Cut Worms In Corn

A perf ectly clean erop of com ia usefnl in keeping down the cut worms. Few farmers keep cora so clean as to reap the full benefit of it as a preventive. As generally raised, it cannot therefora be cornpared to millet. Late fs-11 plowing has been recommended by some entomologista. This is on the theory that, as the worms pass the winter in little oval chaxnbers below the snrfaco, they would be turned np to the surf ace at a time when it would be too late to rnake this preparation again, and would consequently perish. It is not claimed that the period in which this preventive plowing may be done extends over more than a very few days, just bef ore the final freezing up. The measure is therefore applicable only to a small extent, and even then would seem to require an ad vaneo knowledge of the approach of winter. Our own experience and observation does not lead to definí te conclusions. An extensivo correspondenco with farmers shows that every possible time of plowing has been, in some cases, apparently ineffective, and in other cases apparently successful. On the whole, we have received about four times as many favorable reportsj of spring plowing as of fall plowing, which mast be regarded as a significant and valuable point. It may be added that the letters received illustrate methods of obserration and curious diversity of the cut worm habit rather than the support of any particular theory. Taken as a whole, these Communications appear to justify the following conclusions: In gardena, hand picking, and repelling agents lika lime, shes, soot, etc., are of value in the order named. In fields, burning off, absolutely clean culture (this includes millet raising and spring plowing), are the best measures as yet known. Heading off the worms where they are working into a field may be done by plowing a furrow a little ahead of them, leaving the perpendicular side toward the field to be protected.