168 MAINE STATE COLLEGE 



where they feed upon the roots of Timothy. Can you tell us the 

 name of the worm, its habits and if there is any way of extermina- 

 tion or curtailing its ravages? Will you please answer at once as 

 we wish to find out how to treat the land this autumn. 



"An early reply will greatly interest many farmers in this sec- 

 tion of the State. Respectfully, J. L. Wales." 



In response we sent Mr. Wales what information we had regard- 

 ing the methods of coping with this pest. Mr. Wales published a 

 newspaper article on this insect from which we make extracts to 

 show the extent of the ravages of this insect in the State. 



WHAT SHALL BE DONE WITH THE "WHITE GRUB." 



This is becoming a very serious question with many farmers and 

 gardeners at the present day in the town of Bridgton and vicinity. 



A few days since Mr. A. M. Thomes, the owner of a nice farm 

 on High street invited me to visit his grass fields. In one corner 

 of a fine, large field which had borne a heavy crop of Timothy the 

 present season, we found rather more than a half-acre upon which 

 there was not visible a sign of vegetable life. What had composed 

 the turf or sward could be stripped off and rolled up like a carpet, 

 leaving the soil naked and brown and bringing to light upon each 

 square foot of surface from a dozen to twenty flat white grubs. 

 Several of these were put in alcohol and sent to Prof. F. L. Harvey 

 of the State Agricultural College at Orono, who kindly and 

 promptly sent what information he had at hand relative to the 

 name, habits, and remedies, for this pest of the farmer. The grub 

 especially loves to feed upon the roots of Timothy or herds grass, 

 as may be seen upon the farms of Mr. Thomes, M. B. Stone, 

 Nathan Palmer, Geo. Hilton and many others ; it also loves the 

 roots of the strawberry. Mr S. E. Lee of High street lost about 

 one thousand fine strawberry plants the present season. The roots 

 of corn are often devoured by the grub as ma}' be seen on the farm 

 of Mr. Geo. Chaplin, Naples Mr. John Palmer of South Bridgton 

 lost a part of his potato crop in the same way. 



Complaints from other parties and from other sections of the 

 State show that the "White Grub" is wide spread and doing much 

 damage in the State. 



This insect is so familiar to everybody that we will take space 

 to give an account of its life history but publish herewith a cut 



