68 Southern Gardener^ s Practical Manual 



measuring -worm. This, too, is exceedingly destructive, 

 though not quite so numerous nor so cold -resisting as 

 the dark-green worm. Both of these species feed upon the 

 large leaves of the plant, (c) The third has dark green- 

 ish stripes along its sides and is smaller than either of 

 the others. This feeds on the bud leaves and penetrates 

 the head, and thus, while not so numerous as the other 

 two, is very destructive and fouls the plant with its cast- 

 ings. All of these being eating insects, they may be 

 easily destroyed by the use of Paris green, one table- 

 spoonful to three quarts of flour, air- slaked lime or 

 gypsum. I use measures instead of weights, because it is 

 more convenient to the average gardener to measure than 

 to weigh. This insecticide may be applied with a powder- 

 gun on a large scale, or, for use in the family garden, may 

 be thoroughly mixed, put into a flour- sack and tied to the 

 end of a stick three feet long and dusted lightly over the 

 plants. It is important to destroj^ the early broods to 

 diminish the numbers in later broods. I have used Paris 

 green annually for ten years without any ill effects from 

 consumption of the cabbage. It is washed from the 

 leaves by the flrst rain or by the cook in preparing the 

 plant for the table. It has been estimated that a person 

 must consume nineteen heads at a meal to be injured by 

 the poison remaining on the plants. The head grows 

 entirely from the inside and consequently no risk can be 

 incurred from consuming the head. The cabbage aphis 

 is a very difficult insect to combat. The only means 

 known to be even partially successful is spraying with 

 w^hale-oil soap solution or kerosene emulsion. These in- 

 sects take their food by sucking, and consequently cannot 



