528 BuivLETlN 78. 



B. DESTRUCTIVE MEASURES. 



I. Destruction of the Eggs. 



lu 1879, Mr. Philbrick recorded that " the only effectual remedy he ever 

 heard of is rubbing, with the fingers, the stem of the cabbage every few days 

 to destroy the eggs and young maggots." Mr. H. A. March writes in 1887 

 that " he watches the flies carefully in the spring, and after they have been 

 at work 4 or 5 days, he hires women to go along and rake (with a tool made 

 for the purpose) all the eggs into the middle of the row where they dry up or 

 the maggots cannot get to food ; if any maggots are found they are at once 

 crushed. The eggs are readily *seen with keen eyes. The field is gone over 

 again in a week, with the result that less than 5 per cent, of the plants are 

 lost." In commenting upon Mr. March's account, Mr. Henderson says 

 [Rural Neiu Yorker for 1887, p. 578) : " In my opinion it is the only thing 

 that can be done to save the crop when the maggots are present. We adopted 

 the same plan several years ago and have been comparatively free since." 



This evidence shows that the method is practicable and efficient. 

 Our experience with the eggs, as mentioned in the discussion of 

 the oviposition of the insect, indicated that the eggs failed to 

 hatch when much disturbed. Either Mr. Philbrick 's or Mr. 

 March's method would be effectual, and the only expense is the 

 labor. The practicability and effectiveness of the method should 

 recommend it to all gardeners. 



2. DEvSTRUCTION OF THE MAGGOTS. 



{a) By Hand-picking . 



As is indicated in the correspondence included in the discussion 

 of the Tarred Paper Card Preventive, some gardeners resort to 

 hand-picking of the maggots to save their crop. It must be a 

 laborious method, but has the merit of being very effective. It 

 would seem, at first thought, hardly profitable on a large scale, 

 and yet when we realize that oftentimes it means a loss of the en- 

 tire crop if the maggots are not removed, then the method becomes 

 practicable. Mr. Fletcher found in 1887 that cabbage plants may 

 even be taken up, the roots examined, perhaps washed in strong 

 soap suds, replanted, and yet after 2 or 3 weeks show no difi"er- 

 ences from uninfested plants which had not been disturbed. Thus, 

 hand-picking is sure to be effective, is always practicable on a 



