THE crLTURE OF TOJJACCO. 



65 



"Cut Worms." — Usually the first pest finm wliirli injury may 

 be expected is the "cut wornis," These are the larvas of several differ- 

 ent species of moths and do great injury to all forms of tender plant 



life by severing stalks near the surface of the soil. Seveial species also 

 climb the plant and feed on the leaves. When a field is known to be 

 aflected -ivith these pests it is the custom in many localities to scatter 

 over the field little bunches of gi'een grass, oi' othei' forms of vegetation, 

 that have previously been sprayed with Paiis green and water. In 

 the absence of other food the pjcsts will feed on this poisoned 

 vegetation and Vie destroved Ijefore the tobacco has Ijeen set on the 

 field. 



Another method is to scatter poisoned meal throughr>ut the 

 field. This bait is piepared by mixing one pound i:>f Paris green, or 

 of arsenic, with from fifty to one hundred pounds of mealie meal 

 (ground maize or Indian corn meal), the meal Ijeing moistened with a 

 little "Hater and molasses. This jjoisoned meal is then placed in lows 

 here and theie throughout the field and among the growing plants. 

 The cut-worm pirefers the poisoned meal to the green vegetation and 

 thus comes to an untimely end. The most satisfactory results are, 

 however, obtained if the meal be placed in the field liefore the plants 

 are set. 



"Horn Worms" or Caterpillars.— These are the larvie of 

 Sphinx moths, and the name of " horn worm '' is due to the fact that they 

 have a small stout horn attached to one of the po.sterior segments of 

 the body. These caterpillars have in.satiable appetites, and two or three 

 will ruin a tobacco plant m the couise of a day ; nor aie they fond of 

 the tobacco plant alone, but feed as well on other forms nf the 

 Solanaceie as the tomato and potato. 



Two different species destructive to toljacco are common in America, 

 Protopai-ce Carolina and Protoparce Celeus, The Ehodesian toljacco 

 caterpillar may prove to be a distinct species, but that fact will make no 

 diiference in the ti-eatment to be followed as the habits are the same. 



The mother moths may be seen and heard flying around the 

 Petunia and I)atura blossoms ju.st at dusk. It is at this hour that the 

 eggs are laid. In four t'j eight days the young caterpjillars hatch and 

 start their destructive career, which mav continue for a month, at the 



