144 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



characteristic indication of injury and on pulling it up, the re- 

 mains of the roots and the whitish, slimy maggots are easily 

 observed. 



One of the best methods for protecting cabbage plants from this 

 insect is to surround them with a tarred paper collar about 2% 

 inches in diameter, which is so cut as to practically encircle the 

 stem. These are readily adjusted about the plant, easily cut and 

 form one of the most eflScient methods of preventing the parent 

 fly from depositing its eggs. 



A carbolic soap emulsion composed of 1 pound of hard soap dis- 

 solved in a gallon of water, in which 1 pint of crude carbolic acid 

 is then poured, emulsified and diluted with 30 parts of water, is 

 very efiicient in killing the maggots about infested plants. An 

 application should be made shortly after the plants are set out, 

 and repeated once a week or 10 days till after the middle of May. 

 The standard kerosene emulsion diluted with 12 to 15 parts of 

 water has also proved very successful. Either may be readily 

 applied with a knapsack pump. It is possible to check the attack, 

 where labor is cheap by removing the earth from the affected parts 

 in the morning of a bright day and replacing it at night. The 

 drying kills the maggots without injury to the plants. This is 

 practised to some extent on Long Island, as stated by Mr F. A. 

 Sirrine. 



Onion maggot (Phorbia ceparum Meigen) . This serious 

 pest of market gardeners has, like its close ally, the cabbage 

 maggot, been very injurious in portions of the State, particularly 

 in St Lawrence county where it is credited with having destroyed 

 one fourth of the onion crop. It has also caused considerable 

 complaint in the vicinity of Albany. 



This insect, so far as known, has a life history very similar to 

 that of the cabbage maggot, and may be controlled in like manner, 

 except that it is impracticable to use the tarred paper collars 

 though the carbolic soap wash can be employed to very good 

 advantage. 



Tarnished plant bug (Lygus pratensis Linn.) . This 

 notorious and almost ubiquitous pest occurs on a great many 



