1900] ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 107 



The Diamond Back Moth (Plutella criiciferarum) ia Jane and early July was 

 extremely abundant throughout the Territories and in many parts of Manitoba, practic- 

 ally the whole of the cultivated area of AlVerta, Assiniboia and Saskatchewan was 

 visitfd by this pest, and many fields of cabbages, cauliflowers and turnips were completely 

 destroyed. The larvae of this moth also attacked lettuces, radishes, rape, etc. A field 

 of turnips badly infested with this psst presents a weird and ghastly appearance. The 

 riddled leaves are bleached and white like skeletons. P.arasites have destroyed immense 

 numbers of the larvje. Remedy, as to turnips, young cabbages, etc., except lettuces : 

 Paris Green solution as recommended for the Ked Turnip-beetle. The chief d ffijulty is 

 in getting at the underside of the leaf, as the larvae principally attack from underneath, 

 In the case of lettuses, hellebore should be used. Scatter on the eaves — as much under- 

 neath as possible — when the dew is on, a mixture of 1 lb. of hellebore to 2 lbs. of sifted 

 ashes. 



The Colorado Beetle (or Potato-bug) has again made its appearance in Central Al- 

 berta, though not in large numbers. On 28 bh June both larvae and mature insects were 

 seen in several potato fields, but no great damage done. As this is the second year of 

 appearance of thi^ inseot in Alberta it is possible these are an advance guard, and it is 

 well to look out for them. Remedy, the same a3 for the Red Turnip-beetle. Dj not kill 

 the lady birds. This bright scarlet little beetle and its lurvae greedily devour the young 

 larvae of the Colorado beetle. 



The Three-lined potato-beetle has been more troublesome than the Colorado beetle. 

 In some localities in the south of Caatral Albarta it has seriously damaged potato crops, 

 but its presence elsewhere has not been reported. This beatle was the chief insect pest 

 of potatoes in Ontario until the arrival of the Colorado beetle, which it seams to have 

 heralded. Remedy, the same as for the Red Turnip-beetle. 



The Rocky Mountaia Locust has been very bad in parts of Manitoba, north of 

 Douglas, and around Aweme. This pest is dealt with in the May, June and July num- 

 bers of the leading agricultural journals, issued from Winnipeg, so fully and clearly that 

 its characteristics and remedies need not be repeated at length. In the Nor'- West 

 Farmer, for instance, of 21st May, 1900, is a very good account of them. The insect 

 lays its eggs in the soil among the stubble in the early fall (August and September) and 

 they hatch in the following spring. If, therefore, the soil be deeply fall plowad the 

 eggs will be buried so deep that the young when they hatch cannot get to the 

 surface. 



Cutworms, — (in Alberta and Assiniboia principally the garden ones such as Agrotia 

 clandestina, Plusia hrassicce, and Carneades ochrogaster) have caused the usual amount 

 of loss and replanting in several districts among cabbage and cauliflower growers. It is 

 difficult to understand why there need be any loss from this pest when the remedy is so 

 easy. Remedy : Take say 50 lbs. of bran and very slightly moisten it with water, and 

 sweeten with a little sugar. Then mix well with it enough Paris Green to jast color the 

 bran (e.-g. about a lb. of Paris green). The cutworms will eat this bran in preference to 

 the cabbages. The common cutworm is no 3 c climber, so wrapping a piece of smooth 

 paper about 3 inches in breadth around the stem of the youag cabbage when planting out 

 is a good preventive remedy. The paper should be | an inch below the surface of the 

 soil and 2^ inches above. Keep the garden clear of weeds and rubbish, old cabbages or 

 cabbage stalks in the fall, so that the cutworm moth will have no attraction for laying 

 its eggs. A more serious trouble, however, has been caused by another kind of cutworm 

 in Manitoba. This is the glassy cutworm (Hadena devastatrlx), and it, in the spring, 

 committed very serious injury to wheat crops north of Stonewall. This pest was present 

 in some fi^jlds in thousands, and marched in a phalanx devouring as they travelled. The 

 remedy for the glassy cutworm is not easy. The grub burrows into the earth in the day- 

 time, and comes to the surface to feed at night. It eats the whole plant, beginning iust 

 below the surface. Thoroughly spraying the grain along the front of their attack for a 

 space often feet with a solution of Paris Green has been found successful. If however 

 the crop has been ruined, turn chickens or turkeys into the fi^ld for a day or two, and 

 then sowing oats for green feed might be tried. 



Wire worms. These are the larvae of the " clijk beetles." This is a pest very difficult 

 to get at. There are several species of wireworm. They pass the winter in cells in the 

 soil, so that for some species a plowing in August, and for others a plowing late in 



