Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-03-31
For The Freeman.
A Chat with Farmers.
BY AGRICOLA.
ABorT NoNIous INSECTS.

We have destructive insects in abund-
ancc, and what we most need is the knowl-
edge of remedies to be employed for their
destruction. We have named some of
these remedies for the destruction of plant
lice, and will here speak of others. A
mixture of soap suds and tobacco water
applied with watering pot is sure to kill
all that are hit in the sprinkling. And
even hot water will answer good purpose
if dashed with force upon the plant. If
the plants are either cabbage or lettuce, or
any other kind Of plant whose leaves are
to be used for food, they should be also
drenched with pure water after the appli-
cation of chemical mixtures. Another
remedy which has proved useful is the
solution of half an ounce of strong car
Donate of ammonia in one quart of water.
If the lice are found on the extremities of
branches they may be bent over and i'm
mersed in warm and strong soap suds, or
Il solution of whale-oil soap. If these lice
are found upon potato vines they may be
killed by busting with lime. In green
houses the air should be kept moist us n
preventive to the depredations of plant
lice, and if found there they may be readi-
" killed by fumigaions with tobacco or
sulphur If the lice are found upon the
roofs of plants, as they sometimes are,
they may be treated with salt WATER if
hardy, and with soap suds, if delicate.
And plant lice have their natural enemies,
which may be called lice desroyers. They
are of three sorts The first are the young
of the beetle called lady bird. They are
generally yellow or red and spotted with
black, white or yellow These are very
common and plentiful insects. and are
dif1used among plants. And they literally
live upon plant lice, and, of course, de-
strov large numbers of them. There are
several species of this genus. The old
beetle lays her little yellow eggs in clus-
ters among the plant lice that they may
be ready for service rs soon rs Matched,
and may find full supply of food. These
lady bird grubs are sometimes found in
broods upon potato vines, but they are in
noccnt of all offence to these vines. They
are there after plant lice, and neither in
sect has any agency in producing what is
termed the potato rot, rs has been sup
posed
The second kind of plant lice destroyers
are the young of the golden-eyed, lace
winged fly. This fly is of II pale green
color, and has four wings and two brilliant
golden eyes. Yet this insect eXhales an
offensive odur which renders it very dis.
gushing. 1t suspends its eggs by threads
in clusters beneath the leaves where plant
lice abound. When Matched the young
make great havoc among their natural
enemies.
The last special enemies of plant lice
among insects are the maggots of n spe-
ces of two winged flies which are usually
black with yellow bands on their bodies
They are seen lowering over small trees
and plants Tor the purpose of depositine
their eggs. They do this while on the
wing, fixing an egg here and there wher'
ever plant lice are discovered. They seem
to understand that these blind maggot:
when Matched from the eggs just deposited
must be surrounded by plant lice, or they
could not find them and die of starvation
And it is u remarkable fact that curran
bushcs upon which myriads of these lice
might be seen when the eggs were depos
tied have been entirely cleared of then
within one week after the maggots ap
peared.
From the earliest ages IL certain sub
stance called Scarlet in grain has beer
used in Asia and Europe as colorng mat
ter. The Romans supposed it to be II veg
etable production or grain. But this val
liable dye is now known to be an insect
and, as ii has appeared in different coun
tries, it has been called by different names
The general name by which these insect:
are now known is bark lice. They vary
much in form; live mostly on the bark Of
the stems of the plant, but are sometime.
found upon the leaves and roots. Early
in the spring they appear torpid, adherng
closely 10 the bark. A little later the
body is more sweled, which appears tc
result from the maturing eggs. Ere long
these eggs are Matched, while under the
protection of this apparently dead cover.
! ing. When warm weather comes they
make their escape from the shield and
take possession Of the tree. These insects
have now become common and infest our
nurseries to great extent. Birds are
their common enemies and soap an effect
i've wash.