150 GARDEN AND FARM TOPICS. 



This is not quite so easily destroyed as the other, but will 

 succumb to a mixture of one part white hellebore to four 

 parts lime dust, sprinkled on thick enough to slightly 

 whiten the plants. This same remedy I have found to 

 be the most efficacious in preventing the ravages of the 

 Black Flea, or "Jumping Jack," that is often so destructive 

 to Cabbage plants sown or planted in the open ground 

 during May and June; but in this case its application 

 may have to be repeated daily, often for two weeks. 



Another most troublesome insect is the Cabbage Cater- 

 pillar, which attacks the crop often when just beginning 

 to head. This is the larva of a species of small yellow 

 butterfly, which deposits its eggs on the crop in May or 

 June. When fields of Cabbage are isolated, or where 

 neighbors can be found to act in unison, the best plan is 

 to catch the butterflies with an insect-catching net as 

 soon as they show themselves. This is the most effective 

 and quickest way to get rid of them. However, if that 

 has been neglected, the caterpillar can be destroyed by 

 dusting white hellebore on the Cabbages; but, of course, 

 this cannot be done when the heads are matured enough 

 to be ready to use, as the hellebore is to some extent 

 poisonous, though, used when the plants are about half 

 grown, it will do no harm, as the rains will have washed 

 it sufficiently off by the time they head up. 



A correspondent from Michigan recommends a solution 

 of common alum, made by dissolving one pound of alum 

 in three gallons of water. This, he says, will effectually 

 destroy the Cabbage Worm on Cabbage. I have not yet 

 had an opportunity to test it, but it seems a rational 

 remedy, and has the advantage of being cheap and of not 

 being poisonous to human beings. The solution is best 

 made by dissolving the alum in boiling water, and then 

 adding cold water to make it of the requisite strength. 



