CORN PESTS AND DISEASES 



257 



of com; but it still remains true that by far the 

 greater number of those in the country at any time 

 have arisen from eggs laid by beetles in ground bear- 

 ing a crop of grass; and that corn is consequently 

 much more likely to be damaged if planted on sod 

 than if it follows clover, small grain, or corn itself. 



The first effort of the corn farmer should be 

 directed to clearing the grubs out of the grass land 

 which he wishes to plant to corn. For this purpose 

 Professor Forbes thinks that hogs should be pastured 

 for a considerable time on the meadows or pastures 

 before plowing for com, and that they should also be 



Pig 63— White Qrub 



Young of the June beetle; enlarged (after Forbes) 



given the run of the field while it is being plowed. 

 This measure will be practically useless under ordinary 

 circumstances, if resorted to later than October or 

 earlier than April. In the interval between these 

 months the grubs will be beyond the reach of pigs, 

 buried in their winter quarters. After plowing, the 

 collection by hand of white grubs may be resorted to 

 where they are particularly abundant, especially where 

 any kind of cheap labor may be had. Owing to the 

 relatively small damage done to clover by the grubs, 

 it is a good practice to insert clover between grass and 

 corn in the rotation; and this is especially advisable 

 in light soils not perfectly adapted to corn. Here it 



