A member of the Association writing from Garafraxa, wishes us “to give
some information as to the best way of getting rid of the green cabbage
worm; it is a great pest in this quarter.” We have much pleasure in
referring him to the entomological part of the Report for 1877, at page
7, where it is stated by P. C. Dempsey, of Albury, that hot water had
been successfully used to destroy the worms; that the cabbage would bear
an application of water heated to 200° of Fahrenheit without injury,
while even at a somewhat lower temperature it would kill the worms. The
hot water can be applied through the rose of a common garden
watering-pot. He also stated that a cold infusion of Quassia, in the
proportion of three pounds to a barrel of water, had been found to be
effectual in killing the worms, and more conveniently applied than hot
water. The Quassia might give a slightly bitter taste to the cabbage
unless thoroughly washed before cooking, but it is perfectly harmless to
the human system.
At page 5 of the same Report, he will find that the President of the
Entomological Society gives him the cheering information that the little
parasite, _Pteromalus puparum_, is on the increase here, hence there is
a good time coming, when the ravages of this pest to our cabbages will
be very much lessened. And this hope was previously held out to us at
page 40, of the entomological part of the Report for 1876. Some methods
of lessening the numbers of this butterfly are suggested at page 32 of
the entomological part of the Report for 1875, and a full description of
the insect, with engravings of male and female butterfly, of the worm
and of the chrysalis, are also given.
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