6 The Bulletin. 



Protection of Young Plants. — Young cabbage plants in the seed- 

 bed are sometimes riddled with holes by flea beetles, and are there- 

 fore in a weakened condition when they are transplanted. If the beds 

 are provided with netting, cheesecloth or other effective sc^-een, much of 

 this will be prevented. 



Trap Crops. — Among the very earliest plants to grow up in our 

 gardens in spring are mustard and turnips. Both mustard and turnips 

 are subject to the same pests as cabbage, hence if we merely neglect 

 them they become a breeding ground for cabbage worms, terrapin bugs 

 and other pests which will later attack the cabbage in great number. 

 But if Ave are watchful we may use the mustard and turnips to advan- 

 tage, for we may leave them undisturbed until they are thoroughly 

 infested with these pests and then we can destroy plants, insects and 

 all by cutting down, adding straw or leaves, and burning ; or by spraying 

 with pure kerosene, or by using scalding water. This method of leaving 

 a crop purposely as a bait to entrap insect pests is a good one if you 

 are careful and faithful in carrying it out by destroying the trap crop. 

 But if you neglect to destroy it and let the insects go on undisturbed it 

 will be worse than ever, for you simply increase the number of these 

 pests. 



Late Planting. — Of course the man who grows early cabbage must 

 plant his crop early in spring, or the fall before. But it is worth while 

 to remember that injury by cutworms is alwa^js worse in spring and 

 early summer, so if you want to set cabbage at that time of the year re- 

 member that if set late in spring (say in May or June) there is less" 

 danger from cutworms than if set earlier. 



In this connection it is worth while to notice that the Terrapin Bug 

 (or Harlequin Bug) is more destructive to cabbage that is set out early 

 in the season. Here at Raleigh cabbage and collards set out in spring 

 and early summer often suffer badly from its attacks, but if set out after 

 about the first of August they are often free from serious injury. 



Destruction of Remnants. — When the crop is gathered, what pur- 

 pose does it serve to leave the old stalks with their ragged outer leaves 

 standing in the field ? Yet on these old remnants hundreds of cabbage 

 worms, cabbage lice, terrapin bugs and other pests live, grow, and come 

 to maturity undisturbed. We can therefore gain an important point 

 by removing or destroying promptly all remnants of the crop. Even 

 in the case of individual heads which are first cut, it is well to pull out 

 the stem and dispose of it by feeding to stock, rather than to let it re- 

 main and breed pests for the otlier plants around. After the last of 

 the crop is gathered all the remnants on the entire field may be plowed 

 under or gathered and fed to stock. 



Clean Culture. — It is always in order to recommend that a crop 

 be given good cultivation, and that Aveeds be kept down. There are 

 several cabbage insects which feed naturally on wild Aveeds, hence 

 by keeping doAvn all such weedy groAvth less encouragement is given 

 them. Constant and careful cultivation also prevents some injury by 

 cutworms. 



