Florida Agricultural Experiment Station


succulent plants such as collards, rape, cowpeas, etc., and dip
them into a strong solution of paris green; about an ounce to a
gallon of water. Scatter this about the field after sunset, for
the hungry cutworms to feed upon during the night. Instead
of the green material the following described poisoned bait,
called the Kansas Mixture," may be used.
 A Bran ..................................... .... ........- ......20 pounds
 Cottonseed m eal...................... ....... ........... 5 pounds
 Paris green........................ ...-. ..... ... 1 pound
 B. W ater ..................-- .. -....... --...... ...--.. 21/2 gallons
 M olasses or syrup. --.................. ..-... ...... 2 quarts
 Lem ons ................... ...- .. ......... ....... 3 or 4
 The entire lemons should be grated or ground fine. Mix
the bran, cottonseed meal and paris green thoroly while still
dry; then wet "A" with B" until it is decidedly damp, not
sloppy, and of such consistency that it will fall in fine flakes
when sown broadcast over the land. This should be put out
after sunset so that it will be fresh and attractive when the
worms come out to feed in the night. If the following day is
cloudy, the bait will remain attractive for the second night,
otherwise it will need to be renewed if the cutworms have not
been brought under control. If properly sown it will fall in
such small flakes that fowls or other birds will not pick it up.
In a cabbage field, better protection will be given to the plants
at a smaller expenditure for material if, instead of being sown
broadcast, the bait is placed in small piles about the stalks of
the cabbage. For protecting other crops it may be scattered
along the rows. Instead of both cottonseed meal and bran,
either may be used alone, in which case 25 pounds is used.
Bitter molasses, such as New Orleans, stale bran or meal, should
not be used in making this bait. The mixture must be made up
fresh each day from sweet, fresh material.
 In a small garden or in a field where there are but few
 cutworms, the easiest, quickest and cheapest method of dealing
 with them is to walk thru the patch in the early morning and
 look for plants which were cut off during the preceding night.
 By scratching the earth away from the base of the plant the
 culprit will usually be found at a depth of not more than an
 inch. They may be collected and fed to chickens.
 CABBAGE WORMS'
 At least five species of caterpillars feed on cabbages and
 related plants in Florida. The most common one during the
 cabbage growing season, the winter, is the cabbage looper.