319 



worms eating at one stalk of corn under the ground. Last year I also suffered with 

 Cut-worms. Planted 18 acres, replanted 16, and then sowed corn on 3 of it. The 

 sowed corn was all right; balance produced one-fourth stand. If they increase next 

 year over this year, corn planting will be useless. — [Chas. A. Hewitt, Neligh, Nebr., 

 July 4, 1888. 



Reply. — In addition to late fall plowing the best remedy which you can use is. 

 the poisoned bait with which you are already familiar. The only difficulty is to se- 

 cure green and succulent vegetation for poisoning; ami, of course, being upon the 

 ground, you caD more readily decide what will be best and most convenient to use. — 

 [July 10, 1888.] 



Another Letter. — In looking over the reports of 1884, just received, I notice an 

 article upon Cut-worms, which is of importance to us away up here in northwestern 

 Minnesota, and I desire to ask your advice on how to proceed in my war upon them. 

 I am on the southeast shore of Otter Tail Lake near Otter Tail City : my land is a sandy 

 loam, was timber land in 1850, but now nearly clear of timber by reason of the en- 

 croachments of prairie fires. Consequently the soil is a warm productive soil, quick 

 to warm up in the spring, and a good harbor for all sorts of insects. 



I have for two years past failed to raise onions, beets, and carrots, and beans too,, 

 as well as nearly an acre of sweet corn, on soil only under cultivation three years. 

 Onions, beets, carrots, and beans were sown with a " Planet, Jr.," garden drill ; they 

 were cut off as fast as they came to the surface, just below the surface, by very small 

 young Cut- worms. Neither salt nor ashes would stop their work ; the crop was an 

 entire loss. Now, what can I do? As I sow two or three acres I cau not apply the 

 remedies laid down in the 1884 report, pp. 299-300, as it would lose too much in time 

 and labor. But I do want to raise onions, beets, and carrots as well as beans and 

 sweet corn. — [Washington Muzzy, Balmoral, Otter Tail County, Minn., March 4, 1887. 



Reply. — While late plowing of the fields infested by cut-worms may have a good 

 effect in lessening the numbers the ensuing season, a much better plan will be the 

 adoption of the poisoned ball system recommended in the article to which you refer. 

 This method will not require the expenditure of much time or labor. It simply in- 

 volves the necessity of a pretty general distribution of poisoned spring grass over 

 the plowed fields a few days before the sowing of your onions, beets, carrots, or 

 beaus. There will doubtless be plenty of young grass and weeds up at the proper 

 time, and such should be cut and sprinkled with Paris green solution and little 

 patches placed at intervals about the field. This is absolutely the best remedy 

 known. It works admirably in the South, where there is so much early vegetation, 

 and we shall be glad to learn your opinion of its practicability in Minnesota, or of 

 the success of any experiment you may try with it. — [March 9, 1887.] 



Migrations of Plants as affecting those of Insects. 



When the writer first came to this part of Kansas, eighteen years ago, two plants 

 which are now very abundant were unknown in this county of Geary, then called 

 Davis. One of these is the Solatium rostratum. The region for two or three years 

 suffered from the ravages of the Colorado Potato-beetle, but now, though the beetle 

 is sufficiently abundant every year, the potatoes rarely are damaged. The cause 

 seems to be that Solatium rostratum, sometimes called Buffalo Nettle, or Buffalo 

 Thistle, is the native food-plant of this beetle, and where it is scarce Solatium tube- 

 rosum is accepted as a substitute. The plant belongs to regions farther west, and 

 by some means the beetle traveled in abundance eastward, reaching the other 

 side of the Atlantic years ago, where the plant is still unknown. It is said that the 

 prickly seed-pods of this plant came on the tails of Texas and other cattle from the 

 Southwest, and it is certain that counties remote from the cattle-trails and the 

 through lines of railway were the last to have the plant. The flower is bright yellow, 

 and the whole plant not unhandsome, but its prickles make it a very undesirable 



