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Show Control Methods For Cutworms Cutworms may announce their presence in gardens this spring or early summer, by cutting off near the ground, the stems of young plants, such as tomatoes or cabbages, warns Professor C. J. Sorenson, USAC Extension En. tomologist. This need not happen, he declares. de-clares. One way to, present it is to erect a card-board barrier between be-tween the plant and the pest. Any lightweight cardboard about i the size of a penny post card will do. Roll this into a collar around the plant after it has been set out. Make the opening of the collar about four times the size of the main stem of the plant ' to permit entrance of plenty of air and light. Be sure the collar extends about an inch below the ground and two inches above the soil. Such a collar also helps . to protect the young plant against the sun and wind. Cutworms are gray and brown caterpillars that do great damage to garden crops, but are rarely caught, as they work at night. They spend the winter in the soil land become active in the spring. Gardens planted on land that was in grass or weeds last year will harbor the greatest number. When the stalk becomes too tough, they climb small plants and cut off the leaves. One cutworm cut-worm can cut off many young plants in a single night. The best remedy for large gardens gar-dens is poisoned bait, scattered thinly over the garden, or about the bases of the plants after they are set out. This bait, like all poisons must be kept from young children, livestock, and poultry. Directions for preparing this bait j may be obtained from your I county agent, or the USAC Ex-' Ex-' tension Service, from Leaflet .No. 2, "Cutworms in the. Garden," U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington 25, D. C. Baits also may be purchased from dealers in insecticides and seedsmen. |