92 THE NEW ONION CULTURE 



the life cycle at sixteen days, a large number of broods 

 could occur during the year, but unfavorable conditions 

 keep them reduced except durmg the spring and 

 perhaps early summer, so that it will probably not 

 happen that they will develop throughout a year, 

 according to their capabilities. 



"Several insecticides were tried against this insect. 

 They may be successfully controlled by the use of 

 whale oil soap (Anchor brand), at the rate of one 

 pound of soap to four gallons of water; or by the 

 use of rose leaf insecticide, at the rate of one pint 

 to four gallons of water. The use of kerosene emul- 

 sion will also be found eflfective. 



'Tn spraying against the insect, it should be done 

 thoroughly; the soil around the plant should also be 

 sprayed as well as the stems of cabbages and cauli- 

 flowers, thus destroying the pupae that may be in 

 hiding." 



Onion Cutworms — The onion growers of some 

 parts of New York state and other onion growing 

 districts throughout the northern half of the United 

 States, have occasionally suffered severe losses by the 

 depredations of one of the cutworms, the dark-sided 

 cutworm {Carneades messoria), known also under the 

 names onion cutworm, climbing rustic and reaping 

 rustic. This climbing cutworm does not confine its 

 work to the onion field, but also attacks other garden 

 plants, as well as flower buds upon trees and shrubs. 

 The worm itself, while young and small, climbs up 

 on the plants in search for the tenderest parts, and in 

 that stage only takes the tips of the onions. When 

 older, the worms become too clumsy to climb and 

 content themselves with eating off the plants at the 

 surface of the ground. They usually feed at night, 

 but may, when food is scarce, march from plant to 

 plant by day, as does the army worm, traveling slowly 



