32 
ground often around the plants. If a field of turnips or a bed of cab 
bages, when just coming over the ground, be only lightly stirred, by 
drawing a garden rake over the plants, along close to the rows, there will 
be very little if any powder required, but this must be done often to keep 
down this bug; and in this the secret of saving the crop lies, of which 
few seem to be aware. These bugs seem to breed in and come from the 
ground around the plants, but, it seems, cannot generate if the ground be 
kept frequently stirred. This I have proved to my entire satisfaction ; 
and wben the ground cannot be stirred, all of the above powders will 
often fail. 
I next tried the effect of these infusions on cabbage lice {Aphis bras- 
sicce) on about 200 j)lants. Here, again, I found it was essential to fol- 
low with the lime powder, for although these washes killed some and 
stunned most of the others, yet it had not the powerful effect of the lime 
powder. This, as far as I have gone, has proved effectual, and I think if 
put on in time will keep down this pest altogether. 
During this month 1 have also been trying to find out something to 
prevent the Out- worm from injuring cabbages after being planted. I 
have tried soft soap and tobacco water separately and combined, as a 
dip, also Hansen & Smith's Pinoleum in 12 times its volume of water* 
They were all too strong and killed many of the plants at first. Noth- 
ing daunted, I tried again, at least the soap and tobacco. Infused two 
ounces of tobacco stems in one quart of water, as a dip for the stems 
and lower ends of the leaves. Also made a suds of one teaspoon t'ul of 
soft soap to one pint of water. With each of these I wetted 25 cabbage 
plants, and placed a Cut-worm in the ground near the stem of each. 
This was done a week since, and I have had none of these cut yet, and 
they continue to be cut in a field of 14 acres near by. The owner has 
only saved this lot of cabbages by keeping boys constantly searching for 
and killing the grubs around the plants and occasionally transplanting. 
I also tried a plan of former days, by putting a little freshly slacked 
sifted lime around 115 plants, with this exception, that in order to make 
the test good I buried 12 Cut-worms, about one-half inch deep, and from 
one to two inches from the stems of each of a dozen plants. I have seen 
them every day for more than a week, and I have not found one plant cut 
yet. I have also tried the effect of these infusions on the Sing {Selandria),Sb 
small solt-bodied caterpillar I found on pear and cherry trees. Syringed 
the branches, and wetted them weU. The stramonium water was the 
most powerful ; seemed to kill at once, but next day I found many yet on 
the leaves. I then gave them a dusting of lime powder, and that com- 
l)letely banished them. 
I formerly used a powder of ailanthus and also of stramonium 
leaves to eradicate this pest from fruit trees, but of late years I find 
lime powder, well sifted and dusted on, involves less labor, and is a most 
effectual ren)edy against this pest. 
I find cabbage-growers in general make a great mistake by plant- 
