THE SO-CALLED TOBACCO WIRE WORM IN VIRGINIA. 15 



careful cultivation of previous crops, the land is frequently fairly 

 free from weeds when seeded to meadow; so that if the clover and 

 grass seed has been sown pure there will be few weeds in the tobacco 

 field or cornfield. 



An examination of samples of clover and grass seed procured 

 from farmers and seedsmen in various sections'' of Virginia shows 

 that seeds of buckhorn plantain and oxeye daisy — both natural food 

 plants of the tobacco Crambus — are common. Of 30 samples ex- 

 amined by the seed expert of the Virginia State department of 

 agriculture during 1910, 28 contained seeds of oxeye daisy, and of 

 these, 5 contained plantain and daisy. Of 70 samples of clover, 

 redtop, and timotlry seed examined at the Virginia Experiment 

 Station in 1909, seeds of buckhorn plantain were found in 16. 1 



The United States Department of Agriculture and those in charge 

 of similar work in many of the States have provided means by which 

 samples of seed may be examined for purity by experts. Some of 

 the States, also, have laws compelling dealers to furnish a stated 

 guaranty as to the purity of the seeds sold. 



WEEDS TO BE ELIMINATED. 



The buckhorn plantain (Plantago lanceolata) is one of the numer- 

 ous naturalized weed pests from Europe. It ranks among the worst 

 weeds, particularly upon the fighter soils and on clay uplands. 

 " Ray-bud/' " rib-grass/' " ribwort," "buck plantain," "English 

 plantain," "ripple," "ripple grass," and "narrow plantain" are 

 names applied to the plant in different sections. It is perennial 

 or biennial and is common in meadows. The seeds are widely dis- 

 tributed with clover seed, from which it is difficult to separate them. 

 Rotation of crops, thorough cultivation, and the use of clean farm 

 seed are the usual methods for its control. 



The oxeye daisy (Chrysanthemum leucanthemum) (PL II, fig. a) 

 is also a naturalized species from Europe. It is often abundant on 

 old or poor soil. It spreads from the seeds, which are distributed 

 in various farm seeds, in hay, and in manure; also, by shoots from 

 the perennial root stocks, which must be entirely killed before the 

 plant can be wholly eradicated. It is best controlled by rotation of 

 crops, by smothering out by means of cowpeas or other suitable 

 soiling crops, and by thorough cultivation. It is a bad weed pest 

 in meadowland. The seed can be prevented from ripening by 

 mowing the hay early. 



White top or fleabane (Erigeron annuus and other species) is a 

 common pest in meadows. In some localities it has been found to 

 be a xood plant of the tobacco Crambus. Early mowing of infested 

 meadows before the seeds ripen and pasturing with sheep, which 



i Bui. 184, Va. Agr. Exp. Sta. 



