Insects and Other Foes. — 125 



Zebra Caterpillar {Mamestra pictd). — The parent of this 

 worm is the handsome moth shown at a in accompanying illus- 

 tration. The spherical eggs are laid in clusters on cabbage, 

 cauliflower, and other plants early in the summer. The larvae 

 when young are blackish, but soon change to light green. The 

 young worms cluster together upon the leaves and are then 

 easily disposed of by hand-picking. If left undisturbed, they 

 afterwards scatter over the plants, and the best way to destroy 

 them at this stage is by spraying with kerosene emulsion, kero- 

 sene and water in mechanical mixture, hot water, or by the other 

 means recommended for the green cabbage worm. A full-grown 

 larva is shown at b. It is marked by broad longitudinal vel- 



vety-black stripes on the back, and brilliant yellow stripes upon 

 each side, connected by fine, transverse zebra-like lines. When 

 disturbed the worm curls up and drops to the ground. 



Harlequin Cabbage Bug {Miirgantia histrionica). — This 

 enemy is found only in the Southern States, from Texas along 

 the seaboard as far north as Delaware. The full-grown insect, 

 which is gaudily colored, chiefly in black and orange-yellow, 

 lives through the winter hidden under leaves and rubbish. In 

 the spring, just as soon as it finds any of its food plants, it begins 

 to deposit eggs. The larvae hatch out in a few days, and at once 

 begin to pierce the leaves and suck the life-sap from the plants, 

 soon killing them. They are timid, and on anybody's approach 

 try to hide. The illustration shows the insect in its various 



stages of development, in life-size. Clean culture and the de- 

 struction of all rubbish by fire, during fall or winter, are impor- 

 tant means of fighting this pest. Hand-picking into pans con- 

 taining water and kerosene is often resorted to. Wild mustard 



