The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1884-08-08
Fighting Insects.

Bulletin No o. of the Massachusetts,
Experiment station, gives the following
hs the best means of destroying the many
Insects that make havoc among the crops
pf the farm and garden.
The cabbage flea is the first insect of
Importance that appears. 1t is small
black flea or jumping beetle that attacks
the cabbage, radish, turnip, etc Dust
ing with Paris green mixed with one
hundred times its weight of plaster has
proved an elfectual remedy. Apply when
the plants are wet and after every lain.
The cut worm, of which there are sew
eral species, including the army worm,
works only during the night, and may
be destroyed by the same remedy as
above. We advise a trial of pyrethrum
powder mixed with five times its bulk of
plaster as being more safe, although we
have no positive proof that it will be
effectual
The striped squash bug which has been
so abundant for the past two seasons, is
best kept in check by plaster and Paris
green. For the family garden the safest
and most satisfactory way is to make
bottomless boxes, twelve inches square,
and six or eight inches deep, and covered
with mosquito netting one of these
placed over each hill until the plants
have become tough and hard, is a sure
protection.
For the potato beetle Paris green ex-
tended with plaster, flour or water, is the
only cheap and easily applied remedy
known at present, but great care must be
exercised in its use and especially in the
place where the package is kept, that it
may not get upon the food of animals.
The cabbage worm, the larva of the
common white butterfly, may be easily
destroyed. Hand picking, if begun be-
fore the first brood has passed into the per-
feet state, is eflectual. Pyrethrum pow
der mixed with five times its bulk of
plaster and busted into the centre of the
leaves with sulphur bellows is certain de
struction to every one of them. The APP
plication of insecticides in liquids, to
the cabbage has not been satisfactory on
account of the peculiar structure of the
leaf surface which allows the water to
roll off in drops and not adhere to any
part of it. Paris green is unsafe to use
after the leaves have become over four
inches in diameter.
~ Nui lNHl NOllll SIlOul'l NC NttStIONttl,
while small, with the dust of hellebore
or pyrethrum. The latter being per
fectly harmless is to be more highly
recommended.
Apple and peach borer.-For the de-
struction of these two insects no sure
remedy has been found except the knife.
1t is probable that covering the trunk of
the tree near the ground with the ink OF
tar used to catch cankcr worm-moths. or
wrapping around the trunk bands of
tarred paper, would assist in keeping
them away.
The rose bug has thus far been the
most difficult to overcome of the whole
tribe of injurious insects and we can
recommend no remedy with great de-
gree of confidence but would advise the
trial of the fumes of gas tar held under
the vines a short time every evening
while the grapes are forming. 1t is Ger
tainly offensive to them, and if used care
fully need not injure the plant.
Rose Slu9s are easily destroyed by
spraying with water and pyrethrum at
the rate of one tablespoonful of the latter
to pailful of the former.