The Bulletin. 23 



five or six days should nearly exterminate the bugs, even on badly in- 

 fested crops." Prof. Smith also makes the point that special effort 

 should be made to kill as many as possible in the fall as he finds that 

 the bugs which pass through tlie winter are more prolific than the broods 

 that are developed during the summer. Directions for preparing kero- 

 sene emulsion are given on page 40. 



Clean Culture. — All the studies that have been made of this insect 

 jjoint to the importance of clean culture as one of the means of control. 

 The insect passes the winter under rubbish, trash, etc., hence the less 

 there is of such material the fewer bugs there will be on the premises in 

 spring. They feed and breed to a considerable extent on seeding mus- 

 tard, kale, turnips, etc., in early spring, hence if these remnants and use- 

 less plants are destroyed there will be less encouragement for them. 

 They may subsist on the rough outer leaves of cabbage after the solid 

 head has been cut out, and this indicates that all remnants should be 

 carefully and promptly removed. 



It is to be remembered, however, that such crops as seeding mustard, 

 kale and turnips may be useful as a trap to gather the bugs where they 

 may be killed, so that in the campaign of cleanliness a certain few may 

 be left or even planted for this purpose. But be careful to destroy them, 

 together with the insects, at the proper time. Dr. John B. Smith, in 

 Wew Jersey, also calls attention to the possible use of a rubbish pile 

 as a trap. He says : "It is good policy, however, while keeping everything 

 in general as clean as possible, to leave somewhere a heap or two of 

 loose rubbish to attract insects seeking winter quarters. These can be 

 destroyed during the winter by burning. The land should be kept as 

 free as possible of weeds, particularly those of the cruciferous (cabbage) 

 family." 



Time of Planting. — Careful observation in any community may 

 show that a time can be selected for planting so that this pest will not 

 be so destructive. A gentleman at Raleigh asserts that the one year in 

 which his collards were practically wiped out by the Harlequin Bug 

 the plants were set early. His experience indicates that collards and 

 cabbages planted after about the first of August are not so much injured. 

 A gentleman in Franklin County, after being advised on this point, 

 said that he had come to rely chiefly on late planting as a means of dodg- 

 ing the pest. Yet in other localities we have seen fall cabbage badly 

 hurt by the bugs, and the farmer who grows early cabbage must plant 

 his crop early. The question of changing the time of planting 

 so as to dodge the insect is largely a local one and will vary for 

 different sections and different crops, but it can often be used to ad- 

 vantage. 



Fall and Early Spring Work Important. — Prof. R. I. Smith, of 

 the A. & M. College, at West Raleigh, came to the conclusion that 

 thorough work in late fall and very early spring were especially im- 

 portant. This is because the bugs which mature in fall and pass the 

 winter are much the most prolific in reproducing their kind. He finds 

 that bugs which mature earlier than about September 1st do not usually 

 pass the winter. Hence if unceasing work be done to kill off those that 



