The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1890-04-18
ACRICULTURALHINTS.


u Nh"n'd. However. Ne Used ~ TIorti- h
c"ifuststs as an Emulsion.
Insects can be- readily destroyed by
the application OF kerosene to their
bodies; but. unfortunately. this sub
stance Is equally destructive 10 many
kinds Of plants. Consequently. says q
writer IN the New York Ledger, kcro-
kene - not as available for the dcstruc-
tion Of insects as we might wish. Ono
must always, in proposing an insccti-
eide which Is 70 be applied to plants.
take into consideration the effect OF the
substance upon the plants
The effect Of kerosene upon plants "a
puzzling matter, and one about which
We are not able 70 make gcncraliza-
lions We are able 70 freely wet some
plants with undilutcd kerosene without
any appreciable injuries resulting to
them. while. on the other hand, a small
quantity applied 10 other plants will
usually destroy them. The matter is
more puzzling when we find that certain
OF our hardy forest trees are easily in
5urcd by Kerosene while certain deli
cate. tropical herbaceous plants are not
injured by it.
II kerosene could be easily diluted
with water its use as an insccticide
would doubtless become much more gem
cral; but II Is 50 much lighter than wa
I ter that, in any attempt to mix the two
substances, the Kerosene quickly scpa-
I rates from the water and floats upon IL.
Duri9g recent years considerable at
tcntion has been given 10 making cmul.
sions Of Kerosene which can be diluted
70 greater or less extent. IL is claimed
by those who have had much more cx
pericnce in the matter than !. thai
these cmulsions can be readily made
and dilutions Of them safely employed
In many cases.
Kerosene emulsion is made by churn
ing together milk and kerosene, in thu
proportion OF one part Of milk and TIVE
parts OF kerosene. The best way TO d.
the churning Is to use forcc-pump ant
spray-nozzlc. and to pump back into tn
vessel containing the mixture. In thi
way, the churning can be done YER.
thoroughly in short time. II Is sail
that the emulsion Is formed not grad
ually, but suddenly; in short to use
familiar phrase. lit comes" like butter
The emulsion. II perfect forms q cream
which hardens on cooling and shout
adhere without oilincss to the surfac
OF glass.
In regions where il is not easy 70 &c
milk. solution OF soap made by dis
solving one pound OF soap in two gallon
Of hot water may be used as substitui
Tor milk. This solution should be ado
ca 10 the kerosene. boiling hot, and the
the mixture churncd until the emulsio
, Is formed as described above. For o
binary purposes, in using keroser
emulsion, 1t is diluted with nine tim'
, its bulk Of water. In this case OF
pound OF soap and four gallons Of ker
sene make sixty gallons Of wash.
In using kerosene in this way. gre
pains must be taken to have the emu
, sion perfect one; otherwise the kcr
sene will quickly break from II when
IS diluted with water. Even then,
making the application. the wash shou
be frequently stirred. especially II the
I IS the slightest indication OF the sep'
! alton OF the emulsion from the wat<
! In using either strong alkaline solutio
or kerosene emulsion. advocate &
making OF preliminary experiment
! upon few plants, and carefully MOTH
! the results, also the putting OF :
|. remedies only in the hands Of reliat
/ wokmen; otherwise. through sol
mistake or carclessness, great amou
= OF injury may be done.