Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-12-20
inc bugs we must employ some some agent

OF these substances ind their value IN tneil
acrldity or elasticity, which are likely to bt
destructive to plant tissues as well as Il
those of the insect. Fortunately the re-
sistance of plant tissue to these effect:
usually SURPRISES that of the insect, and
this fact renders of avail many of our mos,
successful expedients for plant protection
Among the means for the destruction OF
noXious insects, the most widely valuable
| are arsenical preparations, kerosene and
| similar oils, and pyretbrum powder.
The first are ordinarily employed in the
| form of Paris green or London purple
practically equally poisonous, but differ
| ing in cost and facility of application, with
the difference in favor of the purple. 1t is
| promised that these poisons are applicable
only in case of insects feeding up the ex-
| ternal tissues of the plant, either the
| leaves, bark or other portion, and taking
| food in a solid form into the stomach. In
such case the application of the powder to
| the surface infested, so as to insure the
swallowing of portions of the poison with
the food, is of frequent and great use. /
may report that it can not be made of ser
vice rs protection against the classes OF
| insects that take their food in liquid
state from the juices of the plant by sue
| ton, for obvious reasons.
| Kerosene, however, acts alike on all in
sectS without regard to their modes of
| feeding. since its action is to kill by con-
| tact, the oil apparently spreading over the
| body of the insect touched and suffocating
| it. Whenever it can be employed without
| danger of injury to the object to be rid of
| insects this agent is then susceptible of
| wide application; and in case of infested
plants although the pure OIL is generally
applied to plants only to their injury. it Is
| found that, more or less diluted, it may be
| employed even here without injury result
ing to the plant from its use.
ing, but apparently by producing a par
alyZing effect upen the insects subjected to
its influence, from which they finally die.
A great advantage of its use is that while
when fresh it is fatal ia great many
kinds of insects it is not in the least
use to man. A small amount
diffuses readily in closed room.
quickly disabling the flies. and inallY kill
ing them. This agent is capable of en-
ployment in several ways; as a dry pow
der. in water as partial solution, as de-
cocticn. or by burning, when the fumes
act quickly upon any soft-bodied insects
Each of these agents may be specially
adapted to certain cases of insect destruc-
ton; and a few of them ale specified in the
following paragraphs. Paris green and
London purple are susceptible of use in the
case of many leaf-feedng insect pests, but
should never be used where the foliage or
stems treated are likely to be eaten by
uen or animals. The London purple,
quite visible upon the green leaves or upon
the ground beneath them where it has
been applied, and its peculiar color, when
once recognized, should warn any person
from using the leaves. As examples of
the satisfactory use of one or the other of
these forms of arsenic we may cite: The
destruction of the Colorado potato beetle
and its Larvae upon potato vines, which was
probably the first use of Paris green as an
insecticide; protection of the young crop
of apples against the larval codling moth
by spraying the trees soon after the apples
are formed, or "when they are the size OF
cherries" with mixture of the powder
in water at the rate of pound to the hun
dred gallons; the destruction of the cater
pillars infesting the leaves upon fruit and
ornamental trees or plants IN the same
manner; or, if preferable, when the cir
cumstances admit, it is applied as dry
powder in one per cent mixture with
-four, plaster or some other readily procur-
ed and cheap substance. 1t is suggested
that this poison should be more largely
employed in the orchards of our state,
now Infested with the 5canker worm, as its
use at the season of the chief depredations
of this pest occasions no danger to the con-
sumner of the fruit, since 1t has been shown
that in ordinary seasons no trace OF the
poison applied in the spring exists in the
ripened fruit. it having been removed by
winds and rain. For this purpose, the
poison should be applied in the manner
indicated in the directions for the protec-
ton of the young apples from the apple
worm.
Where there is danger of poisoning ami
mails or human beings by their use, these
poisons should be replaced by one the two
other agents mentioned. Kerosene oil has
advantages for certain applications over
either of the other substances It's cheap
and snre in OBJECT, but needs to be applied
to plants with caution, as many kinds are
easily injured by it. Properly diluted and
sprayed upon infested plants, this oil has
been found specially valuable in the de-
struction of scale insects, invulnerable in
most modes of attack. When used in SIM
pie mixture with water the fluids require
constant agitation, as the mixture is pot
at all stable. This difficulty has been met
by the discovery that a stable mixture, or
emulsion, may be made by the churnlng
together Of kerosene and milk, either
sweet or sour, and this mixture may be
further diluted with water for application
to the plants treated. This agent is also
of great value in the treatment OF animals
infested by external insedt parasites.
Pyrethrum powder, or Persian insect
powder, AS it is called in the trade, pos
sesses great advantages over the two pre-
ceding substances in its freedom from I'M
pleasant effects, save to the insects against
which it may be employed Experiments
have shown it of special value In the de-
struction of cabbage worms; III the control
of the green plant house that so commonly
infests house plants; in the destruction
and repuision of the flea beetles OF the cab
bage and radish; in the destruction of the
grained weeyils; for procuring freedom
mosquitoes and flies in sleeping or living
rooms; and. by Prof. Forbes, In recent
paper upon strawberry insects, for the
destruction of the furnished plant bug.
In the use of pyrethrum as an insecticide
it must be ascertained that the powder is
freshly prepared, to be assured or Its great
est efficiency. The destructive element Is
a volatile oil which readily decomppses on
subsection to heat and is lost also after
exposure TO the air for some time. The
wide range of usefulness of the three prom
inent Insecticides can here be only limited
at. a jndicious estimate OF their capabil-
tiles can be formed best after Little ex-
perience with them.
Cooperation is need which which we
shall find it most difficult to meet. single
handed we are helpless. Unity Of action
is indispensable TO success. 1t is OF little
avail that we follow palDstaklng and |
systematic method while our negligent
neighbo harbors and breeds yearly enough
of the pests of field aud garden for the re-
of our fields with his own Con-
cert OF action in a neighborhood at the first
appearance OF threatening insect would |
often secure control of 1t. The coalia |
moth feeds only upon the fruit of the APP
pie and related plants. 1t might be all bat |
If measures were taken COM 4
with the Importance OF this IN /
sect as a <ruit-destroyer. The chinch bug I
attacks only grasses 1t is not known TO
be capable OF living even temporarily upon |
the juices of any other plants The myriads
}, u, "a rnra hls. N The: