STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
807 
CUT-WORMS. OUR ILL SUCCESS IN REARING! THEN* 
and described. But only one of them is known to us in its larva state* 
IVe also know that at least five other out-worms in addition to this 
one, are formidable enemies to us, depredating every 'year, more or 
less, upon the young plants in our fields and gardens, but we know not 
the species to which they respectively pertain, and consequently are unable 
to distinguish either of them definitely, by giving to it its correct name. 
I have for a great many years regarded these cut-worms as a most 
important subject requiring to be elucidated. And accordingly, almost 
every year, upon meeting with some of these worms, I have written in my 
notes a particular description of them, and have endeavored to feed and 
rear them to their perfect state, but without success. They are very intol¬ 
erant of confinement, especially when they are not grown to their full size. 
Upon discovering that they are imprisoned, they lose all relish for food, 
and become intent on one thing only, namely, to find some orifice in their 
prison walls through which to escape. Accordingly, when the shades of 
evening arrive, they come out from the earth in the box or pot in whicji 
they are placed, and crawl hurriedly and anxiously around and around, the 
whole night long, as I have found on going to them with a light. The 
vegetables transplanted into the box for them to feed upon remain un¬ 
touched. In this manner, they in a few nights wear their lives away, and 
are found lying stark and stiff on the surface of the dirt of their cage. 
Prom the experience I have had, I regard them as among the most diffi¬ 
cult insects which I have ever taken in hand to feed and rear from their 
larva to their perfect state. 
It had accordingly become evident to me that a suitable knowledge of 
these Cut-worms could nevetbe gained in the manner I had attempted— 
by casual observations made at moments snatched from other investiga¬ 
tions. It was only by making them the leading subjects of examination- 
devoting to them ample time and care and vigilance; studying them as they 
were growing up in the fields and gardens; watching them from day to¬ 
day, there, in their natural haunts, until they became fully matured and 
were done feeding, and then placing them in cages to complete their trans¬ 
formations and reveal to us what they are in their perfect states; I say, it 
had become evident to me that it was only in this manner that the requisite 
knowledge of these creatures could be obtained, to prepare such an exact 
history of them as their importance and the advanced state of science at 
this day demand. 
I have, therefore, for several years, had it in contemplation, when a 
season occurred in which these worms were numerous, to devote my chief 
attention to them. And accordingly, on becoming aware last May, that 
these worms would bo quite common in my vicinity, I resolved to make 
them the subjects of special investigation. 
And I now proceed to give a summary account of these insects and their 
habits, and the progress which the researches of the past season has enabled 
UB to make towards a more full and exact knowledge of them. 
II is in midsummer, mostly in the month of July, that the moths or mil- 
leri 
8 come abroad and lay the eggs from which the cut-worms aro bred. 
