The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1889-06-07
RAvA0ES OF INSECTS.
How To Apply Insecticides 40 as to a.
cure SstlsfaetOrY EeauIt..

| cure Satisfactory Results.
Considerable interest has developed
lately on the subject Of applying insec-
ticides, and IL is very opportune. The
| pressing need OF better understand
Ing Of methods for successfully resist
Ing the ravages OF our insect enemies
crosds upon US with increased YigOr
as the recurring seasons increase the
number and rapacity Of the Zoe. IL
has been very evident 90 close OBJ
servers at leasD that a great part OF
the work done. especially in the use Of
poisonous compounds, has proved Of ac-
tual damage; that IL, the insects them
selves would not have done more harm
N left alone than the misuse Of poison
did. a treatment for insects that may
do very well in growing, productive
season IS liable 10 do great harm % the
crops in an unfavOrablc one. TO apply
poisOns effectively (without doing in
jury) and cheaply, Is equally Of impor.
tancc.
After quite an extended experience
In using insecticides in nearly all
ways, have decided that there Is only
one way in which satisfactory results
can be reasonably expected every time,
and that is by spraying. Poiaons should
be used in liquid form always, and in
applying TO the foliage. 10 insure sue
cess, IL must be broken up into fine,
misty spray, like fog or steam. To ac-
complish this desired result. there is
nothing yet made 20 excel the spraying
machine. IL Is built on simple, mo
chanical principles, and the amount Of
the application can be guagcd per-
fectly. BY the aid Of one horse Cor
team and man. this machine operates
on four rows Of potatoes at time. do
liyering n fine, misty spray with force,
penetrating every part OF - plant and
thoroughly imprcguating the foliage
with poison Out not drcnching), 30
that il the larvn feed on any portion
they must get the poison. The danger
OF burning the leaves Is greatly les
sened. In fact, the plant can hardly
bo harmed il ordinary care is taken. ]
have sprayed eighty acres Of potatoes
in three days, using only $3.50 worth
OF London purple. and Ia thirty-six 10
forty-cight hours after the poison was
put on hardly "A slug could be found
alive. The expedition and economy
with which poisons can be applied in
this way enables the grower to use
weaker solutions often, and thus
obviatcs all danger from doing harm
10 the growing crops.
Tho Colorado bugs badc fair 90 give
us the most trouble we over cXper-
fenced during the dry season Of 1887,
yet by two timely applications Of Lon
don purple by spraying, we succeeded
In almost totally destroying them,
without apparent damage to any part
OF the crop, at "A cost Of less than 30
cents per acre, including labor and
poisons for the two jobs. saw agrcat
many fields Of potatoes that were al
most ruined that season by applying
poisons in "A careless manner, both In
liquid and powder form. Whom pota-
toes bring 75 cents to 81 per bushol at
harvest time, it is poor policy 20 ruin "a
crop by being short-sightcd in amy way
Wcttiug or drenching tho vines with
water alone during dry, hot weather is
n dangerous experiment, and when tho
water is incorporated with active
poisons and applied in n haphazard
manner, it is most sure TO do harm.
The whole business of mixing and APP
plying insecticides should bo done IN a
systematic and methodical manner.
Guess work will not pay As Prof. w.
B. Atwood has we'll said, i'm his station
report on Insects and Insecticides:
Lack Of oxactncss in the details often
defeats the purpose OF work with I'M
secticidcs.' Defeat is the price OF
carolcssncss or ignorance. Cor. Ohio
Farmer.