CABBAGE APHIS. 23 



The soft-soap mixture previoiisly meutioiied at p. 19,* would pro- 

 bably also act very well for the same purpose as the above. 



In reference to the observation of Mr. Moss in regard to mixture of 

 Paris-green with the soft-soap, that he did not think this poisonous 

 addition was of any advantage iu treatment for Aphides, it may be 

 remarked that mere poisons (as Paris-green for instance) which act by 

 their internal effects only, and require consequently to be swallowed into 

 the system to act on the insects to be got rid of, are of little or no use 

 generally against Aphides. These feed by piercing into their food- 

 plants with their suckers, consequently are very little affected by what 

 may be lying outside. With them what we want is a sticky substance 

 which will stifle them, choke up their breathing-pores, and be exter- 

 nally hurtful to them, and any additions such as those above 

 mentioned, of sulphur, or mineral oil, or anything else which is 

 obnoxious or hurtful to insect life, or of a nature to make the plants 

 non-attractive, will do good. 



Where the nature of the crop allows of good showers of water being 

 thrown at it, this is beneficial even by itself, by means of washing off 

 much of the infestation ; and also, in dry weather, the mere fact of thus 

 stimulating the growth of the crop and giving a freer flow of sap, is a 

 deterrent in itself to the abnormally rapid increase of Aphides which 

 takes place where the plant growth is stunted by drought, or made 

 sickly by over-infestation. 



But at present, for use in field cultivation, whether of Turnips, or 

 Cabbage, or Mustard, the difficulty appears to me not to be either iu 

 want of knowledge of serviceable applications, or want of implements 

 by which to distribute them, but that as yet (unlike the arrangements 

 iu our Hop grounds) we are unable (customarily at least) to get iit our 

 crops with the requisite implements to distribute the washes needed at 

 a paying rate. 



Cabbage-stem Weevil. / Bar'uUm, sp. 



Baiudius chloeis. 



Beetle and maggot of H. cliJorls, after Dr. Taschenberg ; pupa of B. jyicuius, after 

 Dr. Eitzema Bos : all nat. size and mag. 



* A mixture in some degree resembling the kerosene emulsions so much used 

 in the United States and Canada, and sold under the trade name of " Anti-pest,'' 

 by Messrs. Morris, Little ct Co., Doncaster. 



