CABBAGE INSECTS. 
Cabbage (Brassica oleracea) is one of the vegetables brought into 
use at an early day, and although not so indispensible as the potato, 
is nevertheless an esculent highly esteemed, and has assumed an im¬ 
portance that gives it a prominent position, not only in the horticul¬ 
tural catalogue, but also in estimating the productions of our country. 
I have no statistics by which to estimate its value in this country, 
but when we learn that in London about one-hundred million heads 
are annually sold, which, at but five cents a head, would amount to 
$5,000,000 we may be prepared to estimate the amount raised 
in Illinois at a sum worthy of being taken into consideration in esti¬ 
mating the value of our productions. 
Just when and where it was first brought into use it is not possible 
to state now with certainty. A comparatively recent article in Hard- 
wicke’s Science Gossip says that the plant from which the varieties 
in use in England originated, is to be found along the southeast sea- 
coast of England. But it is certain that some of the varieties were 
early in use on the western side of the continent; also that kales or 
coleworts of some kind were long in use in Greece and Rome, as they 
are frequently mentioned by Greek and Roman writers and even direc¬ 
tions given for their cultivation. It is also certain that various species 
of Brassica are found in different parts of the world. 
But it is not my intention at present to enter into the history of 
this vegetable farther than to call attention to the fact that our 
species is probably a native of a northern maratime country, although 
the genus is distributed over the temperate climate of Europe, Asia 
and Africa. 
Naturally of a succulent character which has been greatly increased 
by cultivation, it is thereby rendered more than ordinarily liable to 
the attacks of leaf-eating insects. 
What its original insect enemies were we have no means now of 
ascertaining w r ith any certainty; but it is evident that the change 
made in it by cultivation, and its extension over a large portion of 
the world, has added considerably to the list of its insect foes. As 
the westward extension of the area of potato cultivation has added to 
the insect enemies of this vegetable, in this country, so the western 
and southern extension of the cultivation of cabbage has increased the 
number of its foes. We may mention as examples in proof of this 
statement, the Southern Cabbage butterfly (Pieris protodice) and the 
Harlequin Cabbage bug (Murgantia histrionica) The latter, in fact, 
did not commence its attack until this vegetable began to be culti¬ 
vated in a certain portion of the Gulf region. 
As the chief portion of this plant, as grown under cultivation, con¬ 
sists of its leaves, the attacks of its insect enemies are directed 
chiefly, and, in fact, almost entirely against these. As the leaves con¬ 
stitute the edible portion of the plant, this fact limits the application 
of topical remedies to such substances as will not endanger life by 
