45 



constructed, either in the form of a large closet with a door opening 

 outside as well as one inside, or that a pit be made. The stable should 

 be cleaned daily or every other day, and each time that a day's or two 

 days' accumulation is added to the pile in the closet or pit a shovelful 

 of the chlorid of lime should be thrown over it. When the manure is 

 needed for the farm or garden it may just as conveniently be shoveled 

 upon a wagon from the outside door of such a closet as described as 

 from an outside pile. Thorough experiments were carried on some 

 time since at the stable of the Department of Agriculture and it was 

 found that by a little careful, inexpensive work of this kind the num- 

 bers of house flies of the whole neighborhood were rapidly and enor- 

 mously lessened. 



THE GREEN CLOVER WORM. 



(Plathypena scabra Fab.) 

 By F. H. Chittenden. 



One of the commonest insects about the District of Columbia is the 

 Deltoid moth, Plathypena scabra, the larva of which, called the green 

 clover worm, feeds on various leguminous plants, particularly clover. 

 During the season of 1897, and again in 1899, this larva was frequently 

 observed in connection with observations on insects attacking beans 

 and peas in this vicinity. 



RECENT OCCURRENCE. 



Early in June, 1897, larvae, mostly half grown, were observed on 

 beans in the District of Columbia; also on soy beans August 18, and 

 later nearly or quite mature on peas September 4. During autumn 

 they were also observed on a species of tickweed (Meibomia sp.). 



June 14, 1899, Mr. T. A. Keleher, of this office, brought specimens 

 of the larvae found on beans growing in the city of Washington. 

 About the same time the writer observed this species of larva on 

 vetch, a forage plant growing on experimental plats at this Depart- 

 ment. Larvae were still being found on vetch and bean until June 24. 

 August 1 larvae were found on Lima bean at Marshall Hall, Md., and 

 August 10 on the same plant at Cabin John, Md., and during Septem- 

 ber larvae were again obtained in great numbers on a species of Mei- 

 bomia in the former locality. 



Although it appears probable that this species feeds to all practical 

 purposes exclusively upon the Leguminosae, it is evidently capable of 

 subsisting upon other plants, as was proved by the finding at different 

 times by the writer of larvae that agree with Plathypena scabra in 

 every discernible particular on both strawberry and blackberry. 



July 31 a moth of this species was reared from a larva obtained 

 on strawberry in the District of Columbia. August 2 a second speci- 

 men was reared from a larva from the same strawberry patch. The 



