482 Bulletin 78. 



This six nionlhs' study of the insect has revealed many new 

 facts regarding its habits, life-history, etc., and yet there are many 

 questions of considerable importance still unsolved ; and espe- 

 cially is there need of more careful experiments in combating it. 

 However, we feel that enough has been accomplished to warrant 

 the preparation of this bulletin. It has been made as complete as 

 possible ; all accessible records have been searched in order that 

 this record may include what has heretofore been known of the 

 pest and the methods recommended to combat it. In other words, 

 the aim has been to bring together the multitudinous scattered 

 facts recorded about this pest and combine them with the new 

 facts revealed by our observations, thus making them all readily 

 accessible to gardeners and others in a single publication 



THE DISTRIBUTION AND PAST HISTORY OF THE 



PEST. 



Like its food-plants, this insect is doubtless of European origin; 

 although it was seen and named in this country only a few years 

 after its first description appeared in Germany, over 60 j^ears ago. 



It was considered a serious pest as early as 1833 ; Bouche then wrote : "It 

 often destroys whole cabbage fields." That it has continued to be a pest in 

 Germany is shown by the fact that it is discussed by all later German writers 

 on garden insects ; and collectors have recently reported it common in that 

 country. In 1835, it was found in France, but seems never to have attracted 

 much attention as a pest there. It has been recognized as a pest in England 

 since 1840; possibly it was known there by Major (Treatise on Insects) in 

 1829 as the cauliflower fly. There are many discussions of the pest in later 

 English publications. Nearly every year during the past decade the pest 

 has been reported by Miss Ormerod as doing much injury in various parts of 

 England. In 1872, it is recorded as doing considerable damage to radishes in 

 the Netherlands. Thus it seems to have been recognized as a serious pest 

 since the early part of the present century in various parts of Europe, espe- 

 cially in Germany and in England. 



It was first recorded in the United States by Dr. Harris who gave it a namfe 

 in 1835, and described it in 1841 from Massachusetts. Dr. Fitch, in 1867, 

 said it was so destructive in our State in 1856 and 1857 that in many 

 neighborhoods it was impossible to obtain plants for setting out. In 1857, 

 the pest was being fought in Maryland. Prof. Prentiss found the " maggots " 

 doing much damage in Michigan in 1867. Trimble records it destructive to 

 his radishes in New Jersey in 1870. In 1875, Dr. Packard said he had known 



