PROTECTING PLANTS 



187 





230. 



Protecting from 

 cut-worms. 



and the upper edge of the cotton turned down like the top of 

 a boot ; the insects cannot crawl over this obstruction (p. 203). 



The maggots that attack the roots of 

 cabbages and cauHflowers may be kept 

 from the plant by pieces of tarred paper, 

 which are placed close about the stem upon 

 the surface of the ground. Fig. 232 illus- 

 trates a hexagon of paper, and also shows 

 a tool used for cutting it. This means of 

 preventing the attacks of the cabbage 

 maggot is described in detail by the late 



Professor Goff (for 



another method of 



controlling cabbage maggot see p. 201) : — 

 " The cards are cut in a hexagonal 



form, in order better to economize the 



material, and a thinner grade of tarred 



paper than the 



ordinary roofing 



felt is used, as 



it is not only 



cheaper, but be- 

 ing more flexible, 



the cards made 



from it are more 



readily placed 



about the plant 



The blade of the 



231. Protecting trees from 

 cut-worms. 



without being torn 



tool, which should be made by an expert 



blacksmith, is formed from a band of 



steel, bent in the form of a half hexagon, 



and then taking an acute angle, reaches 



nearly to the center, as shown in Fig. 232. The part making 



the star-shaped cut is formed from a separate piece of steel, so 



32. Showing how paper is 

 cut for protecting cab- 

 bages from maggots. 

 Tlie Goff device. 



