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doubtless frequently been confounded. They are distinguishable 
with some difficulty from those due to the various species of wire- 
worms, and it will often require the recognition of the larva 
itself to determine positively to which of these two classes of 
insects a given root injury is due. The presence of this root 
worm in the field gives origin to the usual general effects of the 
loss of roots by the plant, varying according to the age of the 
corn, the gravity of the injury, and the kind of soil and weather. 
A conspicuous damage, noticeable on a casual inspection, may 
vary from the death of the plant to a slight retardation of its 
growth or to a general spindling, yellowish, and unhealthy 
look. 
In the young plant, about six inches high, the characteristic 
perforations of the stalk underground may result in the sud¬ 
den withering of the whole plant, or, more commonly, in the kill¬ 
ing of the central leaf or tuft of growing leaves—an appearance 
which has given to this insect the common name of the “bud 
worm” in some of the Southern States. In certain instances the 
plant has been killed, as in Maryland, almost as soon as it has 
sprouted. 
As the season advances, the corn in affected fields is likely to 
be uneven in size, and later, as the plant becomes top-heavy 
with growth, it may fall to the earth when the soil is softened 
by rains, and especially during windy storms. Having once so 
fallen, it will, if badly injured, fail to rise again; and it may 
further be seen that the plant has but little hold upon the 
ground, a whole hill, perhaps, being readily pulled up with one 
hand. As a consequence of the loss of roots and the general 
weakening of the plant, many stalks fail to set the ear, or form 
only a nubbin. The injured plant also matures slowly, remain¬ 
ing green longer than the average, and being thus especially sub¬ 
ject to injury by frost. 
A closer examination of the young plant will commonly sho v 
a perforation of the underground part of the stem either at or 
near the upper circle of roots. Later, as the corn plant increases 
in size, the roots themselves are seen to be gnawed irregularly, 
great holes or notches being eaten out, first in one direction and 
then in another, until the roots are severed or consumed. In 
the larger roots the larva may perhaps completely bury itself, 
but it is much more likely to eat in and out irregularly than is 
the smaller northern corn root worm presently to be described. 
It differs from this last species likewise in the fact that it com¬ 
monly devours everything as it goes, leaving little or no refuse 
in its burrows; and in the further fact that it works all along 
to some extent in the base of the stalk, which it penetrates, but 
not deeply, finally causing the stalk to blacken and rot where 
water gets admission to its injuries. Its attack on corn is also 
earlier, briefer, and much more vigorous and destructive, owing 
to the larger size of the larva and its more rapid growth and 
earlier maturity. Even in well-grown corn it very commonly bores 
