STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 81 
At the conclusion of Mr. Mendenhall’s paper, a vote of thanks 
was tendered the gentleman for his valuable contribution, and the 
paper ordered on file for publication. 
Under the consideration of Entomological subjects, Mr. Harris 
presented two papers on entomology, as follows: 
INSECT DEPREDATION IN SOUTHEASTERN MINNESOTA: 
In southeastern Minnesota dumng the past season the most extensive rav- 
ages by insects have been by three distinct species of Caterpillars (Pieries rapeon 
Pieris protodice and Plusia crusca) upon the cabbages, and the apple worm larva 
of the codling moth upon the apples. ‘The first named (pieris rapeo) or Enro- 
pean cabbage butterfly is creating the most alarm, perhaps from the bad name 
which precedes it, but probably because it is the most destructive of the three. 
It not only works upon the leaves, but into the heart of the cabbage. The his- 
tory of this insect is that it is the greatest scourge known to the cabbage grow- 
ers of Europe, and that it was first landed from Europe in the egg state on some 
cabbage leaves thrown out from a vessel at Quebec, in 1856-7. However I 
believe that Dr. Fitch takes exception to the manner of its being landed, say- 
ing itcould not have been in the egg state, but in the larva, which is doubtless 
correct, as the eggs hatch in about one week after they are deposited upon the 
leaves. In 1864 it is reported as not having extended more than 40 miles from 
that point. In 1866 it had found its wayinto New Hampshire and Vermont, 
and in 1870 it appears in the cabbage fields of Long !sland and New Jersey and 
other points adjacent to New York. In 1877it had reached Chicago, and in 
1878 was brought to La Crosse, Wis., on early cabbage consigned to some en- 
erprising grocerymen who deal extensively in early vegetables of foreign 
growth. No noticeable damage was done by them that season and not very 
serious the next, except to the late plantings, but last year the butterflies ap- 
peared in great numbers before the early plants were removed from the seed 
beds and continued to increase in countless numbers during the whole summer- 
The male butterfly is yellowish white with black tips and one black spot on 
each upper wing, while the female has two and sometimes three spots upon the 
wings. The females deposit their small white eggs (they soon turn yellow) one 
to three or four in a place, on the under side of the leaves of cabbage or cauli- 
flower; for the first brood, sometime in May, and the eggs hatch out in a few 
days into a green caterpillar, covered with minute black dots and a yellowish 
shaded stripe down the back and a row of dullish yellow spots down the sides, 
which caterpillars immediately commence feeding voraciously upon the leaves. 
lam not able to state the exact time required to bring the caterpillars through 
its different stages of growth and transformations until it merges into the per- 
fect butterfly, but am satisfied that three broods were with us last summer, and 
the last one is now passing the winter in the chrysalis state, hung up to fences, 
trees, ,brush, and hidden away under any rubish available for protection, and I 
have noticed them under the eaves and cornice of building, awaiting the open- 
ing of spring that they may come forth the beautiful butterfly, to flutter around 
a few days, perfecting their arrangements to despoil our cabbage another season. 
Unless this severe winter should deplete their numbers, there will be a desper- 
