Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 July 1876 — The War on Cut Worms. [ARTICLE]

The War on Cut Worms.

I am fully persuaded that there is no more sure way to ward off cut-worm injuries than to enter into partnership with the birds, in which it shall he the duty of the party of the first part to plow the land early in the fall, so that bluebird, robin and grakie may have a cut-worm feast before leaving for mote genial climes. Deep harrowing will aid the party of the second part, while a repetition of the same as early in the spring as the season will permit, will insure a thanksgiving repast of the same nature. I feel very certain that from this cause, and not freezing of the larvce, has originated the unquestionable fact that fall plowing is an advantage. When unprotected larvae can survive a temperature of thirty degrees, as proved in the winter of 1874-75, we may be slow to credit the freezing method of destruction. Our early spring birds are much put to it to gain sufficient food for themselves and brood, and with the opportunity will become chief abettors in cutworm destruction. That the three birds above named do merit loudest praise for such valuablQ service, I have personal proof. The only method to supplement the above measures when they are not adequate to remove the evil, with our field crops, is digging out by hand and de. stroying. This is by no means so tedious a procedure as would be thought at first, as by passing along the corn-field early in the morning the cut stalk will reveal the whereabouts of the night marauder, which, by digglug around the stub, may soon be found ana crushed. As this plan implies the loss of at least a single stalk to a larvae, it would be very well in planting to practice the advice of the poet: “ Two for the blackbird, two for the crow (they have earned them), two for the cut-worm and four to grow.” This advice will be all the more pertinent if the corn is to be planted after late plowed greensward; I need hardly say late, as our wet sprjngs usually necessitate late spring plowing. If our farmers will heed the Above, and give the good-by to all those qpiack remedies which obtain annually an unmerited place in our periodicals, such as salt, plaster, etc. (though all fertilizers which promote rapid growth are always to be commended as aids hi tlie work of insect destruction), this cut-worm evil will soon assume less importance.— Prof. Cook, in Michigan Farmer.