The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-08-24
Crne Nortberner.
Paw Paw. MICHIGAN. AUGUST "a, 1871
From the .ggrseuitmra College.

Correspondence Of The True Northerner.
The weather is very warm and crops are sur
Yerrne somewhat for want OF ram Inere is
little or no frnit in this part OF the S'ate' OK
cent grapes, few kinds OF which seem 10 90
exceedingly well here. Those raised on the
horticultural department are trained 10 wires
placed horizontally and so arranged as 10 Do
shortened or Heightened at pleasure or with
the expansion and contraction OF wire Tor dir-
terent degrees OF heat and cold. The vines are
kent closely trimmed so that they may be easily
lain down for preservation in winter. IL Is
found necessary too, that the vines be trimmed
10 enable the grapes to ripen before the early
frosts. believe that in our part OF the State
every grape would rpen every year ii more OF
tbs growth was confined to the fruit. But how
can il be expected that the soil upon which the
grapes are grown will long remain rich enough
to furnish the elements necessary for the
growth OF SO much wood, 90 many leaves, and
the ripening OF 30 much fruit as every good
vine will endeavor to produce? There will soon
be failure some where, and 1t Is generally
shown in the green punches hanging to the
vines as il ashamed OF their backwardness-
when all the foliage has been stripped of by
the frost, and ii is too late to make up lost
time.
There is considerable excitement here over the
appearance, at last, Of the rape butterfly (pieris
rapdre), the latest arrival from England.
Around Quebec 1t has DESTROYED alone $240, 900
worth of cabbages every year since 1859, the
date Of it's arrival there, since which time it has
scattered over New York aud Ohio. and is now
ID our State. 1t is feared that it may become
as great an enemy to our cabbage as the pota,
to-beetle is to our potatoes, and We may learn
the value Of cabbage for the dinner table, only
when they are not to be had. II is therefore
desirable that every gardener should know how
the enemy looks thst he may give him fair bat
tie. Prof. Cook gives this description " The
butterfly is white spotted with black. very much
resembling our old specified white cabbage
butterfly but the spots are more marked and
there is less black. In the Larvae state it is pale
green, finely dotted with black, and when ma
ture, one and one-half inches in length. These
insects brood twice. They first appear in May
or June. After mating the eggs are deposited
on the under side of the leaves Of the cabbage.
These hatch, and the larv@ feed on the leaves,
go into chrysalis state and the miagoes come
forth again in July and August. The remedies
are catch 10 net when in the miago or adult
state, collect the eggs, pick the " worms" or,
easier still, keep boards. etc., about the ground
where they will hide to go through their trans
formations and from whence they may be taken
and killed. If this is done, the boards had
better be placed few inches above the ground
and the ground kept free from sticks and rub
bish. II some such method be resorted to inn
mediately we may soon be rid OF this great
threatener OF evil parasite pupates in the
pupa skin Of this butterfly and will be very
appreciatiye soldier for our side in few years
If we but assist him. 1t is for the reason that
newly introduced species have fewer parasitic
enemies that they are more troublesome.
Next Tuesday is junior exhibition which
ocloses this term when there will be weeks
vacation before the opening Of next term which
by direction Of the State Board will be only II
weeks long.