NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 
There is a popular belief pretty firmly 
fixed in the minds of cabbage growers that 
American grown cabbage seed are superior to 
imported. Whether this is the result of claims 
put forward by American growers, or the result 
of actual trial by planters, we do not know. 
And whether, if the claim be true, it is on ac¬ 
count of the superiority of our American stocks, 
or to the influence of climate we cannot say. 
We have some experiments under way which 
we hope will throw some light upon these points. 
We have procured some samples of the most 
popular varieties from England, France, Ger¬ 
many, California, Oregon and Washington Ter¬ 
ritory we shall have tested here and also in diff¬ 
erent sections of the Union. We have also sent 
some samples of our best strains to most of the 
above countries for trial. We propose to supply 
our patrons with as good cabbage seeds as the 
world can produce, and if there is any better 
strains in existence, than we already have, we 
wish to find them out. 
Dr. Oemler in “Truck Farming for the 
South ” says “Cabbage from imported seeds are 
thought to be more certain to head, and in the 
vicinity of Savannah, those from Germany are 
preferred, however it may be in other localities.” 
Should any of our southern readers desire to test 
cabbage seeds from any of the above named 
sources, in comparison with each other or those 
of their own growth, we will send samples of 
seed on condition that they will report to us the 
result. 
At this SEASON of the year orchards are 
very liable to be attacked by the canker worm. 
This insect is one of the most devastating of all 
our insect pests if not promptly destroyed. They 
spread slowly, however, as the female moth has 
no wings. She lays her eggs after climbing the 
tree, and if prevented from ascending the trunk 
most of the ravages may be prevented. A good 
plan is to tack a strip of carpet paper two or 
three inches wide around the tree and coat the 
exterior with tar. There are many devices for 
preventing the female moths from ascending the 
tree, most of which are effectual. The larvae 
can be recognized by their yellow and black 
stripes, ten legs, and their habit of “looping” or 
“measuring.” When they are disturbed they 
fall by means of a silken thread and hang sus¬ 
pended. If trees are devastated by the canker 
worm they have tin appearance of having been 
scorched by fire, The lai.vse are easily destroyed 
by Paris green or London purple. Put one-third 
pound of the poison into a barrel of water, keep¬ 
ing the mixture well stirred. It can be thrown 
over the trees by means of a syringe or force 
pump. One application should nearly rid the 
orchard ot' the pests. 
Cabbage worms now claim attention and 
inquiries as to the best method of destroying 
them are frequent. One of our correspondents 
says red pepper did the business for him. 
Another uses hot water. Joseph Harris says 
that his private secretary advised his corre¬ 
spondents to ‘Shoot them.” We do not know 
the exact manner of his procedure, but think 
that if he would use the right kind of powder— 
Dalmatian Insect Powder—that shooting with 
an insect gun or bellows, or even a large pepper 
box, might prove very effectual. At least a 
correspondent of ours in Atlantic County N. J., 
in a recent note ordering a liberal quantity of 
this powder says, “I received some from you 
last year and it did good work. It saved the 
cabbage patch I believe.” Mr. Harris does not 
confirm his secretary’s method. He says the 
only practical remedy he has ever tried is heavy 
manuring and thorough cultivation, and setting 
out plants by the thousand instead of by the 
hundred. 
The farmer should concentrate his crops into 
the best paying articles. Butter, cheese, beef, 
pork and mutton represent only a certain amount 
of grass, hay and grain that his farm produces. 
Instead of selling the raw commodities, he can, 
by putting them into these articles, get much 
better returns for his products. What he raises 
has to go to some market. By condensing it, 
less freight will have to be paid, and thus much 
will be saved. A farm is not only a farm; it is, 
or should be, a factory for changing the raw 
products into articles of general consumption 
that have a commercial value the world over— 
that are of the best quality, that keep well and 
sell well, and bring prices that will pay well 
for the skill, labor and capital employed in pro¬ 
ducing them. 
Cabbages are largely grown in some parts of 
England as a forage crop, and are considered one 
of the best green feeds to stimulate milk produc¬ 
tion that the farmers can use. Lately the mar¬ 
ket price in Boston has been so high that our 
New England farmers would prefer to sell their 
cabbages and purchase hay and grain, but the 
unsalable heads and outer leaves should be 
saved and fed to the cow. If given at the bam 
diaeetly after milking, and the stable is properly 
ventilated, they will not impart any flavor to 
the milk, providing that the amount fed at first 
