298 



REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 



was fed npon willow leaves. We have known it to do considerable 

 damage to young grape-vines in cold frames, as well as to young lettuce 

 plants, and one of our correspondents accidentally raised a number of 

 larvae from the egg to half growth which had fed exclusively on apples, 

 form want of other food. 



The eggs of this species (Plate III, Fig. 2) are quite small, of a pink 

 color, with ribs radiating from the summit, aud arc deposited in small 

 batches. From the evidence which we have collected it seems to be 

 the universal habit of this species to lay its eggs upon the leaves of 

 various trees. We have found them upon the leaves of Cherry, Apple, 

 Mulberry, and Peach, and have never found them in other situations. 



The newly-hatched larva is dirty yellow in color, covered with dark 

 conspicuous spots; it feeds openly and loops somewhat in iU walk. 

 After the first molt the dark spots become almost obliterated, and it 

 takes on the appearance of the full-grown worm, assuming at the same 

 time the normal cut- worm habit. The full-grown larva (Plate III, Fig. 

 1, «,^,c) is about 2 inches long, is finely mottled with dull llesh-brown and 

 black, and has dark velvety, longitudinal marks along the sides of the 

 back. It is lighter on the sides thau on the back, and has a flesh-col- 

 ored stripe below the stigmata. The pupa is of normal form, deep 

 mahogany-brown in color, and has a single point at its extremity. 



The general color of the moth (Plate III, Fig. 1, cl) is dark brownish- 

 gray, some specimens being almost black along the front edge of the 

 upper wings, while others have this edge of a dull golden -bull' color. 



The development of the species is quite rapid, as will be seen by the 

 following extracts from our notes : 



Eggs found on apple Latched April 17; larvae entered the ground May 15 to 22; 

 moths issued June 3 to 8. 



Eggs found f>n leaf of mulberry hatched May 24 ; larvae entered the ground June 15; 

 moths issued June 28 to July 5. 



Eggs found on peach twig hatched April 9. Another batch hatched April 25 ; moths 

 from the latter batch issued June 26. 



Batch of eggs found April 29 hatch May 2 ; larvae entered ground May 31 ; moths 

 issued Juno 17. 



These notes were all made at Saint Louis, and indicate at least two 

 annual generations, with a possibility of three. 



For detailed descriptions of the different stages we refer the reader 

 to the report cited in the opening sentence. 



BEMEDIES FOR CABBAGE CUT-W0BMS. 



Up to quite recent times no good remedy for cut- worms had been pro- 

 posed which did not involve much time and labor in the carrying out. 

 The use of dressings for the soil was found unsatisfactory j fall plowing 

 accomplished the end incompletely: applications to the plants were not 

 lasting in their effects; and the best writers, including Curtis, Harris, 

 and Fitch, have concluded that digging the worms out of their burrows 

 by hand and destroying them is the only complete and satisfactory 

 thing to do. 



A preventive urged by one of Harris's correspondents was, to wrap 

 the stem of the young plant, on setting it out, in a walnut leaf, through 

 which the worms will not penetrate to reach the stem, and the same 

 idea has since been used with good effect in small gardens, with the 

 substitution of heavy brown paper for the walnut leaf. A good deal of 

 time and care is necessary to make a perfect wrapping of the stem, and 



