The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-07-13
Lime for NOXiOus Insects.

ALTHOUGH lime cannot be classed
! among the universal and never-failing
deStroyers of animal life, it is never
thelesS one of the most etficacious and
eaSily-applied materials for eXpelling a
large variety Of noXious insects.
| There are few species of these pests
which will not be dispersed by one ap-
plicatiOn of lime in their larval stages.
| In addition to its destructive proper
ties to insect life, lime, as is well
| known, acts also with beneficial re-
| suits upon the soil. In view, there
fore, of its value as destroyer of in
Sects, every farmer and gardener
should keep barrel or more of it on
| hand ready for use whenever re-
quired.
Among the first insects which appear
in spring to which lime is certain
death, is the well-known asparagus
beetle. The larva Of this pretty little
beetle is small, blackish and rather
Shiny grub, which feeds upon the
leaves and bark of the asparagus, and,
when abundant, soon kills the most
healthy and vigorous plantation, I'M
less some destroyer is applied. But a
few dustings of lime over the plants
and grubs will thoroughly annihilate
this pest, as we know from experience.
A second brood may appear, the prod
uct of the few grubs which have es-
capped, or those coming from neighbour
ing grounds, but the lime dustings will
prevent any considerable injury to the
plants.
There are several species of saw-fles.
the Larvae of which are generally term
ed slugs, and they frequently appear in
immense numbers on the pear, cherry
and other species of fruit trees, eating
out all the softer portions of the leaves,
and thereby preventing them from per-
forming their natural functions, and
causing death to the foliage if not to
the tree itself. These slugs are covered
with a Shiny skin, to which any fine
dry dust will adhere very tenaciously;
but caustic lime will not only stick,
but burn through the skin and kill the
Slugs in a very few moments. Not
one of these different species of slugs
can withstand a busting of lime, and a
few minutes work and five cents worth
of lime will clear the largest fruit tree
tobe found in the orchard of this wide
ly distributed and very common pest.
There are several species of the pine
saw-fy inhabiting the Unites States,
and while they confine their ravages to
the pines, other evergreens are some
times attacked. Their Larvae are long
yellowish slug-ike worms, spotted with
black, and they frequently appear in
such immense numbers upon the pine
as to entirely defoliate tree in few
days. They are, however, readily de
stroyed by scattering lime over them
and the leaves while wet with dew in
the morning. Hundreds and thousands
Of handsome evergreens have been
killed through a neglect to apply this
very simple destroyer.
There are scores of other insects, the
larvae of which have thin skins, and
these readily yield to applications of
caustic lime. The grubs of the three
lined leaf beetles, as well as those of
the Colorado potato beetle, make little
Roadway under a coat of freshly slaked
lime, although it is not certain death
to them as with some other kinds.
There are no worms or caterpillars
which will eat leaves busted with this
substance, hence they may all be