thin scum over the surface, will soon kill the caterpillars. 

 By thoroughly spraying or, perhaps better, dusting a 

 small strip of the crop in advance of the worms with Paris 

 green, and liberally distributing poisoned bran mash (com- 

 posed cf fifty pounds of bran and one pound of Paris green 

 with about enough molasses and water to sweeten it) large 

 numbers may be destroyed. But be careful not to pasture 

 cattle in a field so poisoned until rain has thoroughly 

 washed it. A flock of poultry will also do good service in 

 consuming them. Burning stubble, grass land, and 

 rubbish is also of considerable importance for this as well 

 as all similar insects. But whatever is done to combat the 

 Army-worm must be done quickly and at once, for a single 

 day's delay may often mean the ruin of a valuable croj^. 

 Deep fall plowing followed by a thorough harrowing or 

 rolling will do much to destroy the hibernating larvae and 

 thus prevent their attack the next season. 



The Fall Army-worm {Lajihygw a fni giperda S. & A.). 



Description. — ^Very similar in its destructive habits to 

 the true Army-worm is the Fall Army-worm or Grass- 

 worm. At first glance the worms have much the same 

 general appearance, bat upon close examination consider- 

 able difference in the markings is noticeable. Along each 

 side of the body is h longitudinal pitch-colored strij)e, and 

 in the middle — betw^een them — is a yellowish -gray stripe 

 about twice as wide, which includes four black dots 



