Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-09-06
METEOROLOGICAL.
AN HOUR WITH CUR INSECT PESTS
AID FRIENDS.
Use of Arsenic as an ExterminatOr-
Yellow Mites Buttcrfiies-Red
bumped Caterpiilars

| Ions of water sprayed upon the foliage of
trees and vines, will destroy canker-worms
and any other species of caterpillars that
| feed upon the foliage so treated. Effective
| results have been obtained by increasing
the water to $50 and POO gallons TO each
pound of arsenic The effectiveness of this
| remedy results from the poison being re-
| tanned on the leaves, so that the pests eat
ing the leaves are destroyed. Reports reach
! us from the Eastern States that an arsenic
| solution consisting of one pound of arsenic
! dissolved in 200 gallons of water, sprayed
upon the apple-trec when it is in bloom, is
| an effective remedy against the Goblin moth.
| | will not attempt to question the reported
success in the Eastern States, but will say
! that there exists in my mind grave doubts
of its utility and efficiency in this State as
a remedy for this pest. NY reasons are as
| follows: First, the Goblin moth does
not appear in the orchards of this
| State (at least the central pOrtion)
until the fruit of the early varieties of
apples and pears are well set. Second, the
use of arsenic, Paris green London purple,
or any other poison, upon any fruit used
| for human food is dangerous expert
ment. Suppose the blossoms of the apple
tree to be sprayed in March, and the Goblin
moth appears about the 18th of April. If
| the remedy was effective it would result
from the skin or epidermis of the young
! fruit being impregnated with the poison SO
that the young larva just Matched from the
egg would be destroyed by eating its way
| into the fruit; or it may be claimed that
arsenic is volatile, and its fumes prevents
the moth from going on the fruit to deposit
her eggs.
| If either of these theories are correct the
presence of poison on the fruit is admitted,
| and therefore dangerous. 1t may be
claimed that science informs lis that
arsenic being volatile, when exposed
to heat in open air its strength escapes.
This statement is partially corr ect; when
it is exposed to heat of 1856 degrees Fair
enheit it volatilizes and will not melt.
OBJECTIONS TO ITS USE.
l would advise fruit and vine-growcrs Of
this State that notwithstanding the reported
success il exterminating the Goblin moth
| which reaches us from the East, they
should not under any consideration uSt
| arsenic. Paris green, London purple, or any
other poisonous solutions, on frIIit-bcaring
trees or vines until the effects of using poi
sons on fruits are better understood. Ad-
hitting, for arguments sake, that the APP
plicdtiOn of such solutions to friIit-bearing
trees are effective in the Eastern States, and
that those eating the fruit have not eXpc-
rienced any dangerous effects from the use
of such poisons, at least so far as known
| would such success warrant the use of these
remedies in the orchards of this State?
think not In the Eastern States the sum
mer showers are frequent, and are liable to
wash off any particles which lodge or form
on the skin Or epidermiS of the fruit. III
this State summer showers are the cXcep-
ton, not the rule. So that any poison put
on the fruit would be likely to remain
there and might be the means Of fatal con
! sequences to those using the fruit for food
Plausible arguments may be given for the
use Of arscTicai solutions. but 4 thorough
investigation is absolutely necessary before
they can be adopted in this State with
safety.
ARsENICAL SOLUTIONS CAN BE USED
On trees infested by cancer worms, with
| De Longs caterpillar, sn0ut beetles, etc. to
such extent as to destroy the crop Of fruit
and the foliage; on young orchard trees
| tnon-bearing) and nursery stock infested
by leaf-cating pests; on non-bearng grape
vines infested, by the vine caterpilIars. flea
beetles, etc. on nursery plants attacked by
curculio (snOut beetles, cut-worms, etc
In the above cases The loliagc viii bear a
solution of one pound Of arsenic to 15C
gallons Of water potash is a solvent OF
arsenic an equal weight of potash will
dissolve the arsenic thoroughly 10y boiling
Paris-green Is made by Il combination OF
arsenic, potash and bluc-stonc (Sulphate OF
copper one pound t. . or 80 gallons OF
water will be effective. London purple is
a residue procured from dye-stuiis after be-
ing used, and is said TO contain about 70
per cent. arsenic. Use one pound To 80
gallons of water.
| FUNGUS AND YELLOW MITE.
George West, Stockton: The grape
cions at hand; some of them are attacked
by fungus, which has caused the leaves to
wither, and has discolored the bark The
balance Of the leaves are infested by yellow
mites, which have been prevalent in vine
yards and orchards in some districts for
two years past. They appear to be general
feeders as they have been found upon oak
trees and also upon weeds growing on the
plains. They are very destructive to any
foliage which they infcst; their attack
causes it to wither and become perfectly
dry
Description: Color, yellowish; length
of male, one one-hundredth of an inch:
female, one seventy-fifth of an inch The
male has two bright, vcrmiliOn-colored
spots upon the anterior portion, or Shout
ders.
BY carefully gathering the fallen leaves
and burning them, or by grazing sheep in
the vineyard a great deal Of the ova can be
destroyed. Clean cultivation is also neces-
sary.
Remedy; Two pounds whalc-oil soap,
three pounds of sulphur, dissolved in TWEEN
" gallons Of water. To this add one gallon
and a half of kerosene (miXed as directed
in issue of this paper Of August 16th).
Spray the vines with this solution when the
sap is dormant, and it will destroy the e-gs
(ova) of this mite and any germs OF fungus
on the vines, and will be assured death to
all vine-hoppers that it touches Successful
results can be reached by spraying with the
above and clean cultivation.
ABOUT 4 BUTTERFLY.
Editors TolO Mail: The package with
specimens of pupn received. 1t is difficult
to determine thc species to which an insect
belongs by examining The pUpa or chrvs-
ais However, ! have no hesitation in
stating that these specimens are the pup:u
Of species Of butterflies belonging to the
family NHpLa'da these butterflies arc
readily identified by heir fore Ices being
very short and held close 10 the breast Ike
| a tippct. and are never used in Walking}
| and to the GEM, Iia-iitj2. From the lie
scription You give Of the caterpillar having
a cocoon-liNc dwelling an thc branch. in
all probability the species is the diSiDp,s
The catcrpillars OF This species feed upon
the plum, apple oak and willow trees, and
are very destructive % the foliage on the
branches infested. They rarely appear in
| such numbers rs to do serious damage.
| When first noticed. the pruning off of in
Tested branches is the best remedy. ANY
pup@ found on the trees should be de-
stroyed.
RED-ITVNPED CATERPILLARs
! J. II. Lewis, Sacramento: The specimen
of caterpillar that you have sent me is
known as the red bumped caterpillar, and
is produced by the moth, Notodontl cont
ci,lna. The caterpilars Zig. II of this
| species feed in communities on the foliage
OF the apple, cherry, pear and plum trers.
%AAeseAsszza
REnxStefss.@HSeS-
B@5ESYxlS1ySxSN