Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-07-31
Agricultural.
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Our most destructive cabbage worm, Pie
ris rdpd, like the potato beetle and many
other injurious insects, was unknown in this
country when middle aged men we're young.
It is a native of Europe, and was first seen
in America in Quebec in 1859 II was sup
posed 10 have been brought over in quant-
~ of fresh vegetables shipped for the use Of
soldiers sent from England to Quebec at the
same time. The first record Of it's appear
ance in this state was in 1868, when 1t was
found at Montpelier. II probably did not
appear in this county until several years
later, and has not been generally trouble
some here for more than about ten years. It
lie found now in every garden whore there
are a dozen oabbages. There are two or
three native species of cabbage worms, but
these are not nearly as destructive as the i'm
ported kind as they work mostly on the out
side leaves, while the European worm eats
its way into the head Prof. Riley says that
unlike the two indigenous American species
Il Is not content with riddlng the outside
leaves, but prefers to secrete itself in the
heart so that every cabbage has to be torn
apart and examined before being cooked; it
is also necessary to keep continual lookout
even after it is dished up, lest one gets such
an admi1ture of animal and vegetable food
as is not deemed palatable by most men.
Further experience with the worm in this
country has shown that it does not often get
TO the heart of solid heads.
The cabbage worm is the larva of a butter
fly, which ia thus described The body is
dark above and the wings are white; the
front wings are black at the tip, and have, in
the male, one black spot between the middle
and the posterior edge, but the female has
two black spots and sometimes three. The
hind wings have q black spot on the front
margin above. The hind wings below are
yellowish, sometimes becoming even green.
The butterflies are numbering fyers but are
among the most industrious insects, ccntinu-
ing on wing from early morning till late in
the afternoon. They feed upon the nectar
Of great variety of flowers, but are partic-
ulsrly fond of lowering over thistles. The
eggs are deposited singly, or in clusters Of
not more than two or three, on the under side
of the leaves sometimes upon other plants
than the cabbage and caulifower. The
worms have been found on the leaves Of tur-
nip, radish, nAsturtium and several other
plants. The eggs are deposited at all times
during the growing season, or from May to
October They hatch in from seven to nine
days after they are laid, as long as the wealth
er is warm enough to develop them. The
larva acquires its full growth in about two
weeks after hatching and is then about one
inch and fourth in length. 1t soon passes
into the chrysalis state, in which 1t remains
in the summer, about fortnight, when it
emerges as the butterfly described above.
Late in the season the chrysalis does not be-
come butterfly until the following spring.
A great number of remedies for the cab
bage worm have been recommended, as lime
water, tar water, copperas solution, whale
oil soap, brine, powdered tAnsy, tobacco wa
Ter, Persian insect powder, Cayenne pepper,
hot water, ice cold water, and even Paris
green. We have found Cayenne pepper
quite efficient remedy. II any one has used
Paris green on cabbages they should be pros
ecuted. Hot water is very simple and safe
remedy, and il harmless to the plants and
death to the worms, as it is said to be, it is
one to be recommended.