256 THE BOOK OF CORN 



of the corn, the gravity of the injury, kind of soil and 

 weather. In the young plant about six inches high, 

 the characteristic perforations of the stalk under- 

 ground may result in the sudden withering of the 

 whole plant, or more commonly, in the killing of the 

 central leaf or tuft of growing leaves — an appearance 

 which has given to this insect the common name of the 

 "bud worm" in some of the southern states. In cer- 

 tain instances the plant has been killed, as the writer 

 observed in Maryland, almost as soon as it was 

 sprouted. 



As the season advances the corn in the affected 

 fields is likely to be uneven, and later, as the plant 

 becomes topheavy with growth, it may fall when the 



Fig 66— Southern Corn Root Worm 



Dorsal view; enlarged five diameters (after Forbes) 



soil is softened by rains, especially during storms. 

 Having once so fallen, it will, if badly injured, fail to 

 rise again ; and it may further be seen that the plant 

 has but little hold upon the ground, a whole hill, per- 

 haps, being readily pulled up with one hand. As a 

 consequence of the loss of roots and the general weak- 

 ening of the plant, many stalks fail to set the ear, or 

 form only a nubbin. The injured plant also matures 

 slowly, remaining green longer than the average, and 

 being thus especially subject to injury by frost. A 

 closer examination ot the young plant will commonly 

 show a perforation of the underground part of the 

 stem either at or near the upper circle of the roots. 

 Later, as the plant increases in size, the roots them- 

 selves are seen to be gnawed irregularly, great holes or 



