Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1880-04-06
To the Farmers of Virginia.

RICHMOND. VA, March "a, 1880.
In response to inquiries regarding the
depredations of insects to which the
wheat crop is now being subjected, and
in reply to the article which appeared
in your issue of yesterday, by farmer,
relative to small insect which is dam
aging the wheat crop very much in this
section, I beg to say that from Informal
ton received the "Hessian fly" is doing
much damage to the wheat. The best
remedy now known for the destruction
of the Fly" is lime, "dir. sldke1" or
slaked in water, and then pulverized, az
ter drying. Two bushels per acre is
sufficient, though as much as thirty has
been used without injury. This RENE
dy was probably first advised by Will
liam Tate, of Augusta, in the Farmers
Register, forty or more years ago. 1t
has been successfully used since by
many farmers, among them Colonel F.
G: Ruffin, who speaka very positively
of its value,
The insect described by your CORES
pondent Is "Aphis," from Greek word
meaning to erhdust,) or plant.louse. It
is very destructive insect. The reme-
dy l suggest is to SOW over the wheat,
plaster 100 parts to Paris-green ! part
They should be well mixed, and SOW ed
with the hand, with q protection of
veil over the face. There is very little
danger from its use. Probably it might
be well to substitute lime in place Of the
plaster. The lime Ia cheaper, and will
help to destroy the insects. In using
the lime the hands should be creased
and the face protected. Some use to-
bacco dust along with Paris green to de-
stroy insects, using less Of the latter
Professor PuFyeaF uses for the potato
beetle, Paris green four pounds to to-
baccO Dust and some other menstrum II
forget what, probably plaster or Peru
Wan guanO, to the amount of / 800
pounds. Colonel Ruffin suggests NOW
ing the wheat. Probably rolling will
do good. Respectfully,
THOMAS POLLARD,
Commissioner of Agriculture.
F. S.-London purple may be substi-
tuted for Paris>green. 1t is cheaper
They are both arsenical compounds. It
is claimed to be 20 per cent. stronger and
half the cost of Paris green.
Other papers will please copy for the
benefit of the farmers. 1t may save them
many thousands of dollars.
Very respectfully,
FHOMAs POLLARD.
THE UNPLEDGED TICKET Fraud
The Rockingham Register says: "This
is scheme (the unpledged, 'headless'
ticket) which we suppose, will not be
seriously pressed for to expect 100, 900
men to deliver over their ballots to
eleven men without first declaring in
advance how they will dispose of them,
is drawing it little too strong for the
Virginia stomach, we think" The
staunch old hereditary Rockingham
MISUNDERSTANDING long before rp-
adjustment was ever eoncfiyed, much |
less "born in iniquityn-are not likely
to trust their ballots out of the hands of
the true Democratic electoral ticket into
those Of that ticket which it is more than
indicated may give over those ballots for
the man who gloated over the military
order that was with fire and sword to so
desolate their Shenandoah homes that
the crows would have to carry rations
to survive through their native valley.
Not much stock will they take in that
risk. In Fauquier, leading county in
Virginia politics, where the first poll
ticaI meetings of the ~Readjustern and
of the "Funder" parties were held since
this scheme was promulgated, the signi-
fcant news comes that both factions
were in perfect harmony on the Nation
al issues. And such are the symptoms
of public sentiment in all ncrtions ofthe
State, SO We gather from CUR various ex:
change papers.-Richmond Common
a1e0Lth