10 



PESTS. 

 By F. W. Ukigh, 

 Entomologist, Board of Agriculture. 

 With the exception of corn and sweet potatoes most of our food- 

 crops escape serious insect pests, during tlieir growth. It cannot be 

 said that they are quite free from insects but as a rule there are not 

 enough present to hamper them to any great extent. 



A good rule in connection with any crop is to have a rotation which 

 consists in not planting the same crop in succession on the same fields. 

 Another simple precaution to take is not to leave stray plants, old fruit 

 or bits of tubers lying about in the field after harvesting. It is a good 

 rule to remove all plants from a field, as in many cases, insects go on 

 breeding in the crop remnents and are so carried over from one season 

 to the other. When land is being prepared for replanting, it is generally 

 forked. This operation does a great deal of good in exposing soil- 

 inhabiting insects to the attacks of their natural enemies. Besides that, 

 the removal or bimiing of all weeds and stray plants left over from the 

 previous crop should never be omitted. Growing corn is subject to the 

 attack of the " corn worm " or caterpillar of the moth Lajpliygvia 

 frugi])erda.. It is generally worse on young plants at the opening 

 of the rainy season, but if the precaution is taken of controlling 

 the first brood of the season, successive broods will give very 

 little trouble, besides which the corn will get a chance of having 

 a good start. The ravages of the corn worm are so well known 

 that often wood ashes are put in the funnel of the corn to prevent 

 the injury, sometimes earth is used instead. The measures just 

 mentioned do a little good, but far better results would be obtained 

 if a stomach poison were used instead, such as arsenate of lead 

 or Paris green. Paris green can be dusted on the plants by means- 

 of a muslin bag tied to a stick. It should never be used pure but mixed 

 with air slaked lime or wood ashes in the proportion of 1 pound Paris 

 green to 6 pounds ashes or lime. Ai'senate of lead can be obtained 

 both in powder and paste form ; in the former state it is used like 

 Paris green. In the paste form it is used in the proportion of 1 pound 

 of paste to 12 gallons of water. Paris green is said to act more quickly 

 than arsenate of lead. In using Paris green and arsenate of lead the 

 precautioa must be taken not to cut grass for animals in the treated 

 fields for at least a fortnight after treatment as both substances are 

 poisonous to stock. 



Potato vines are often attacked by a borer which lives in the stems 

 of the plants. In severe infestations the vines are so badly affected 

 that they will produce very few tubers. The borer is the caterpillar of 

 a moth, fortunately ib is not very widespread. The best method of 

 control is rotation of crops and selection of cuttings. Cuttings for plant- 

 ing should be very carefully examined for caterpillars before being used; 

 as the borer is an internal feeder, it is difficult to get at when once in 

 the stem, and in severe infestation it is best to cut out all the infected 

 stems and burn them. 



A good rule for all crops is to be always on the look out for any 

 insects affecting them and remove them by hand picking early in the 

 season. 



