70 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



ENTOMOLOGICAL. 



Enemies of the Cabbage Butterfly. 

 Alexandria, Huntingdon Co., April 12, 1875. 

 Dear Sir : I send you by tliis mail a small paper 

 box containinff a number of small tlies (males and 

 females) which hatched out of some flti-yxalkls of the 

 c^bbaice butterfly. I suppose they are the enemy of 

 the cabbage butterfly. Please report. 



Yours truly, c. P. H. 



However trivial the above incident may 

 appear, we nevertheless regard it as impor- 

 tant, for in it is involved an imjiortant practi- 

 cal qnestion in economical entomology ; more- 

 over, it is a well defined contirmation of our 

 own ex])erience two years ago, and upon wliicli 

 we made the suggestion that in all probability 

 the cabbage butterfly would ultinuitely pass 

 away, or become diminished in numbers so 

 much as to dissipate the appreliensions that 

 have been entertained in regard to it by many 

 people. 



The above "small paper bo.x" was duly re- 

 ceived, and contained twentv-one chri/salids 

 of the "Garden White" butterfly (Pieria 

 rupee) and over a hundred minute parasitic 

 hymeuoptera, of a beautiful metallic green 

 color and clear membranaceous wings. Many 

 of them were dead, Init the majority of tliem 

 were still alive. Out of these twenty-one 

 chrysalids we do not think there is a .single 

 one tliat would have produced a butterfly. 

 Ever3' one is more or less pimctured with 

 small holes, out of which these little flics have 

 issued forth in great numbers, a fruitful source 

 of hope to cabbage growi rs everywhere, for if 

 all the diri/s<didf! in the country were similarly 

 infested, tiie race of white butterflies and green 

 cabbage worms would become extinct in a 

 single year ; and in order to continue their 

 species (the parasites) we could have wished 

 that their advent had been dela3ed a few weeks, 

 until a nidus for their future progeny coidd 

 have been found in the bodies of the icorms of 

 the present season. 



Tliese useful little parasites belong to a 

 family of hymenoptera called "Chalcisflies," 

 or Chalcidians, (Chalcidid.e) and are always 

 found infesting some one or other among the 

 denizens of tlie insect world. Some of the 

 species are exceedingly minute, and find sulti- 

 cient nutriment to develop and sustain their 

 tiny bodies and lives within the egys of other 

 insects. Most of the species are so small that 

 we have never attempted to study them spe- 

 cifically, and probably never will ; and tliere- 

 fore, to knoii' they destroy the lamp and pupip 

 of the "cabbage worm," or any other noxious 

 insects, is perhaps as much as the "truck 

 gardener" and farmer cares to know in regard 

 to them. They seem to belong to the genus 

 Fterom'dus, and probably an entirely new spe- 

 cies ; but, until this view is corroborated by 

 competent authority this nomenclature can 

 only be considered j;rori'.s('o?«(/. We have sub- 

 mitted specimens to several specialists for their 

 examination and identifieat»ion, and if we hear 

 from them before this goes to press we will 

 append it in a foot note ; or, oti some future 

 occasion, puljlisha fuller account of them, with 

 illustrations, if practicable. Having this much 

 we can afford to await future development. 



Since writing the foregoing, we Iiave found 

 the following corroboration of the above ex- 

 periences in theXew York Semi-Weekli/ Tri- 

 bune, of April 30tli, 187."); and althougli Mr. 

 Fuller may be mistaken as to the species of the 

 insect, yet that is not of the least consequence 

 in tlie general economy of the subject, and 

 does not impair any of the essential facts. 

 The Cabbage Pest and Its Parasite. 



It is to be presumed that everybody knows by tliis 

 time that the parent of "the cabbage worm" is the 

 Rape Butterfly of Europe, imported into this country 

 about 18.5<> or 18.57, appearing flrst in Canada, from 

 whence it has spread over the greater portion of the 

 United Stales. Atiirst it apjjeared to have no natural 

 enemy to keep it in check, but in good time and in 

 some unaccountable manner the little parasitic fly 

 which had long been known to attack it abroad, was 

 discovered in this country, and has ever since been 

 thinning the ranks of this previously formidable cab- 

 bage pest. The two insects appeared in the suburlis 

 of New York city at about the same time, and their 

 operations ran somewhat as follows : The first season 



tlie cabbage-worms were few, only an occasional one 

 seen; the next year very abundant taking or nearly 

 destroying the entire crop. In the autumn of this 

 seeonii season nearly every chrysalid, or at least the 

 larger part examined, contained the jiuija of the lit- 

 tle parasitic fly referred to above, instcadof an imma- 

 ture Initterfly; the result, as nught be inferred was, 

 very few cabbage-worms the third season, and scarcely 

 any since. This seems to liave been about the general 

 results in each locality visite j by this species of cab- 

 bage butterfly, and all applications of poisons to the 

 worms have done little good in lessening the number. 



Of course, if the parasite does not appear in any 

 particular locality, they can be readily procured and 

 forwarded to any distance and let loose where they 

 would do most good in attacking their natural en- 

 emy or food, as they can only exist where there are 

 cabbage-worms. I think if cabbage irrowers will ex- 

 amine the ehrysalid of the last season's brood of 

 worms, which must at this time he abundant on the 

 sides of outbuildings, fences, and even stems of shrubs 

 and trees, they can' n^adily determine whether the lit- 

 tle ])arasite (PterotnahiH puparimi) has made its ap- 

 pearance or not. If, in breaking open the chrysalids 

 they are found full of minute egg-like pupa, then it 

 is certain that the enemy of the worms and friend of 

 the farmer has arrived; "but if nothing but the imma- 

 ture, half-formed butterfly is within, then it is safe to 

 conclude that you may have to wait for deliverance 

 from this pest another year. 



Much can be done towards lessening the number of 

 worms by gatherine and destroying the chrysalids 

 found attached to fences and buildings about the 

 place in winter. But I would not advise destroying 

 those of the pupa if parasites are found in any con- 

 siderable number. The dilliculty in killing the worms 

 when upon the lab'iages is, that any poisonous sub- 

 stance applied is likely to make them dangerous food, 

 else very fllthy. (.iuano, or superphosphate and lime 

 mixed together, will destroy the worms; but who 

 would want to eat, or feed to stock, such stuflT, as 

 more or less will remain among the leaves and in- 

 closed in the head. I have used salt with good effect, 

 but the worms 'that have penetrated into the head of 

 the cabbage is safe from any outward applications. 

 Under present circumstances, I would say, let nature 

 take its course, for the little parasite will soon wipe 

 out the enemy. — A. S. Fuller, Bergen county, N. J. 



GARDEN CULTURE AGAINST FIELD 

 CULTURE. 



"The natural produce of wheat in our country 

 under careless cultivation is about sixteen fjraUia to 

 one. The unusual produce under the highest order 

 of garden culture has gone as high as se)'en thousand 

 four hundred and forty-five grains to one." 



The above paragraph, clipped from a copv 

 of the Vnited States Gazette, of the year 1867, 

 was lianded to us a few days ago by one of 

 the most intelligent and practical citizens of 

 the western region of Lancaster county — one 

 who had spent niany years of his life in farm- 

 ing and milling, but is now extensively en- 

 gaged in the iron business. To liim the jiar- 

 agraph seemed suggestive, but he had already 

 retired from the farm and the mill, when it 

 first came inuler his observation, or he cer- 

 tainly would have exi)erimented to test the 

 diiference between "garden culture" and 

 "field culture " in the production of wheat. 

 In view of the fact (hat nearly every tiling sub- 

 jected to garden culture — all other things being 

 equal — lias largely appreciated in quality and 

 in yield, whilst nearly everything that has 

 been left to the careless cultivation of tlie field 

 has depjreciided, in quantity if not in quality, 

 cannot but impress itself upon the minds of 

 those inclined to that retrospective reflection 

 wliich runs along the line of effirts, and culmi- 

 nates in their primitive causes. The additional 

 fact that the minds of whetitgrowers have of 

 late been much exercised about tlie deficiency 

 in its yield, has also an important bearing 

 upon the general subject. 



It is true the larger portion of tlie wheat 

 jn-oduced in this country is a winter crop, and 

 to which perhaps garden culture could not be 

 practically apiilied, still this would not pre- 

 clude the possibility of applying such culture 

 to spring wheat, nor of substituting the latter 

 entirely for tlie former. For insta'.ice, you 

 sow broadcast the seeds of onions, red beets, 

 turni])s, cabbages, corn, radishes, beans, peas, 

 tomatoes, tobacco and many other things that 

 are subjects of garden culture, and you subse- 

 quently treat them just as you do wheat> rye, 

 b;iiiey and oats, and what is the result of this 

 species of field culture V Why, yon have weak 

 attenuated stalks, a little foliage and fodder, 



but no roots, bulbs, flowers, fruits, heads or 

 seeds of any account. It reipiires the thinning 

 out, transplanting, weeding, and the assiduous 

 labors of garden culture to produce these suc- 

 cessfully. The difference lietween the jiroba- 

 ble and the possible, between sixteen to one and 

 seven thousand four hundred and forty-five to 

 one, is so immensely great that it is not sur- 

 prising the subject should become one of seri- 

 ous human speculation. How many heads of 

 cabbage, of lettuce or of cauliflower would the 

 housewife get if she sowed her seed broadcast, 

 and then let the plants take care of themselves, 

 as the farmer does the wheat ])lant V How 

 many turnips, radishes and red beets under 

 the same treatment ? How many tomatoes, 

 egg-plants, peas or beans 'i How many otlier 

 products that are the subjects of careful and 

 vigilant garden culture ¥ Not many we trow. 



Corn, potatoes, pumpkins, squashes, water- 

 melons and other jiroducts that are grown in 

 tlie fields, all receive garden culture or their 

 yield would be too insignificant to even pay 

 for the seed. We read of ancient * wheat 

 fields — long before maize and other prolific veg- 

 etation was known to civilized society — but 

 we know but little si)ecific;illy about the an- 

 cient mode of cidture, and we wonder how 

 such immense populations could possibly be 

 sustained iqion such limited territory. Wliat 

 we now call "heads of wheat" were tlien 

 called "ears of corn," and how do we know 

 that they were not as large as the average of 

 our present ears of corn ? 



Even if we could realize the one-half of seven 

 tlumaand four hundred and fortij-flre to one, the 

 result in material substtmce would be an im- 

 mense advance upon our present productions 

 of wheat. Farmers are "boxing about " in 

 order to find some means by which the present 

 yield of cereals may be increased. They know 

 liow to produce vigorous tobacco plants, with 

 leaves, one of which would be almost large 

 enough to perform the ottice of "Jonah's 

 gourd." They know how to raise big he.ads 

 of cabbage, mammotli lieets, monster ]iump- 

 kins, gigantic melons, huge turnips and pota- 

 toes, hirge tomatoes and vegetable eggs, tuid 

 magnificent stalks and ears of maize, and they 

 know that these are the results of garden cul- 

 ture; but they do not seem to know how to 

 increase the yield of wheat the one-half of a 

 sixteenth per cent. 



A GOOD COW. 



"Hon. 11. G. Herrick, Sheriff of Essex county, 



recently lost a cow, "speckle," tliat was a 



grade Shorthorn of rare quality. She calved 



Ajiril 1st, 1874, and was to have come in March, 



1875. Tlie following is her record: 



In April, 1874, she gave - - - IRSOlbs. 



" May, " "' . . - H.5(! " 



" .Tune, " " ... 1440 " 



" July, " " ... i:U7 " 



" Auiust," " ... 1175 " 



" Se|)tember, " ... 979 " 



" October, " - - - 943 " 



" November, " ... 9.5fi " 



" December, " - - . 74(i " 



" Jan'y, 16days," - - - ■Wfi " 



Total, .... - 10,7.57 lbs. 

 "Such a cow was worth keeping." 

 10,757 pounds of what '? Milk, we presume; 

 but standing as it does, so entirely discon- 

 nected with auytliing else by which milk might 

 be iniiilied — in the columns of the Massachu- 

 setts Ploughman— imA^ moreover, being of a 

 magnitude so much greater tliau anything of 

 the kind we are accustomed to in this locality, 

 we are just unsoiihisticated enough to inquire 

 what its specific meaning may be. If milk 

 is meant, the product would be an average 

 of 37 pfiunds; or Kii quarts per day. Will 

 some of our Lancaster c<iunty dairymen 

 give us the average product of their best 

 cows, by way of comparison '? 



"Wheu the diBciplcs and their Divine Master passed 

 through the fields aud "jlxicked the ears of corn," we have 

 the light to iufer that they passed between the hills or rows, 

 just as ive would uow, in passing through one of our fields 

 of corn, (maize) aud any other inference would subject them 

 to the s.inierepiehension ice would deserve, in treading down 

 a passage through a modern wheat field. The Jews did not 

 accuse them of treading down the corn, but of plucking aud 

 eatiug it ou the Sabbath day. 



