Bemidji Daily Pioneer Newspaper, February 27, 1911, Page 3

S A BAD ARMY WoRM. : N * 1 & By F. L. Washburn, Division £ of Entomology, Minnesota < University Farm, & T S R i R O X This old-time Minnesota pest has'ap- peared in destructive numbers this season, and has destroyed all prospect LEX X of seed from at least four-fifths of the| timothy crop in Central and Southern Minnesota besides greatly reducing the value of the timothy as a hay crop. The army worm is a cut worm, oc:; curring in enormous numbers in a given locality and generally “on the march” from one field to another, eith- er impelled by hunger or the aftacks of parasites or both. Though suffering from many parasitic insects (perhaps 50 per cenl are parasitized) and from the attacks of such nocturnal prowlers as shrews, skunks, etc., man has to take prompt measures against them when they appear as abundantly as they have this season. The larvae, or caterpillars, or “worms” are, when full grown, about one and one-fourth inches long and vary in color from green to a very dark brown or even blackish, but al most invariably showing character istic stripes on back and sides. This description applies to Heliophila al bilinea, Hub., the species in question In every case of infectation, as far R R B i R KRR R R R X X * as we have been able to ascertain, these caterpillars have come from old timothy fields that have been allowed to run a number of years, four or more, without being plowed. If farmers would plow up their timo thy fields at least once in three years, it would be of material help in pre- venting their outbreaks. The attack last year is another argument for fall plowing and proper rotation of crops. When fall grown, they go into the ground one to two inches below the surface, and turn into mahogany-col- ored pupae, from which the yellowish brown moths emerge later. The fe' male moth lays eggs on the leaves of grasses and grains, which eggs hatch into the above-mentioned worms. Many letters, complaining of this pest, have reached us from St. James, Worthington, Windom, Heron Lake. Russell, Elbow Lake, Otter Tail, Ruth ton, Hendricks, Marshall, Battle Lake, THE ARMY WORM AT WORK ON TIMOTHY. Ashby, Canby, Tyler, Murdock, Revere and elsewhere. The damage done in these various places ranges from the more or less complete destruction of seed on from 100 to 1,500 acres. After the timothy heads are eaten, they turn their attention to oats, wheat or corn, traveling in an “army” from one field to another, hence their name. ‘When a farmer’s crop is threatened by these worms, and the land is in a condition to allow it, he should plow one or two or three deep furrows across the line of march of the worms, the steep side of the furrow toward the crop to be protected; the worms collect in the furrow and can be killed with kerosene. If post-holes, eight or ten inches deep, are made at intervals in these furrows, they form traps inte which the worms fall. Or a farmer can spray a broad strip about the worms or across their line of march with Paris green, at the rate of two or three pounds in 100 gallons of water; or, arsenate of lead (better than Paris green), at the rate of four or five pounds in 100 gallons of water. Fields where they are entering the soll to go through the resting stage should be plowed—harrowing is not sufficient. Co-operation in the attack s necessary, for there might remain on one man’s place enough worms to lay waste the entire neighborhood later on, if every one did not take pre- ventive measures. The presence of this worm on cured hay does not pol- son it for stock, as some farmers have aupposed. The species under discus- alon is two-brooded. If one farmer, whose field may har- por thousands of these insects in any stage, refuses to plow same, his neigh- bors would be justified in regarding his infested field as a public nuisance. Winter Keeping of Vegetables. The matter of keeping Irish pota- toes, cabbages, onions, beets, etc., all winter for family use depends on climatic conditions. Irish potatoes, as also beets, should be guarded against freezing. Beets and carrots can stand a little of it, but are better off when kept from it. Cabbages stored in the cellar should be wrapped separately in double thicknesses of newspaper, fold- ing and tying it around the stem. Hang each head upside down on the side of the wall or from the beams overhead. Onions to keep well must be put in a cool, dry, airy place. CHARITY. The place of charity, like that of God, is everywhere.—Vinet. ess answers to the theo- logical virtue of charity and admits no excess but emor. The desire of power in excess caused the angels to fall; the desire of knowledge in excess caused man to fall, but in charity there is no excess. Neither can angel or man come into danger by it—Bacon., Depew’s Great Spesch. “When I was a very young man,” Senator Depew once related, “I went out to make a political speech with gome older men one night. They want- ed something red hot, and I handed it out. 4 “I just turned myself to skin the op- position, and, on the whole, the audi- ence seemed to like it. The more they cheered the more I warmed to it. 1 was immensely pleased with my suc- cess. But after I got home 1 was wor- ried. I had roasted the other side awfully. I lay awake wondering if more than the opposition. “Then I bethought of some personal allusions I had made that might eas- ily be constructed as libelous. I got a good deal excited and slept very lit- tle. In the morning I hurried down to see whether the papers had roasted me. The meeting was reported all over the front page. I plunged into it, shivering in nervousness. But I needn’t have worried. What it said about my speech was in the last two lines: “‘A young man named Depew also spoke.’ "—New York Telegram. Collecting an Old Debt. The other day the manager of a fur- niture house in town asked one of his star salesmen to collect a bill of long standing, for which the regular col- lector had been unable to get cash. The manager told his man to threaten a lawsuit If necessary. The salesman sald he would collect it without that and went to the delinquent’s office. He it ‘wouldn’t react and injure our slde‘ PRODUCTS rrom which |. O. U. NOTES . ano TRADE-MARKS can Be savep ' put the bill in‘the band of Wls derby hat, and with the hat held nonchalant- 1y in his left hand he strolled into the inner shrine. ' The man at the desk looked at him inquiringly and then glanced down at the conspicuous bill. “Well, what is it?” he asked. f “Pardon me,” said the salesman in his best. manner, ‘“‘but could you tell me is Mr. Jones dead?” “Why, no! I’'m Mr. Jones.” #Thank you. That’s all I wanted to know,” said the salesman and walked abruptly from the room. 3 Next day a check came for the amount.—New York Sun. Saving the Union. Until we had a national game it was silly, according to Ellis Parker Butler in Success Magazine, to speak of the loose group of states as a nation. The people had too much time in which to talk politics, and whenever they talked politics they became angered, and whenever they were angered they wanted to secede or knock spots off each other. There was no one great unifying spirit. * There was too much “Maryland, My Maryland,” and “Yan- kee Doodle” and not any “Casey at the Bat” All the animus that is now di- rected at the umpire class was allow- ed to foment into sectional feeling. A man from Baltimore and a man from Boston could not meet and talk in- curves; they had to talk slaves. Im- agine the benighted state of soclety! It is a wonder that the nation lasted until baseball arose in its might and strength to make of us one great peo- ple! i Nen Finished.. Busy petsons, forced to defend them- selves from interminable talkers who have little to say, can appreciate a hint to which Henry IV. of France once re- sorted. A pnrllungnfi'y deputy called upon him and mede’ a long speech. .The king listened patiently for a time, then he decided that his visitor would do' well to condense his remarks. He | took him by the hand and led him to where they could see the gallery of the “What do you think of that building? When it is finished it will be a“good thing, will it not?” “Yes,” replied the man of many words, not guessing what was coming ell, monsieur, that is just the way with: your discourse,” was'the king’s mild observation. * SR A g Peculiarities of the Opossum. The American opossum is one of the most curious animals living in the United States. It is the only one that carries its: young in a pouch like the kangaroo. It is the only animal that can feign death perfectly. It is re- markable for hanging by its tail like a monkey. It ‘has hands resembling those of a human being. Its snout is like a hog's. while its mouth is liber- ally furnished with teeth. Its eyes are like a rat's, and it hisses like a snake. i Little by Little. The Young Wife (showing her furni. ture)—Here's the rocking chair for the parlor. Isn't it just lovely? . Mrs. Oldly (rather critfcally)—But I don't see any rockers, dear. The ¥ ‘Wife—Oh, they’ll be here next month. Youn see, we are buying the chair on the installment plan, and we haven't paid for the rockers yet.”—San Fran- cisco Chronicle. Westminster Abbey. The full legal title of Westminster abbey is ‘“the Colleglate Church of St. Peter, Westminster.” Very few peo- ple have heard the famous burial place so designated. A collegiate church, as distinguished from a parish church, is one that is administered by a “college” of priests instead of an individual rec- tor or vicar.—Westminster Gazette. Another Way. “Why don’t you throw away this old Junk? It is of no use to any one.” “But that would make me feel waste- ful.” “Then give it away and feel chari- table.”—Washington Herald. Exercige is the chief source of im- provement in all our faculties.—Blair. A Real Protty Excuse. Bessle’s Mother—Bessie, did you let that Mr. Snuggle have a kiss? Bessie —Yes, mamma. He said it would be a goodby kiss, and 1 was just dead anx- fous to have him go.—Puck. The judicious reader of judicious ad- vertisements always gets more than bis money’s worth. — Florida Times- Union. WATCH FOR THRE ILLUSTRATING ! ~ MR. RENTER Have you ever stopped to think that every few years you practically pay for the house you live in and yet do'not own it? Figure it up for yourselt. sTheodore Roosevelt says: “No Investment on earth 9 80 safe, 80 sure, 80 certain t6 enrich its owners as undeveloped realty.” - - We will be glad to tell you about the City of Be- midji. and quote you prices with easy terms of payll)nent if desired on sti:]me of the best residence and business property in that rapidl wing City. A letter addressed to us will brli)ng );ogr?ull fmrhrci- lars or if you prefer to see the property, call on H. A. Simons, at Bemidji. The Soo Railroad is now running its freight and passenger trains into' Bemidji; investigate the oppor- tunities offzred for business on a small or large scale. Bemidji Townsite & Improvement o, 404 New York Life Bullding ’ 8T. PAUL MINNESOTA Subsecribe for The Pioneer he New Way Advertising Every Home iS NOT AN AIRSH!P flying over your homes, scattering I. 0. U. NOTES, as shown in the accompanying ill- ustration. Neither is it a Coupon or Tra- ding Stamp Scheme. BUT RATHER IT IS AN UP TO DATE and COMMON SENSE business like plan that has been adopted by leading Manufacturers of the United States. L] NOT TO INTRODUCE NEW PRODUCTS BUT rather to place their Products, (which are all Standard), in every home in the United States. TO DO THIS THEY have all agreed to pack with every package of their output, an I. O. U. NOTE, which is a check signed by a Manufacturer. GONSEQUENTLY 1. 0. U. (NOTES) will be accepted by this Newspaper in payment for Sub- scriptions or Adver- tising, or by any Merchant in pay- ment for his com- modities. AT ERUPTION -~ O | i