84 
young corn ; worst on stubble lands. Fall plowing for spring plant- 
ing a good remedy.” 
E. Hall, Athens, Menard County, says: “ A few cabbage Cut-worms 
in gardens. Injurious to some extent on weedy and grassy lands 
about every year except this. Not considered a bad pest, however.” 
A. S. Van Winkle, Trenton, Clinton County, says: “ We have a few 
species of Agrotis in this locality that do considerable damage to porn 
crops, etc., during some years, while at others it is hardly noticea¬ 
ble.” Mr. Van Winkle then mentions some of the species, the most 
prominent of which are the Black Cut-worm, the Western Striped 
Cut-worm, and the Variegated Cut-worm. 
C. E. Worthington, of Chicago, gives me a list of those found de¬ 
structive there, which will be found mentioned in their appropriate 
places. He also says: “I am inclined to think that the larvse of 
many species included in Mamestra and Arzama and intervening 
genera have similar habits.” This is including in the list more than 
is usual, but I have reason to think he is correct. 
Prof. T. J. Burrill, Urbana, Champaign County, says : “ Several spe¬ 
cies of Agrotis are found abundantly upon lawns, etc. In gardens 
they do much damage.” 
E. R. Boardman, M. D., Elmira, Stark County, says: “In reference 
to the Cut-worms mentioned, I make them out to be the larvae of 
Agrotis telifera (the Black Cut-worm). They are dark, greasy-looking 
worms, with flesh-colored backs. They were very abundant on some 
pieces of meadow lands that were broken up in the fall and planted 
with corn last spring. I found them mostly on dry, rolling ground,, 
where they did considerable damage to crops. They disappeared 
about the loth of June; at least, I could find but very few after that 
date.” As I used Dr. Boardman’s notes elsewhere, they might be 
omitted here did we not need them to compare with points made by 
other writers. 
David Gore, President *of Macoupon County Agricultural Society, 
(given me through Prof. J. D. Conley, Carlinville,) says, “ It has been 
observed that they damage crops more especially on wet land. The 
past season they damaged the corn crop about five per cent. From 
their nature it is expedient to drain the land well for they do very 
little damage on dry land.” 
V. R. Faught, Elvaston, Hancock County, says, “The Cut-worms 
do more injury here than any other insect. They feast not only on 
corn, but all kinds of vegetables. As I am a tiller of the soil I have 
a chance to know how much mischief insects can do. If I only had 
what they have destroyed for me I should be a wealthy man.” 
Remedies. 
Under this head I shall take up here only such as will be applica¬ 
ble to the treatment of Cut-worms in the corn field, leaving the rest of 
the subject to be treated in part second. The remedies may be con¬ 
veniently classed under two heads, Artificial and Natural. 
