The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1880-05-29

Cut Worms.-Where cut worms are
troublesome in the field, very old and
at the same time very good remedy is
to entrap them in holes made near the
plants, or hills, if in the cornfield. An
old rake handle, tapered at the end so as
to make smooth hole five or six inches
deep, or more will answer very well for
this purpose In the morning the worms
that have taken refugein these holes may
oe crushed by thrusting the rake handle
into them again, and the 'trap" is set
Tor the next night. 1t is always well in
planting to make provision for the loss
of stalk or two, by cut worms or other
causes, as it is easier to thin out than to
replant.
Nav Beetles.-These are the perfect
insects of the white grub SO destructive
| to lawns and sometimes to meadows A
French plan for destroying, or rather
catching, the cockchafer, very similar
insect, Is to place in the center of the
orchard after sunset an old barrel, the
inside of which has been previously
tarred. At the bottom of the barrel is
placed lighted lamp, and the insects
circling around to get at the light strike
their wings and legs against the tarred
sides Of the barrel, and either get fast or
are rendered so helpless that they fall to
the bottom. Ten gallons of beetles have
been captured in this way in q single
night. -. !.
SIugs.-English gardeners place hand
fuls of bran at intervals of eight or ten
feet along the border of garden walks.
| The slugs are attracted to the bran, and
| in the morning each little heap is found
covered with them. The ground is then
gone over again, this time the operator
providing himself with dustpan and
small broom and an empty bucket, and it
is an easy matter to sweep up the little
heaps and empty them, slugs and all,
| into the bucket, In this way many hum
| dreds have been taken in q single walk,
| and if a little saltand water be placed on
the bottom of the bucket the slugs COM
| ing in contact with it are almost instant
ly destroyed.
/ Ants.-When these insects are trouble
some in the garden fill small bottles two
| thirds with water, and then add sweet
oil to within an inch of the top; plunge
these into the ground near the nest OF
hills to within half an inch of the rim,
and the insects coming for sip will gel
into the oil and perish, as it fills the
breathing pores. The writer once en-.
trapped in a pantry myriads Of red
ants in shallow tin cover 'smeared with
lard, the vessel having accidentally beer
left in their track. Another means o.
| entrapping them, suggested to me BY
Professor Glover many years ago, is t
| sprinkle sugar into dampened spong'
near haunts to attract the insects. WheI
they have swarmed through the spong'
| it is squeezed in hot water, and the traI
is reset until the majority Of the insect
| are killed.
| Aphis.-A remedy for plant lice upoI
the terminal shoots of rose bushes 70
similar hardy plants,) said to work lik
charm, is as follows: Take four ounce
| of quassia chips and boil for ten minute
| in q gallon of soft water. Take out tn
chips and add four ounces of soft soap
| which should be dissolved in it as
cools. Str well before using, and appl
with moderate sized paint brush, brush
| ing upward Ten minutes after syring
the trees with clean water to wash O
| the dead insects and the preparation
which would otherwise disfgHre the ros
| trees.
Scale.-.a French .composition for d.
stroyips-scale insects plant ice, etc.. Q
| fruit and other trees, Is As follows: Bo