33 OHIO EXPERIMENT STATION: BULLETIN 198. 



The Clover Seed Caterpillar, GraphoUtha interstinctana, also, 

 feeds upon the florets, when they appear, as weU as in the crowns of 

 the plants near the earth in spring. Pasturage will hkewise tend 

 to diminish injury by this pest in spring. 



The yellowish green, slu^-like larvae of the Clover Leap Weevil 

 Phytonomous functatus, begin feedingf on the leaves of clover very 

 early in spring and continue until they attain fuU growth in May 

 and June. Beginning at the edge of a leaf the larva eats out a seg- 

 ment bounded by a regularly curved line. Sometimes smaller areas 

 are eaten from the interior parts of the leaflets. When full grown 

 the larvae construct very delicate cocoons of a greenish-yellow color 

 on the surface of the ground. A fungous disease does much to con- 

 trol this species. The larvae in great numbers, just about the time 

 they are grown, curve themselves around a spear of grass or over 

 the edge of a leaflet and die, becoming covered with a white mold 

 and later turning to a jelly-like consistency, eventually drying out 

 to a small black mass entirely unrecognizable to the unfamiliar eye. 



TOBACCO INSECTS. 



APRIL-MAY. 



Cutworms: Grass or clover sod that is to be planted to tobacco 

 generally needs special attention to destroy cutworms before the 

 tobacco is set out. Thorough cultivation in the spring, before plant- 

 ing, so as to deprive the worms of food, will help. If the poisoned 

 bran mash (See page 78) is scattered over the land, a tablespoonful 

 near each hill several days before the crop is planted, the majority 

 of the worms will be killed before they have the opportunity of doing 

 harm. 



Tobacco Stalk Worm or Sod Web Worm: This insect, Crambus 

 caliginosellus, com monly known as the Corn Root Web Worm burrows 

 into the stalks of newly set tobacco, sometimes destroying as many 

 as three successive plantings of tobacco over the same ground. 

 Where these worms are known to abound, do not plant tobacco after 

 grass or timothy. Instead, follow with wheat and then clover before 

 tobacco. If tobacco must follow grass at once, plow as early as 

 possible, then roll and harrow at frequent intervals to starve out the 

 worms before planting, which should be delayed as long as the 

 season will permit. 



Tobacco Flea Beetle: This very small beetle, Epitrix -parvula 

 Fab., is of a light brown color, with a dark band transversely across 

 the wing covers. It has the power of leaping like a flea. When 

 numerous, they eat the leaves full of very small holes. Sprav with 

 weak Bordeaux mixture combined wUh ^rseuate of lea4=. 



