1881 .] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
475 
can be borne. The medical journals have 
recommended first washing the parts in warm 
water, without soap, and then applying, with 
a brush or feather, the Tincture of Lobelia. 
The fluid extract of the Yellow Jassamine 
.{ Gelsemium ) is said to be very efficacious, ap¬ 
plied in a similar manner. Another medical 
journal highly recommends the application 
of Sweet Spirits of Nitre, first pricking any 
large pustules that may have formed. The 
latest remedy we have seen proposed is the 
common “Ragweed” or “Roman Worm¬ 
wood,” (Ambrosia artemisicefolia) abundant 
everywhere in fields. It is said that if this be 
braised and the juice that is squeezed from it 
be applied to the poisoned surface, the relief 
is very marked. From the fact that every 
neighborhood, in which poisoning is frequent, 
has several “sure cures,” it is probable that 
there is as much difference in yielding to rem¬ 
edies by poisoned persons, as there is in the 
susceptibility of persons to the effects of the 
poison. The better way, in case of poisoning 
is to at once take some saline purge, with 
due regard to diet, and apply such remedies 
as have been found useful in the locality. 
Cut-Worms; Natural History, Remedies, 
etc. 
BY PROP. O. E. BKSSKY, IOWA AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 
Every farmer and gardener knows from 
sad experience something about Cut-worms, 
Many of the farm crops suffer very material¬ 
ly, and not infrequently whole fields of In¬ 
dian corn are destroyed by the countless 
thousands of these dreaded pests. No farmer 
who has followed the business long enough 
to be entitled to the name, but has had woe¬ 
ful experiences with Cut-worms, and he has 
been fortunate indeed, if at times he has not 
been compelled to abandon a field of corn, 
giving over the whole to the greedy worms. 
And then in the garden, who has not found, 
morning after morning, that some miserable 
pest was cutting off his young cabbages, 
tomatoes, lettuce, and other plants, which 
were unfortunate enough to suit the taste of 
this in nowise dainty worm. In the flower 
garden, petunias, pansies, verbenas, and bal¬ 
sams go down to death before this destroyer. 
It is no respecter of rank ; the patrician of 
the flower-border falls, as well as the plebeian 
of the vegetable garden. 
By a little foresight we may very greatly 
reduce, if not entirely prevent the destruc¬ 
tion by Cut-worms. This work of destruc¬ 
tion can be better understood after studying 
The Natural History of Cut-worms. 
Although I have thus far spoken of cut¬ 
worms as if they were all of one species, the 
fact is, there are many species having widely 
different habits. Some live in the ground and 
barely come to the surface to cut off the young 
plant, others come out of the ground and 
attack the plants at the hight of an inch or 
so, while still others climb trees and eat the 
tender buds. However, all are sufficiently 
alike in general appearance, and transforma¬ 
tions, to be spoken of as a whole in this 
article. In general the worms may be de¬ 
scribed as smooth, greasy looking, black or 
blackish worms more or less mottled with 
white. When disturbed they have the habit 
of curling up to one side for a moment, but 
they soon try to burrow into the ground 
again. They possess powerful jaws, which 
they use in cutting off the plants, afterwards 
dragging them partly into their hole, where 
they feast unmolested. After reaching matur¬ 
ity the worms burrow deeply into the ground, 
where they undergo them transformations, 
finally appearing as a perfect winged insect. 
This perfect insect is a night-flying moth 
or “miller,” of an ashen or brownish-gray 
color. They are given to visiting lighted 
rooms in the summer, much to the disgust 
of the occupants. In the latter part of the 
summer the “millers” lay eggs on or about 
the plants which they infest, and then die. 
The eggs soon hatch into very small worms, 
which immediately begin feeding upon the 
plants about them. During the fall months 
the young worms eat and grow, and by win¬ 
ter are about half grown; they then go 
deeper into the ground, or get under rubbish, 
and there pass the winter. Upon the return 
of warm weather in the spring, such of the 
worms as survived the winter come to the 
surface, and now having their appetites 
sharpened by their long fast, they attack 
whatever comes in their way. If they hap¬ 
pen to appear in the clover fields, or the 
meadows, we seldom notice any bad results, 
but if they come to the surface where the 
ground has been cleared of all plants except 
the few purposely set there, we are imme¬ 
diately made aware of the presence of the 
enemy through the destruction of our choice 
plants. Early in the summer the worms at¬ 
tain their full growth, and then burrow 
deeper into the ground to appear later as a 
new brood of “ millers,” and thus the round 
of life goes on, generation after generation. 
Checks and Remedies. 
A number of insects are parasitic upon 
Cut-worms, while still others attack and de¬ 
vour them. A large black Ground-beetle, 
marked with rows of small copper-colored 
spots, is very useful, as its larva, or young, 
follows the worms into their burrows and 
kills them. Ants, also, when sufficiently 
numerous, kill many of them. Hand¬ 
picking—that is, digging out and killing 
them, is perhaps the most successful direct 
method of warring against them, but this is a 
long, sIoav process, and besides, we know 
where to seek them only after the damage 
has been done. 
The method which I have found to be the 
cheapest and most successful, is the follow¬ 
ing : As the young worms feed during the 
autumn upon fall-growing plants of various 
kinds, it follows that by clearing entirely 
any piece of ground of weeds and other 
plants during this time, the worms must 
starve. In the garden, then, no part must be 
allowed to become weedy after the crops are 
removed, for every weed may be nourishing 
several Cut-worms. As rapidly as crops ma¬ 
ture, they should be removed, and the stems 
and rubbish carted to the compost heap. It 
may be well to so arrange the rotation of 
crops that the crop preceding the planting, 
which is subject to Cut-worm depredations, 
is one which can be removed early from the 
ground. After removal of the crop the whole 
ground should be thoroughly plowed, and 
if plowed again just before frosts sets in, so 
much the better. When it is not possible to 
remove the crops before the close of the sea¬ 
son, much good can still be done by clearing 
off the ground and plowing, for although 
the young Cut-worms are present in the 
ground, the late plowing will disarrange their 
plans for hibernation, and the greater part of 
them will be killed by the frosts and other 
hardships of the winter. On the farm the 
same methods can be successfully applied. 
If a clover field is to be broken up and planted 
with corn, the plowing must be done in the fall 
if young Cut-worms are abundant. Summer 
fallowing is a most excellent preparation for 
crops liable to be troubled with Cut-worms, 
provided that the ground be actually fallow; 
a fallow field full of weeds is of ho avail 
whatever. In a single sentence, I may say 
that dean culture and fall plowing are the 
secrets of success in dealing with Cut-worms. 
A Handy Halter Bridle. 
It frequently is necessary to feed the horses 
when it is not convenient to unharness them, 
Q or even remove the 
W w bridle. In such cases 
(dfe) (?d§b) an arrangement like 
W rIF the one s h° WI1 i n 
JgJL JgjL the accompanying 
If \ jf ™ n engravings is very 
^ J) \ J convenient. The bit, 
figure 1, is fitted 
Fig.l.-BIT WITH “SNAPS.” with two snap 
hooks, fastened to the bit rings by short loops 
of leather secured by a rivet. These “ snaps ” 
fasten into the ring in the nose piece of the 
bridle, as shown in figure 2. To remove the 
Fig. 2.—THE BRIDLE IN PLACE. 
bit from the horse’s mouth, is but the work 
of a moment, only one “snap” being used 
and afterwards returned to the same ring, the 
bit passing across under the horse’s chin. 
Qualities of a 'I’rite Breeder.- The 
standard of excellence of the true breeder 
must be high and well defined, in other words 
he must have a clear idea of the various 
points of the perfect animal, and strive to at¬ 
tain, slowly it may be, but surely, to that per¬ 
fection. This will require in him a keen eye, 
quick to detect faults, and also to recognize 
all good qualities as they present themselves. 
Beyond and back of eye-sight, he should 
have good judgment, by which he compre¬ 
hends the causes that are at work to produce 
good or ill effects, and if possible he should 
be able to control the forces with which he 
has to deal. Any exterior points of beauty, 
as to outline or color, should not lead him to 
sacrifice the deep fundamental qualities upon 
which the great value of well-bred animals 
always rest. Lastly, he should not hope to 
produce an animal that is the best for every¬ 
thing. The best animal for beef-making can 
not be expected to excel at the pail, and the 
superior running horse, it is well known, is 
not the best one to put before a heavy cart. 
