52 THE REPORT OF THE No. 19 



placing a small quantity between the plants or along the edge of an infested 

 crop by scattering it broadcast or running a drill of it close to a crop by 

 means of a seed drill, or similar implement. There are other remedies which 

 may be used for cutworms with good effect. A collar of paper or a ring of 

 • tin put around the stem at the time of planting will prevent the destruction 

 of many plants, and a wise precaution is to destroy by burning the haulms and 

 stems of all plants from which the crops have been reaped. This should be 

 done as soon as the crop is picked so as to leave the land available for other 

 crops and to remove many insects and fungi which might harm a future crop. 

 The moths of many cutworms lay their eggs in autumn, and for this reason 

 land should be kept scrupulously clean of all weeds and useless vegetation in 

 autumn, as these would be an attraction to the female moths when seeking 

 suitable places for laying their eggs, at the same time many weed seeds would 

 be prevented from maturing. 



The Beet-leaf Miner {Pegomyia hicolor, Wied.) appeared in several 

 places, more particularly in Western Ontario. This caused some alarm lest it 

 should injure the sugar-beet crop, which is now receiving much attention. 

 These fears fortunately appeared to be unfounded, and in late summer all ap- 

 pearance of the attack had disappeared. The injury consists of large blotch 

 mines which are formed in the tissues of the leaves by the maggots of a small 

 riy. Occasionally these are so abundant that the greater part of the leaf is 

 irvolved and the roots do not form properly. I know of no practical remedy, 

 but fortunately the injury is seldom so severe as to affect the crop, the chief 

 growth of which takes place in summer and and autumn. 



6 



Fig. 10. Cabbage caterpillar, a ; chrysaliB, h. 



The Green Cabbage Caterpillar {Pieris rapoe, L.). Although present to 

 some extent, this destructive enemy of the cabbage was noticeably less abund- 

 ant than usual lust season and was easily controlled. The best remedy is to 

 dust the plants as soon as the eaten leaves show the presence of the caterpil- 

 lars, with a mixture consisting of one pound of insect powder in four pounds 

 of cheap flour. This powder falling on the caterpillars or diluted and washed 

 down to them by dew or rain, kills every one of them it comes in contact with, 

 in a few hours. The practice of using Paris green in any form on cabbages, 

 is much to be condemned. Insect powder, known also as Dalmatian, Per- 

 sian and Pyrethrum Insect powder, is a vegetable poison made by pulveriz- 

 ing the flowers and buds of certain species of plants allied to the Chrysanthe- 

 mum, and, although so very fatal in its effects uj^on most insects, is almost 

 harmless to the higher animals. 



