324 BOARD OF AGRICULTUKE. [Pub. Doc. 



of the back, crossed near its middle by another of the same 

 color and by a similar one near the hinder end of the body. 

 Along the sides of the back the color becomes reddish. 



Injuries and Treatment. 



Injury to asparagus is caused both hy the grub and the 

 adult beetle feeding upon the shoots intended for market, 

 and also upon the full-grown plants. 



For beds where cutting is done, a few shoots left here and 

 there to serve as traps will attract the beetles to them if the 

 other shoots are kept cut as fast as they grow to market size. 

 The trap shoots should be cut about once a week and de- 

 stroyed, others l)eing then allowed to take their places. If 

 this be continued for four or five weeks the Qgg supply of 

 the beetles which winter over will be about exhausted, and 

 if no young have found a chance to develop on volunteer 

 asparagus near, the danger of damage from the later broods 

 of the season will be greatly reduced. 



In the case of seed beds, dusting with fresh, air-slaked 

 lime while the dew is on is quite effective, as the lime kills 

 every grub it touches. That it is only those grubs which 

 are touched by the lime which are killed, however, should 

 be remembered by those who use this method. Allowing 

 chickens to run in the asparagus beds is advantageous, as 

 these feed freely upon the insects. Cutting down and burn- 

 ino- the seed stems two or three times a year is also a sood 

 practice, and is now considered not to be injurious to the 

 plant. Finally, several kinds of insects prey upon the as- 

 paragus beetle, and aid the grower to keep this pest in cheek. 



The Imported Cabbage Worm {Pier is rapw. Schr.). 



This insect, like the asparagus beetle, is a native of Europe, 

 and made its appearance in this country near Quebec about 

 1859, since which time it has spread over nearly the entire 

 United States. 



The insect passes the winter as a brown chrysalis, attached 

 to some board, fence rail or other object. In the spring the 

 chrysalis bursts open, setting free the white butterfly so com- 

 mon around cabbage fields in summer ; and as soon as the 

 cabbages are set out the butterflies begin to lay their eggs on 

 the leaves, one in a place. The eggs are rather smaller than 



