532 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Nov. 



The cattle sent to market usually average 

 about 900 pounds, and not unfrequently go 

 over 1,000. They sell in St. Louis and Chi- 

 cago at an average of 3 1-2 cents per pound — 

 oftener above than below that price. 



The larger portion of the Texas cattle, 

 however, are shipped direct to New York and 

 other Atlantic cities, where many are packed 

 and sent on to Europe. The price in New 

 York averages eight cents per pound. This 

 makes the value of a &00 pound steer, in the 

 New York market, $72 — or about double the 

 St. Louis and Chicago value. Ihe addition- 

 al freight, however, very nearly covers the 

 difference in quotations. The freight from 

 Abilene to St. Louis or Chicago is six to sev- 

 en dollars per head. The freight from Abi- 

 lene to New Y^ork or Boston is nearly four 

 times as much as to St. 'Louis or Chicago; 

 and there is, in addition, a 20 per cent, trans- 

 portation risk, growing out of the increased 

 extent of the route, and the greater time con- 

 sumed in getting to market. The money 

 actually invested in a Texas steer up to the 

 time of bis reaching St. Louis or Chicago is 

 about $23 00 ; and he brings on an average at 

 three and a half cents per pound, just $31.50 

 — leaving a profit to the seller, on the 

 total investment, of $8.50, or about 30 per 

 cent. The same steer sent to New York or 

 Boston will represent, on reaching there, 

 about $55 00 ; and he sells in those markets 

 for $72 00, average — giving but a trifle more 

 profit than if sold in Western markets at a 

 price one-half less. 



The bulk of the cattle held at Abilene are 

 owned by what are called the "big cattle 

 men," who usually have 5,000 to 10,000 each. 

 Small dealers hold from 100 to 1,000 each. 

 The largest dealers control the market. 



The Topeka (Kansas) Record, from a 

 lengthy article in which we condense the fore- 

 going facts, sajs that last year about 50,000 

 head of cattle were shipped eastward from 

 Abilene, and so great has been the increase of 

 the business at this point, that the number for 

 the present year is estimated at one hundred 

 and fifty thousand. 



to the filbert family, and the nuts are about an 

 inch in length. Mr. J. has something of a 

 nursery of the tree or bush, which grows fif- 

 teen or twenty inches high. By heading back 

 about one-third of the annual growth, it is 

 claimed that they receive lip injury from the, 

 cold of winter, though during the nine years 

 that they have been cultivated in Fairhaven 

 the mercury has fallen as low as 19° below 

 zero. The fruit has been exhibited at the 

 shows of the Massachusetts Horticultural So- 

 ciety, and has attracted considerable notice. 

 It has a pleasant taste, and we hope it will 

 prove adapted to general cultivation. 



The Bahcelona or Sicily Nut. — We 

 have received specimens of a nut grown in 

 the garden of Captain Marston, of Fairhaven, 

 Mass., which was introduced into this country 

 by Mr. L. Jenney, of that town. It belongs 



THE CABBAGE WORM. 



In our examination of gardens, during our 

 late visit to Vermont, we did not see a single 

 patch of well headed cabbages. In most cases 

 they had been completely destroyed by what 

 was called a new worm, by all with whom we 

 conversed upon the subject. 



We see by an article in the Country Oentle- 

 man that HOn. Levi Bartlett, of Warner, N. 

 H., says, "I have been perfectly familiar with 

 the natural history of this cabbage worm, in 

 all its transformations, from the egg upon the 

 leaf of the plant, to the winged butterfly, for 

 over forty years, and I have no doubt of its 

 being a native American, 'to the manor 

 born.' " He also refers to a description of 

 this insect in the New England Farmer for 

 1829, by Dr. T. W. Harris, in confirmation 

 of his opinion that the worm which has proved 

 so destructive this year, is the same as that 

 which has been so long known by him. 



In our opinion Mr. Bartlett is mistaken in 

 this. Last year we forwarded specimens of 

 the "new worm" to Samuel H. Scudder, Sec- 

 retary of the Natural History Society of Bos- 

 ton, and in an article which he wrote for the 

 Farmer, (Monthly 1869, page 362,) he said: 



I suspect this to be a recent, most unfortunate im- 

 portation trom England. Several years ago, a but- 

 ter tiy called Pieris rupee, which has sometimes done 

 great damage in Eurupfi, was discovered a'loiit Que- 

 bec, and has since spread into notherii Maine and 

 Vermont. Ihavenotyet heardof its doing any seri- 

 ous injury, but It certainly will, as its rapid increase 

 proves its accommodation to the New World. 

 Th.is pest was not needed, for we have now a very 

 near relative, first described in your paper, by Dr. 

 Harris as long ago as 1829 (see New England 

 Farmer, old series, vol. 7, p. 402) under the name 

 of Pieris oleracea. This insect has sometimes 

 plundered our k-itehen gardens, — turnips being ap- 

 p irently its favorite food. In the caboage butter- 

 fly, [the new insect — Ed.1 some distinct black 

 spots may be seen on the upper surface of the front 



