Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-05-24

Persons who looked at them very closely
might have noticed a few indiduais OF Il
fourth form, namely, the pupie, which
were to become winged temales-these
have the wings in a rudimentary state, and
appearing like small scales oppressed TO the
sides of the body. l have never yet seen a
male of this species. The males will be
readily distinguished from the females.
Both the winged and wingless females
have a short, tail-like process at the end
of the body, which is the oyipOsitor or
tube through which the young are passed.
The males will be destitute of this tail-lile
appendage. This insect has a slender,
sharp-pointed bill or trunk, which it holds
under its breast when it is not in use.
With this it punctures the leaves and stalks
of the grain and sucks their juices. 1t
therefore has no occasion to leave the par
ticular plant ON whichit is born, as, till the
grain is becoming ripe and juiceless, ii
always has
AN AMPLE STORE OF NoURIsHMENT
Directly to its feet. Hence, it has no use
for wings to carry it, like other insects,
from place 10 place in search of food. 1t
needs wings only to enable it to emigrate
to fields of grain which are moccupied, in
order to found its colonies in them. Only
a small portion of these insects, therefore.
require wings. These fly away from the
winter grain to plant their race upon the
spring-sowed wheat and oats. Those
which have no wings and remain where
they are born, are much more prolific than
those which have wings and wander abroad.
BY inclosing them separately in walls found
the winged females quite uniformly gave
birth to two young lice in single night,
whilst the wingless ones produced four in
the same time. We frequently see young
lice produced in the daytime, but fewer APP
pear to be born then than during the night.
The winged ones are also much slower in
coming to maturity | placed several young
lice, the morning after they were born,
upon same grain growing in fOwer-pos,
and on the third morning afterwards /
found four little ones around each OF them,
showing that the wingless ones come 10
maturity in three days. 1t will thus be
seen with what prOdigious rapidity these
creatures multiply. a single one produc-
ing four young daily, and these becoming
equally prolific when they are three days
old, her descendants in twenty days will
number upwards of 20000 600, and will be
This will serve to explain to us how these
insects become 50 surprisingly numerous as
they were in July and August"
The result of DR.. Fitch's investigation of
the grain aphis will apply to nearly all the
species Of plant lice.
Remedy Spray the plants Of foliage in
tested with a solution OF one pound buhaCh
to ten gallons of water; or, in using the
soap-and-sulphur mixture one pound Of
bubach in every fifteen gallons, viii de
stroy the pests.
BLUE-sTONE As AN INsECTICIDE.
Unfortunately for many persons who are
engaged in growing fruits, in many cases
they suffer serious loss by taking the ad-
vice OF theorists as to remedies for the eX-
termination Of insect pests Among the
pet theories in regard to insecticides, blue
stone is highly spoken Of by theorists, who
are either ignorant Of its properties or adj
vOcate its utility as an insechcide from
imagination. Repeatedly We hear the
recommendation OF blue-stOne as an in
fallible remedy for canker worms, scale in
sectS. etc. About three weeks ago
visited an orchard to make experiments for
the purpose Of obtaining a remedy for the
determination of canker worms. and the
saving of the crops on the infected trees.
The owner of the orchard was an enthusi-
asst on the subject of blue-stone as AN in
fallible remedy for the determination OF
canker worms. In his absence / pro-
cured some blue-stone, and applied it at
different degrees Of strength on a number
of trees. One week after the application,
a gentleman who was present and assisted
in making the experiment, visited the or
chard, in company with the owner, who
was still an advocate Of bue-stone but
could not give any information Of the
strength it should be applied.
Tree No. ! was examined, which was
sprayed with solution of one pound of
biue-stone to twenty gallons of water. Re
sult-No effect on the canker worms
Enthusiast" Not strong enough
Tree No. was examined, which was
sprayed with a solution of one pound Of
b!ue-stone 10 five gallons of water. Result
No effect on the canker worms.
Enthusiast -" Not strong enough, but
one pound to three gallons Of water viii
knock them.
Tree No. was examined, which was
sprayed with a solution Of one pound Of
blue-stone TO one and one-quartcr gallons |
five quarts of water Result-Lcaves |
burned, but no effect on the canker worms |
Enthusiast" Well, you've got me prac-
teal experiments tell. Blue-stone will not |
destroy canker worm Of that | am sat
isfiedn