Transactions of the Department of Agriculture of the State of Illinois with Reports from County and District Agricultural Organizations for the Year Volume 22 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1885 Excerpt: ... often favors the undue multiplication of some one or more of our native species, with the result to convert an insect harmless from its rarity, into a very serious obstacle to the success of agriculture; and it is to be noted that having once reached this dangerous Erominence, it is a rare thing for an insect to permanently lose its old on the agricultural products of the country. In respect to the species treated in this article, we may at least congratulate ourselves that it has been detected early in its career, before it has reached really dangerous numbers, and prompt and thorough study of its economy and of its life history may give us the means of controlling it before it can do serious mischief. On the 7th June, 1883, my assistant, Mr. Webster, who had been detailed to study the work of the black-headed grass maggot in corn fields, brought to the office some supposed cutworms--bristly reddish larvae, which he had found gnawing the roots of corn below the surface, in fields in McLean county, on both old and new ground. They were not seen again during this season, but on the. 19th May of the present year I received the same species from Mr. E. A. Gastman, superintendent of public schools at Decatur, with the information that they had been sent him from Harristown by a farmer, who reported that they were doing serious damage to the roots of his young corn. On the 22d of that month they were again sent me, by Mr. E. H. Mills, of Dwight, in Livingston county, with the following note: See 13th Report of the State Entomologist of Illinois, pp. 57-59. "My corn is being badly damaged by small worms. I send you specimens of them, all of which were found in one hill. There are usually not more than three or four in a hill. The corn is large enough so tha...