Cabbage Worms Once More. 
Infrequent inquiries are received as to the 
“j best method of protecting Cabbages 
from the ravages of the Green Worm. 
Seven or eight years ago these worms were 
very destructive in this vicinity and many 
fields were nearly ruined by them, but 
they are yearly growing less plentiful by 
reason of their natural parasitic enemies 
until little attention is now paid to them 
beyond picking off what few worms are 
seen when hoeing. In districts which are 
still badly infested with them, there are 
several methods in use which are said to be 
effective. The Country Gentleman has for 
some years recommended an application of 
hot water. it is claimed that a sprinkling 
of water heated to 100 degrees will kill the 
worms while the plants are not injured by 
water at less than 130 degrees. Bran or 
middlings sifted on the plants, while the 
dew is on. is also said to kill the worms. 
If our native “hair sparrow” or ‘’chipping 
birds” could be protected and increased 
they would prove a most perfect protection. 
I have known a single pair to capture near¬ 
ly all the worms on a half acre of cabbages, 
they seeming to prefer them to any other 
article of food. It is really surprising to 
notice how keenly they will observe the 
presence of a worm. Had our farmers 
more such friends, they would suffer much 
less from the effects of the insect enemies. 
Use of Petroleum. 
“Petroleum is found to be of benefit to 
shingles to preserve them, as it enters the 
pores of the wood at once, and as it hard¬ 
ens, makes it more compact in texture, 
and also rather less liable to take fire, al¬ 
though when once burning they will of 
course produce more flame than the wood 
without it; but a coat of petroleum applied 
to a shingle roof will make it last several 
years longer than it otherwise would. 
Petroleum is also an excellent article to ap¬ 
ply to the iron and steel work of farm im¬ 
plements to prevent their rusting when 
not in use. When any outbuilding, or 
even your dwelling house is to be painted, 
one-half of the expense may be saved by 
applying a coat of petroleum with a fine 
whitewash brush, and letting it dry for 
two or three weeks, put on one coat of 
paint; by so doing a second coat of paint is 
rendered unnecessary, and that much 
money saved.” 
We have given this a practical test and 
know that it is sound advice. Our dwell¬ 
ing was painted when built, and gone 
without repainting for about fifteen years. 
The paint had fallen off in places, and the 
siding was badly checked, so that it looked 
as though a large amount of paint would 
be absorbed. We' sent to Titusville, Pa., 
for a barrel of crude petroleum. The oil 
was billed to us at 3 cts. per gallon, or 
$1.20. The 40 gallon cask, containing it, 
cost about $2.00. and the freight cost us as 
much as both oil and barrel together. Yet 
the whole expense was less than $7.00. 
The house was given a thorough coating of 
this on top and sides; and after drying two 
or three weeks, was followed (except on 
the roof) with one coat uf Averill paint. 
The petroleum filled the checks and harden¬ 
ed the wood so that one coat of paint only 
was necessary. Five years have since pass¬ 
ed and that painting has proved more 
durable than the first, being less inclined 
to scale off than that which was placed up¬ 
on the naked pine. 
According to the editor of the Gardener's 
Monthly, it has been found that water heat¬ 
ed to 130 deg. is fatal to all insects that in¬ 
fest plants, even though exposed to it but 
for an instant, while the immersion of a 
plant for an instant in water of that temper¬ 
ature does not injure the plant in the least, 
unless the leaves are very tender from hav¬ 
ing been grown in the shade. But even 
then they do not suffer at 120 degrees while 
the insects seem to be destroyed at about 
100 degrees or 110 degrees; so in gardening 
practice the rule is to recommend the water 
to be heated to 120 degrees. The practice 
generally is t; turn the plant upside down 
and dip the plant, but not the pot, for an 
instant only, in hot water. In use the wa¬ 
ter has to be carefully tested by a ther¬ 
mometer. 
