8 
their poisonous qualities. The succulent nature and crisp character of 
the leaves, notwithstanding the hardy character of the plant, tend 
also to further limit the use of topical applications, especially such as 
will discolor or injure them. 
So far but little has been done towards finding any other remedies 
than topical applications, but the experience of the past season in our 
own State has led many to doubt the efficacy not only of any that 
have been recommended, but of all remedies of this class so far as coun 
teracting insects that attack the cabbage are concerned. In fact there 
is a growing tendency among practical horticulturists to place less 
and less reliance upon such remedies in any case, except perhaps 
for such tender-bodied and easily destroyed insects as plant-lice. 
The loss of cabbage the past season through the operations of the 
caterpillars of the cabbage butterflies, is well known to every horticul¬ 
turist, and as these are now the greatest enemies our cultivators. of 
this esculent have to contend with, we will commence our list with 
them. 
European Cabbage Butterfly. Male. 
European Cabbage Butterfly. Female. 
THE EUROPEAN CABBAGE-BUTTERFLY. Pieris rapae. Linn. 
This species which, from the fact that it has been introduced from 
Europe, lias generally received the name “European Cabbage-Butter- 
is usually designated in England the “Small White’' or “Turnip 
Butterfly.” 
It is beyond all doubt the most injurious cabbage insect with which 
our gardners have to contend. As is the case with most of the species 
which have been introduced from*Europe, it is more injurious than any 
of its native congenors. According to Abbe Provancher it annually 
destroys about $240,000 worth of cabbage in the vicinity of Quebec. 
A correspondent of the American Agriculturalist for November, 1870, 
states that the loss from this insect, in the vicinity of New York alone, 
would amount for that year to more than a million dollars. As I have 
no statistics in reference to the cabbage production of our State it is 
impossible for me to estimate the loss occasioned by this insect the 
past season, but it must have amounted to fully one-half of the entire 
crop. 
