308 



THE POMOLOGIST AND GARDENER. 



1871 



that success may attend his labors. Again, it may- 

 be said that the proverb, " Eternal vigilance is the 

 price of success,'' is as applicable to the cultivation 

 of fruit as to any other pursuit or objectjof life, 

 and until pomologists are ready.to exercise this'dili- 

 gence in the extermination of pests, and in efforts for 

 the promotion of the health and general good of 

 their trees, they have no reason to complain for 

 their want of success with a willingness to attribute 

 it to an imaginary cause which is considered be- 

 yond their control. . 



Notes on the Cabbage— Sorts and Enemies. 



Bt Charles E. Bzmet, State Ag'l College. 



Ed. Pomologist and Gakdenbb. — I will give 

 you a few notes on the cabbage, gathered from my 

 observation the past season. 



good early varieties. 



Early York. — This has shown itself one of the 

 best for the farmer to cultivate. It is one of the 

 oldest varieties — dating back in its origin to over 

 one hundred years ago — but though so old, it stands 

 as a perfectly reliable variety. Heads roundish and 

 firm. 



Early Jersey Wakefield. — This though somewhat 

 small is a good variety. Heads conical and very 

 compact. 



Sugar Leaf. — This variety in my opinion is 

 scarcely worth cultivating. Heads oblong and sel- 

 dom firm. When so many better varieties can be 

 obtained, it will not pay to plant this. 



Early Winnigsntadt. — This is a medium sort, both 

 as to size and earliness. Head conical and compact. 

 Can be planted for using after Early York and 

 Early Jersey Wakefield. 



GOOD LATE VARJETIES. 



Stone Mason. — One of the best of the flat, or 

 drumhead sorts. In size it is not equal to the rest, 

 but for general use is perhaps fully as desirable. It 

 is sometimes known under the name of Stone Ma- 

 son Drumhead. 



MarUehead Mammoth. — This is perhaps the largest 

 growing of all the varieties, and since a good many 

 people like big things best, this will give the most 

 general satisfaction. The heads are flattish, solid 

 and when well grown of immense weight. For 

 cooking they are well liked. 



Red Dutch. — This is valuable only, or principally 

 at least, for pickling ; its color being liked better 

 than that of the other varieties, for this purpose. 



LIST OF CABBAGE EKEMIES. 



The past two years I have noticed on the] cab- 

 bage a small green worm, about one-half an inch in 

 length, which in some instances almost utterly ru- 

 ined the crop by eating holes in the outer leaves. 

 Occasionally it bores into the head, ^but fromj per- 

 sonal observation l;am sure that this is not its most 

 destructive mode of procedure. 



It is the worm or larvfe of a little moth called 

 technically PluteUa Crnciferarum, ZeU, and according 

 to Entomologists is known all over the world. The 

 moth is about one third of an inch in length when 

 at rest, and with a spread of wing of about five or 

 six tenths of an inch. When at rest it folds its 

 wings over its body house-roof fashion, and projects 

 its antennee forward in a line with its body, giving it 

 quite a compressed appearance. The top of the 

 ridge formed by its folded wings is whitish, while 

 the remainder of the body is more or less of an 

 asbury brown. 



It is described and figured in the Journal of the 

 Royal Agricultural Society, Vol. Ill, and is there 

 said to attack turnips as well as cabbages. 



C. V. Riley of Missouri, says that in that State 

 they have been very destructive. 



I know of no remedy, unless it be an application 

 of slaked lime. 



Another enemy is coming to us from the East in 

 the shape of the cabbage butterfly. This can now 

 be seen any summer day, and is commonly known 

 as the White Butterfly, technically, Pieris Oleracea, 

 Harris. It is white throughout, excepting that the 

 wings are dusky next the body, and somewhat yel- 

 lowish underneath. 



The larvae] produced from the eggs whi'jh it lays 

 are about one inch long, and of a dull green color. 

 These bore into the heads, and unless picked off 

 soon entirely spoil them for any use. Careful hand 

 picking is perhaps the most eflBcient remedy. 



Sometimes the miserable little cabbage lice make 

 their appearance in such numbers that the crop is, 

 if not utterly ruined, at least rendered so filthy by 

 the insects, that its value is greatly reduced. These 

 belong to the Aphidse, and are known as Aphis 

 BrassiccB, Linn. They are closely related to those 

 found on our green house plants, as well as to those 

 on the apple and cherry trees. 



Well grown plants seldom or never are troubled 

 with them, and when once they have taken pos- 

 session I suppose there is but little help for it. 



In the early stages of the growth of cabbage the 

 flea beetle sometimes works sad havoc. To this 

 pest Entomologists have given the name of Haltica 

 Striolata, 111. 



Drive this insect off by a liberal application of 

 ashes or lime. 



The cut worm often gives serious trouble, by 

 eating ofi" the young plants when just set out. The 

 worms are too well known to need description. 

 The moths from which they are produced are not 

 so well known however. They are night-flyers, 

 and often visit our rooms, fluttering around our 

 lamps. They are of a brownish color, and are 

 about three quarters of an inch in length. Tech- 

 nically they are Agrostu- telifera, Harris. 



I know of no better way to get rid of these pests 

 than to dig them out and kill them, but they can be 

 kept out of the garden by taking proper precaution. 



In the fall clean oft" every bit of rubbish, and 

 and plow up the ground. So that in the first place 

 they will have no hiding places, and in the sec- 

 ond place the ^plowing will expose them to the 

 freezing and thawing of the winter, whereby the 

 larv£e will be killed. 



