39 



maggots they produce burrow into the stem, root or bulb of tbe 

 plant, often causing a serious amount of damage. After feeding 

 until full-grown the maggots leave the plant and become quiet 

 pupa 1 for a time, after which the adult Hies escape from them to 

 lay eggs for another brood, of which there are two and perhaps 

 more, each year, of the kinds here considered. 



Treatment. 



Many methods have been suggested for checking the ravages of 

 these pests, but only a few are of any value. Protection from the 

 cabbage root maggot may be obtained by the use of tar paper 

 cut to encircle the stems of the plants when these are set out, but 

 the cost of preparing and applying the pieces reduces the value of 

 this method. Before the appearance of the maggots the use of 

 carbolic acid emulsion has been strongly recommended. To 

 prepare this a pound of hard soap or a quart of soft soap should 

 be dissolved in a gallon of boiling water. Into this pour a pint of 

 crude carbolic acid and stir until an emulsion is thoroughly formed. 

 To treat the plants, one quart of this mixed with about thirty 

 quarts of water will give the required strength. In applying this 

 emulsion, begin the day after the plauts have been set out, or, if 

 raised from seed, a day or two before they come up, thoroughly 

 moistening the ground close to each plant with it, and particularly 

 the stems just below the level of the ground in the case of plants 

 which have been set out. The object of this is to kill every egg 

 and maggot present, by actual contact with the emulsion. This 

 treatment should be repeated every week or ten days till about the 

 first of June. " Whoever has tried this emulsion thoroughly, 

 reports success " (Slingerland) . 



Another and apparently equally successful treatment is b} r the 

 use of carbon disulphide. To apply this properly an apparatus 

 such as the McGowan injector is necessary. In using this, push 

 the tip of the injector into the ground three or four inches away 

 from the plant and run it obliquely down to a point just below the 

 roots ; then force about a teaspoonful of the carbon disulphide out 

 of the injector into the ground, remove the injector and close up 

 the hole with earth pressed down by the foot. This treatment 

 usually needs to be made but once, when the maggots first appear, 

 but would probably be more effective with cabbage and cauliflower 

 than with onions, turnips and radishes, where the carbolic acid 

 emulsion treatment is preferable. 



Looking for and crushing the eggs and maggots by hand is also 

 highly recommended where labor is cheap. 



