Cutworms

Novel cutworm remedy.

Last spring I stumbled on a plan that rid the garden completely of cutworms where it was tried. After weeding the beds and loosening the surface with a hand weeder, during which work many cutworms were found and killed, I applied a liberal dressing of dry, hardwood ashes on the surface to fertilize the plants. I had not thought of killing cutworms thereby until the next day.

During the night, when alone cutworms are active, a steady shower of rain fell for an hour or longer. This water dissolved the potash from the ashes and made so strong a solution of !ye that, being highly caustic, it "burned" the worms to death. In the morning I found many corpses-over which I shed no tears. From that time forward no other cutworms or their work were found that season wherever the ashes had been applied.

To have this method work it is essential that the ashes be thoroughly wetted to dissolve the caustic potash, so unless a rain happens to follow immediately after an application soak the bed deeply with the sprinkler.

Where sprinkling cannot be done one of the best ways to get rid of cutworms is to use poisoned, tender, young clover or grass, gathered in the early evening, sprinkled with water, then dusted with paris green or arsenate of lead powder (about a teaspoonful to the bushel of chopped herbage). After thoroughly mixing the ingredients drop the material in little "pinches" all through the patch and especially around the edges. Two or three applications an evening or two apart will get rid of the creatures. Where poultry have free range they must not be allowed to eat the clover or the worms.

As a substitute for clover, bran or middlings may be used. A teaspoonful of poison to two or three pounds will be sufficient. Dampen the mixture and apply like the clover. A little cheap molasses added will attract larger numbers of worms to their doom.