334 THE PEOPLE'S FARM AND STOCK CYCLOPEDIA. 



stripped the plants of their foliage, but have become full grown, 

 when they measure three inches in length. They then go 

 into the earth, where they pupate in an earthen cocoon. The 

 peculiar form of the pupa is a marked character of this family 

 (Fig 14). These brown pupae may be found in the earth, a few 

 inches beneath the surface, until the following summer, when 

 the fine moth again comes forth. 



REMEDIES. Hand-picking is a quick, easy, and sure preven- 

 tive. The only objection to this, so far as I know, is that it is 

 disagreeable, and sometimes prevented by timidity. Yet I pre- 

 sume that a good pair of gloves will insure the temerity neces- 

 sary to its successful practice. As before intimated, the fear is 

 entirely groundless, for there are no more harmless creatures in 

 existence. To be sure they can give quite a sharp pinch with 

 their strong jaws, which they will attempt to do if held, and 

 which I have often experienced while handling them, but this is 

 almost painless and entirely harmless. They never use their 

 caudal horn, the supposed weapon of immemorial dread. So 

 hand-picking, with or without gloves, is entirely safe, and as 

 effectual as safe. Of course, the disfigured leaves will guide us 

 in our search. 



I have found that skunks are powerful aids in this fight, as 

 they feed extensively on the pupae. 



Cabbage Cut-Worms. Agrotis devastator, Harr. As a 

 full account of the natural history of the Agrotians has already 

 been given in connection with field crops (see page 322), we 

 need say but little of the species which is often so ruinous to 

 our cabbage and tomato plants. 



As will be remembered, the larvae generally lie concealed by 

 day just beneath the soil, and come forth, cloaked in darkness, 

 to do their evil work. This is not strictly true, as frequently, 

 on cloudy days, their eager appetites, or else an innate longing 

 for destruction (for these cut-worms do seem the most totally 

 depraved of all insects), impel them forth to work havoc. I 

 have known sixty tomato plants cut off between the hours of 3 

 And 6 P. M. 



Sandy gardens, and those near meadows, pastures, or lawns, 



