CORN PESTS AND DISEASES 247 



first and a little later taking on a reddish tinge. In 

 such cases a careful digging up of the hill will prob- 

 ably reveal the presence of root lice. If none are 

 found the difficulty may be attributed to a fungous 

 disease known as the root blight of corn which has no 

 connection with insect injury. 



3 — Sometimes all the stalks in the hill are colored 

 and wither when a foot or less in hight. This condi- 

 tion usually follows injury by wireworms and white 

 grubs. 



4 — ^When the com falls over easily with a slight 

 wind storm and does not rise up again in due season, 

 one should be suspicious of the presence of the com 

 root worm, as well as injury by white grubs. 



5 — Where the com remains green too long, ma- 

 tures slowly, with many sterile stalks, and contains 

 imperfect nubbins and ears, in all probability the com- 

 mon corn root worm will be found in abundance 

 among the roots, if careful examination is made late 

 in August or early September. In such cases large 

 numbers of green beetles about the size of the com- 

 mon ladybug may be seen at work upon the silks and 

 tassels and even upon the pollen collected at the base 

 of leaves. They are also found upon the blossoms of 

 ragweeds and other flowering plants in the field. 

 These are the adults of the com root worm, and such 

 fields should not be replanted to corn the follow- 

 ing year. 



6 — Frequently young plants will have the ter- 

 minal leaves dwarfed and curled so that the growing 

 tips are shriveled. Occasionallv the foliage is de- 

 formed and of unequal "growth, especially the unfold- 

 ing of the leaves from the roll at the terminal. These 

 are more or less injured, giving the ragged appear- 

 ance. 'Dnmpg" of this kind usually occurs when the 

 corn is about two feet high and is the work of the first 



