The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-04-20
THE CABBAGE PEST
More Destructive to
Truckers This Year
Than Ever.

The trucking interests of eastern
North Carolina are suffering greatly
from the injury to cabbage plants in
ficted by the cabbage louise, a pest
that makes the truckers lose large
sums of money each year Thousands
of acres are planted in cabbage in the
State. and although the damage To
these plants is most severe in the east,
yet the pest occurs wherever the cab
bage is grown.
The pest is very destructive and
worse this year than ordinarily.
There Is a popular conception, SAID
Entomologist Sherman yesterday,
which is altogether wrong, that an ex-
trenely cold winter will eXterminate
insects. but the past winter has proven
the erroneousness of this idea. Cold
v Gather has no effect on them at all.
4 cut worm may be frozen in block
of ice for month, and then thawed
out but it will be as harmful as ever"
Mr.. sherman has received numerous
enquiries from growers for informa-
tion a. TO the best method fer combas-
ing this pest, and has prepared for
mula for spraying the plants to pro-
tect them from. the louise. This is con-
tanned in an interview with Mr.. Sher-
man relative to the pest. Mr.. Sher-
man said:
1.-The cabbage louise, having safely
PASSED through an unusually hard
winter, is now satisfying his ravenous
appetite at the expense of cabbages,
turnips, mustard, etc. The cabbage
louise is a very small, gray, soft-bodied
louise that gathers in great numbers on
the leaves and stems OF the cabbage
and does damage by sucking the sap
from the plant On account Of the
fact that ii stucks the sap, instead OF
eating the leaves, it cannot be fought
satisfactorily by using Paris green Or
other similar poisons.
Last year we had experience with
this insect and found Il very simple
and effectual remedy. Ordinarily
laundry soap, dissolved in water at the
rate of one aud one half pounds to
four gallons OF water and APPLIED thor
Cughly with spray pump, will GER
tainiy kill them. If the soap is cut
into thin pieces and boiled in two gal
Ions of the water it will quickly dis
solve, when cold water may be added
TO make the four gallons. 1t should
then be applied while still warm.
at may not be altogether easy to
make a thorough application. When
the plants are badly infested the leaves
become very much curled so that it is
difficult to reach the lice. Here we
see the advantage of making the appli-
cation early before the leaves get
curled. But even if they are curled
it is quite practicable to have a boy.
barefoot and with sleeves rolled up,
to accompany the sprayer and rapidly
turn the leaves from side to side while
the application is being made. If
taken in time, one application will us
ually be sufficient Otherwise, it may
be necessary to give a second treat
rnent week or ten days later.
'Py following these directions many
thousands Of plants We're saved last
year. and we already have letters from
wrogers who have successfully follow
ed the method this winter and spring.
within the last two weeks we have
had quite a number of inquiries about
this pest and if we do not soon have
a spell lof hot. dry weather, they will
surevly be very bad this spring.'