Cabbages for Stock-Feeding. 69 



treatment and for clean and constant culture. The nitrate of soda adds 

 leaf growth at a time when one green worm may eat a cabbage a day, and 

 forces them through this critical period. 



Clnbroot or Anbury is a fungous disease which attacks many crucif- 

 erous plants, and is common among turnips, causing them to rot badly. 

 It can be readily combatted by liming the land at intervals of four or five 

 years as suggested (page 24) by destroying all cruciferous weeds; and by 

 arranging the rotation so that such crops will not be taken too frequently. 



Black-rot or stem-rot is a bacterial disease and is one of the most 

 disastrous troubles of the cabbage. It is often found on wild mustard 

 and other cruciferous weeds which act as hosts in spreading it. There is 

 no cure. Prevention by means of disinfection of seed, destruction of dis- 

 eased specimens, a good rotation and the control of insects which may 

 carry the germ are suggested. A diseased crop should not be stored; 

 better sell the good plants while they are good. 



The Flea-bettle. — A small, black, quick moving insect, sometimes 

 destroys the seedlings while they are in their first leaves. The best means 

 of combating is to sow plenty of seed and thin. 



The Green Cabbage-zvorin. — While the plants are small the green 

 " worms " or caterpillars do serious injury. This must be prevented or 

 the crop will be ruined. If boys can be secured, hand-picking early in the 

 morning for about three weeks while the plants are young, may be advis- 

 able. The importance of killing the first spring brood needs emphasis. 

 During the year 1904, attention to this saved further trouble. The first 

 brood becomes mature in tw^o or three weeks and would perpetuate the 

 trouble all through the season. They may be combatted by spraying with 

 arsenate of lead in water or some other arsenite while the plants are 

 young, but it is not advised for plants nearing maturity ; for the latter 

 pyrethrum or hellebore is suggested. 



The Cabbage Looper frequently does considerable damage and is 

 dealt with in the same way as the green-worm. 



Cabbage Root-maggot sometimes injures the roots (Consult Bull. 78). 



In the southern states the Harlequin Cabbage-bug does considerable 

 injury. It is checked by sowing mustard and radishes earlier in the cab- 

 bage fields for the bugs to congregate on and then destroying these by 

 spraying with kerosene. 



Cabbage Aphis. — No trouble was experienced during 1905. In 

 former years aphis or " green fly " has caused trouble on the farm ; the 

 following extract is from the volume containing the report of experiments 

 made at this Station between 1879 and 1880: 



"Aphis brassicse (the cabbage-louse) completely covered the free 

 leaves of most of the cabbages and rutabaga turnips in this region 



