In the Gardeners' Monthly for August, 1885, page 239, I see that J. R., of Pllizabethtown, N. J., asks for information concerning some maggots that appear to be destroying the roots of his cabbage and turnip plants, and I think that I can give him a little information, although it will be of little or no use to him this season.

He may rest assured that the maggots are the cause of all his trouble, for they are what we know in this vicinity as the cabbage maggot, and they appear to be remarkably numerous and destructive this year.

This pest does not appear to trouble the plants until they are about half-grown, when the leaves begin to turn yellow and droop, and upon a close examination the roots are found to be partially decayed and full of little maggots. In this vicinity the cabbage is very extensively grown for the New York markets, and I have no recollection of seeing any infested with either the maggot, or with what is known as the clubfoot, when grown on land that has been given a good dressing of lime, ashes, or if the crop has been fertilized with bone dust, superphosphate of lime, or any concentrated or chemical manure or fertilizer; so that I infer that their use is of decided benefit to the crop, and no one in this vicinity would expect to obtain a profitable crop of cabbage unless some chemical cabbage fertilizer was scattered in each hill.

The cabbage maggot is troublesome certain seasons only, and I think that it is advisable to use a little of any of the above-mentioned fertilizers as a preventive, rather than run the risk of losing the entire crop.

I do not think that there is any remedy that can be applied with benefit to the crop after the leaves of the plants begin to turn yellow. If the maggots are noticed before this occurs, a little lime ashes, or bone dust, scattered around on each hill, close up to the plant, and hoed in, might prove to be beneficial, but I need further experience to enable me to speak with certainty on this point.

No instance of the cabbage maggot troubling the roots of turnips has ever come under my observation, and I am inclined to the opinion that your correspondent is mistaken here. But still, if his turnips are likely to be troubled with anything like this, let him apply a dressing of lime, ashes, or any commercial cabbage or turnip fertilizer, and thoroughly incorporate it with the soil by repeated harrowings before sowing the seed.

Queens, Long Island.