Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1910-06-10
ROOT MAGGOT
TROUBLESOME


;shes. turnips, onions, cabbage, caul-
iflower, and similar plants is an in
sect which within the last few years
has made it's appearance quite gen.
orally in the Pacific Northwest, and
is giving a great deal az annoyance.
,rba maggot is an especially hard
customer to deal with, inasmuch as
II works underground and insect eide
: annhcations against pests of this
kind are rarely satisfactory.
The root maggot has been the sub
iect of an extensive investigation by
Messrs. j. B. Smith and K. l.. Dick
erson, of the New Jersey Experiment
stations, in which state the insect is
ouite prevalent. Remedial measures
advised by these investigators are
cultural methods, fertilization, cul-
tivation, tarred paper cards, carbolic
acid and lime, kerosene and sand
powdered tobacco, powdered white
hellebore, dry lime, bran and glue,
carbolic acid emulsion, hellebore de-
eoction, hand methods and oil mix
lures.
Following is an epitone of Messrs
Smith and Dickerson's report of
their Investigations:
The onion maggot will breed on
wild as well as cultivated plants of
the mustard, turnip and radish va
riety, hence all of the former, as
well as other com mon weeds, win
ter cress, hedge mustard, and the
like. should be destroyed as far as
possible Some of the insects may
hibernate on or near the roots of the
plants on which the maggots have
been feeding; therefore remove all
roots as soon as they are no longer
useful, and destroy them and their
contents. Cabbage stumps should be
pulled, carried off and dried out or
burnt up as soon as the heads are
cut. Where beds of radishes, turnips
ed late fall blowing and narrowing
followed by deep, early spring plow-
ing will help destroy those insects
in the ground. If such beds are in
fected early in the season to such an
extent as to destroy the crop, or the
greater part of it, then pillow under as
soon and as deeply as possible, or
simply turn it up to the surface to
be dried out. This will destroy a
large number of the maggots and
will prevent others from coming to
maturity or the flies from emerging
from the deeply buried pupae.
Rubbish piles near infested fields
should be destroyed after they have
remained through the winter and
served as a trap for ALTERNATING flies.
Outbuildings, sheds, drying crates
and frames should be thoroughly
cleaned with sulphur This will de-
stroy the alternating flies. Briefly,
by clean culture prevent as many as
possible of the flies from breeding
and destroy as many as possible in
Information.
1t has been learned that when on
ion seed is soWn in the latter part of
April and radish seed in early May,
the plants were much freer from in
festation than when the seed is soWn
earlier. This is because the fly
comes from Information as soon as
the weather is sufficiently warm,
Immediately depositing its eggs on
such plants as are available. The on
ion and radish seed sown in April
and May develop plants after the
greater part of the egg laying has
taken place. Therefore have the
ground well prepared, SOW at the
time indicated, and use quick-acting
fertilizers so as to mature the crop
as early as possible. If an early crop
Is desired SOW very early, and fer
tilize even more heavily to get rap
Id growth. Pillow out the later plants
II they are infested, to be replaced
by the early crop of the later seed
ing.
"A quick-acting fertilizer which
Is recommended for use is: nitrate
of soda, 700 pounds; acid phosphate,
1000 pounds; muriate of potash, 800
pounds. This, in the case of radishes,
can be applied as a top dressing
along the rows before they are plant
ed, or just after they are up at the
rate of 500 pounds per acre. Similar
applications can be made on turnips
and onions. The fertilizer would be
especially advantageous for cabbages
as the plants would be induced to
make stronger and better growth
and mG6e roots on which to maintain
themselves under the maggot attack.
Manure and organic fertilizers
should be avoided, if possible. as the