Show arille Wr illE GRUBS IN 1915 among the most serious pests to farm crops conservative estimate of damage to corn timothy and potatoes Pota toce placed at over in three infected infested state dy by J DAVIS tho the common whito white gruba grubs or grub worms as they aro are otton often called bavo have for or years boon recognized aa an among tho the most serious poets pests to farm crops notably corn and timothy while strawberries potatoes and nursery plantings have all boon been frequently and affected Pro probably bibly tho the most arious outbreak of whito white grubs oc cured in 1212 1 following an abundance alun danco of tootles beetles la in 1911 in the worst infest od ad districts it wae not unusual to find from 40 to GO grubs in hi a single bill hill of corn com indeed in a corn bold field in iowa devoted to timothy in 1911 the writer round 77 rubs in an area 2 24 feet square tind falvo inches deep this rosily represented loss lose afian a single bill hill of corn for tho the hills fn this field whito white grub working in potato wore 34 feet apart from a personal survey of tho the infested territory maa in 1912 in throe three states as well as from reports of farmers and others wo we have a very conservative estimate estt mato of the damage to corn timothy and potatoes pota toos in these states aggregating not less than ival available lable records how show that may beetles were numerous la ta 1914 hence bence wo we may bo be reasonably certain that in 1915 tie tle grubs will again be destructive and exceedingly abundant unless dreir numbers are materially reduced by natural ene mies by artificial means or by ad verse climatic conditions I 1 white grubs and may beetles are preyed upon by numerous birds mammals and insects all of which are useful in reducing their num numbers birs the most important of these enemies are tho the birds especially crows and crow blackbirds domestic fowls may properly be clareed as natural satural enemies of white grubs all farm poultry are fond of those these insects and where here possible should be given the run of infested fields at plowing time TUP keys are especially valuable in this capacity among the mammals which feed on the grubs the skunk Is most valuable and indeed some farmers attribute the increase in these insects to the decrease in numbers of skunks which are being killed off OR by trappers an infested field may be cleared of grubs by pasturing it with bogs hogs which are fand of the insects and will root to a depth of a foot or more in search of ot them where Is is impracticable to pasture bogs in an infested field much good ran can be accomplished by fall plowing abe plowing should be done late but should not be delayed until the ground becomes chilly and frosty ity for then the grubs will have gone dova be bend nd tho the reach of the plow since the beetles usually deposit their eggs in fields of grass timothy an and email small grains the cropf pointed planted in these fields the year following fol a season of beetle abundance hmoud 1 do those which are least susceptible ibe to grub injury such as buckwheat clover alfalfa and peas care should always alays be exercised in the selection of a crop to follow sod or old timothy ground |