The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1854-11-17
TO PREVENT LICE ON CABBAGE.

Ma. EDITOR In your paper Of the 10Th
instant, I noticed a communication signed
" Subscriber from North Dixmont, headed
"Lice on Cabbage" and having suffered
from the same cause some twenty years
since. | feel to sympathise with your CORES.
pondent, and give him my experience in the
case.
Feeling unwilling to dispense with the
wholesome vegetable, commenced 10 look
for remedy for the evil, and, rs the sailor
would say, in overhau'ing my mind, | recol.
lected that when quite small boy, not more
than six years old, was in the kitchen gar
den Of near neighbor Of my father, whom
| will call neighbor p.
Neighbor p. was a native OF Mas'achu
setts, and came to that part OF the State
then known as the district Of Maine, then
Ia an almost wilderness state, ard commen.
ced to clear farm, and bringing with him
the habits Of his native town, he did not
forget the kitchen garden, but early in his
commencement Of clearing farm, selected
a spot for n garden. and paid particular at.
tention to its cultivation, and early raised
fruit, with which he was very LIBERAL in be-
slowing upon the children Of the Few pioneer
settlers who followed HIM in the settlement,
and when they were ripe 1t was great
treat for us tYankers) to be permitted to
visit neighbor p. and his family. and be
shown the various vegetables and fruit in
his garden, and have him answer our many
childish questions, and receive from him the
red cheek apples. But in thinking over the
many pleasant scenes with neighbor p. and
family, have somewhat deviated from my
subject and will now return.
lhaye already said that | was in the gar
den Of neighbor p. l there discovered a
plant among the cabbages, towering above
them in majestic manner, and entirely
new to my young mind, Immediately asked
neghdor p what it was,-he answered
&" Bacca," Il give his own. langauage) tha,
is bacca such as chew, and Mr.. j. smokes
in his pipe.
Ny mex, question was-What is It among
the cabbages for 7 Keep the lice off" was
the answer. In overhauling my mind some
thirty years after, recolec'ed the answer,
and commenced to try the experiment for
myself. but iound difficulty in procuring
seed, and did no, succeed I'LL the third year
in getting any, and the lice continued to
trouble me all the time.
Aher l procured seed Immediately com.
menced the experiment, and it succeeded
with me beyond my expectations, and tho
tobacco plant has grown in my garden every
year since, and no lice has troubled me till
the present year, at the time that the to.
bacco plant should have been set among the
cabbage, I was sick. and my hired man be.
ing unacquainted, did not set any. and in
consequence n very few lice have made their
appearance.
find no trouble in getting tobacco plants
for by leaving a stock to seed. it will seed
itself from year TO year, and It Is better to
seed in the fall than in the spring. the seed
requires very early sowing, us it takes long
time to vcgeIate
l In conclusion I will state another benefit
which derive from my tobacco plants. In
my tie.up for my cattle, overhead nail
strips Of boards or lathes to the joists or
beams which support the scafiald and be-
tween the joists; | pull my tobacco just be
fore the heavy frosts in October. put the
tobacco to dry upon these strips, and as it
becomes very dry, and dust accumulates,
| take stick and sir it up when the cattle
are in the tieup, and Just before turning
them out in damp weather, few times dur
ing the fall and winter, which prevents lice
on them, and if add to my stock OF cattle
any new members which think may have
lice or nits about them, Immediately take
few leaves Of tobacco, and pulverise to
powder. and sift over the new members, and
no trouble Is experienced from the vermin.
| set the tobacco plan, among the cabbage
some six or eight feet apart, and even fur.
ther sometimes.
And now, Mr.. Editor, l have given dc.
tailed account in my iIlteratc and rough
farmer like manner, and il you think it, or
any part OF II, will be Of any benefit to yonr
correspondents or any other one among my
brother farmers and gardeners Of our State
and Union, you are at liberty TO publish the
whole, or such parts us you may think prop.
er. JonN SAwriR.
Raymond, Ne Oct. %, 1884.
P.S. II your correspondent or any one
else should wish to try the experimcnt,I can
furnish supply Of seed free OF expense ex'
cept the freight on small quantities in let
,ers, ,bu, sufficient for any one person.--aia'ne
Farmer. 80. p