CHAPTER XIII 
INSECT ENEMIES AND PLANT DISEASES 
Of all the obstacles to the successful growing of corn, 
none has ever shown itself in a more serious aspect than the 
destruction due to injurious insects and plant diseases. The 
problem of how to control them is a hard one and should 
receive the attention of every farmer. 
We do not feel competent in ourselves to handle this 
subject of insects and diseases attacking corn, and for this 
reason we have appealed to Prof. S. A. Forbes, Illinois State 
Entomologist, who has carefully helped us by correcting and 
revising this chapter. In addition to this we want to thank 
Professor Forbes for furnishing us illustrations of insects. 
On the following pages we shall'describe briefly the more 
injurious of these insects, and suggest remedies with which 
to suppress them. 
Insects INguRING THE SEED AFTER PLANTING 
The Corn Wireworm (Several species of melanotus): 
These are the larve (offspring) of the common snapping 
beetles. They are hard, smooth-skinned, reddish brown, 
worm-like creatures, and vary in size from the thickness of 
a pin to the thickness of a darning-needle. The body is 
divided into thirteen segments, and has three pairs of short, 
stout legs. 
The corn wireworm eats into the kernel after it has been 
softened by the moisture in the ground, and also bores into 
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