The Churchill county standard. (Fallon, Nev.) 1908-1920, 1911-08-16
A LETTER ABOUT FEW PESTS
Superintendent F.B. HeadIey Ex-
plains Origin And Cure For
Troublesome Insects.
Fallon- Neu Al,

/ -fSfss AauEdpl q, lOI1.
standard Publishing Company,
FaIlon, Nevada.
Dear Sirs:
Last week some of the green worms
found on the alfalfa in the vicinity of
faiion were sent to Prof. Doten. En-
tomologist at Reno, for identification.
They were identified as the larya of
OF the yellow butterfly that is seen so
commonly flying over the fields.
Some cabbage worms were also sent
for identification. Prof. Doten found
three species Of cabbage worms pre-
sent and gives the following informa-
tion in regard to the cabbage worm in
general: The most abunqant and in
furious OF these is Pieris rapae, an in
sect imported many years ago from
Europe, and which has now spread over
the largest part of United States and
Canada. The wings expand about an
inch and half. are white or with a
creamy tinge, with single black spot
on the forewing of the male and two
similar spots in those of the female.
The first brood comes to maturity in
less than month and then eggs are
laid on early cabbage plants. Soon ir-
regular holes appear, first in the out
leaves, then IN the head itself, and
little piles of dirty yellow excremen
may be found everywhere among the
folds. The caterpillars themselves are
yelvety green in color, almost like the
cabbage leaf, and, as they lie rather
closely TO the plant tissue, are easily
overlooked until little practice is
gained in searching for them. They
become more abundant as the season
advances, and late cabbage often suf-
fers seriously ia some localities. By
all odds the best remedy is spraying
with the arsenities, at the rate of one
pound in one hundred and fifty gallons
of water. A great many other rene
dies have been recommended, and some
of them are undoubtedly useful, but
nothing is so satisfactory and cheap
as the arsenite, and without gross care
lessness there is not the slightest dam
ger in its application.
The cabbage head from within, that
is to say. the leaves unfolded from the
nter OF the head and do not fold to-
ther to form it; therefore, whatever
jison is put upon the plant can fall
only upon the outer leaves and not a
particle gets into the head itself. The
amount used to a single cabbage plaT t
i, so minute that in order really to
ison man it would be necessary for
him TO eat about a dozen heads, outer
leaves and all, and If death then re-
suited | would be inclined to attribute
it to the cabbage itself than to the
Paris Green or other arsenite employ
ed. The larvae succomb to the poison
very readily and by making the appli--
cation very early in the season the lat
er broods may be materially reduced In
number.
In ordinary farm practice the heads
are cut out and shipped, and in pre-
parlng the cabbage for food, the outer
Leaves of these heads are generally
taken off by the housewife because
more or less bruised or injured before
they are cooked. Chemical analysis
ha, shown that on head so prepared,
within week after heavy application
of Paris green, not trace OF arsenic
remained. As matter of fact, the
use of Paris green against the insect
ia quite common, although little is said
of it, to avoid exciting prejudice and l
have yet to learn of the first case OF
arsenical poisoning from eating cao-
bage SO treated.
Very truly yours,