The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-04-03
OUR RURAL TOPICS,
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Ell
Agricultural Readers
FtSHT THE INSECTS.


With the approach of warm weather comes
the various foes that the farmer has to combat
Prominent among these are the insects. Many
and many farm has had to be abandoned on
account of them IL measures had been taken TO
destroy them when they first appeared the tale
would have different ending. If any of our
readers were troubled with these pests last
year, 1t is very likely that they will again
mako their appearance this year. Clean up
your place and burn all the rubbish. The rub
bish pile is tho Winter home Of good many
insects Burn all tho dry grass and stubble on
the field before blowing and 1t will cause the
death of many insects and parasites. These
are about all tho preparations to DO mado until
the insects themselves appear, and then begin
tho war of determination.
Spraying the plants infested by insects with
London purple, Paris green, and other deadly
poisons has been practiced to large extent,
but of late years it has boon found that there
arc other things which destroy or drive tho
insects away, and which are not deadly poisons
to human beings. There is 8 constant danger
of some solid parts of the posons getting inside
of the plants, which are liable to poison anyone
eating Thorn.
Recent tests indicate that London purple
may he more dangerous to foliage when used
in sprayin than Paris green, because it some
times contains more soluble arsenic. But still,
to use Paris green Is bad enough. A prominent
horticultural states that by placing tomato
leaves around tho trunks of trees, and also by
spIink!ing plants with decOction prepared by
sleeping tomato leaves in water. insects did not
disturb them. This is worthy trial. Red
pepper freely sprinkled over tho leaves OF
house plants, aud on the surface OF the soil,
keeps off many of the insect pests. A practical
Ohio gardener, from his own experience, has
| found sifled coal ashes au excellent preventive
| against injuries from melon and cucumber bugs.
When one has large place, it is impossible
| or would cost too much TO use any of the above.
! About the cheapest and most effective insecti-
| eide known is the Bordeaux mixture, the
| standard formula for preparing which Is as fol-
| lows: Dissolve six pounds of sulphate OF copper
| in Is gallons of water; in another vessel Stake
| four pounds OF fresh lime in six gallons OF
water. When the lime mixture has cooled "a
| the temperature Of the air pour 10 slowly into
| the copper solution, mixing the fluids thor
oughIy by constant stirring. The mixture
should be- applied by spraying making the first
application when the plants are about one
| third grown, and thereafter whenever any evi
deuce of disease can be- noticed. An expert
meut ut tho Ohio station with this mixture
resulted in an increase of marketable product
ut tho rate of 81 bushels to tho acre, as com
partd with the portions of the plots not sprayed
| We will inform ouT readers OF the name ans
remedy for any insect they send us in which
they are In doubt. Next week we will give
remedies for some of tho moro mi curious insect
on tho farm. and If any Of our friends woult
like 10 offer suggestions We would be pleased 4
have them.
MOTHS.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: VIII yoI
please inform me ofsny remedy for mothsf
have tried everything people told INC and can
not get rid of them. -JoHS FISHER, West Rush
NY.
I'VE do not know whether you mean tn
household moth or the Goblin moth. We pre-
sumo, however, you mean the former. Their
are several remedies. Of which tho following
are the host Brush over their retreats wit
turpentue; ftrew camphor. black pepper o
tobacco over the Infested articles; II these fai
give the articles good sulphur fumigation an
that will be sure 20 kill them.-EDfToR.l
THE rouLTRY-YARD.
There il some attention. required at the poul
try houses this month. The first duty Is Oh
selection of such fowls as are most desrabl
for breeding purposes aud mating them proper
Is, then keeping them apart from the othcr'
SO that their eggs only may be used for sittin
purposes. Tho farmer should have a standar
OF an ideal 10 which he should try TO bring hi
aock, az well as tho fanciers, II he wants lare
fowl IL he wants early maturity for Sprin
broilers, Summer LAYERS to furnish eggs ia
Summer hoarders or Winter layers whose egg
will command high prices, hc should select an
mate his fowl for Just that purpose. 1t Is tn
: male bird that usually governs the size aud III
time Of maturing. but the number OF eggs OF
tanned ia a season depends more upon tho hei
although Ia some extent it depends upon Oh
hen that IL the mother of the cock The tim
shuud soon come when farmers will waite
) their hens carefully enough to know while
, ones are most prolific OF eggs, and will TAX
, rs much pains TO raise chickens from these her
AS they do TO raise calves from the best Gov
! they have
. IL Is also time 10 set hens this month Il
| early chickens which will lay next White
!. | Choose such hens AS will make good mother
J, | A wild hen that will not bear handling or OF
that wants to he fighting with her mates,
seldom good sitter a careful mother. III
| artificial hrOOdfr Is better than such hens, al
a few claim il to be better than any hen.
has one recommendation, u is more easily Ike
A from vermin. Ii care has been taken III usii
kerosene other insecticides around the rnos
i aud nests during tho past Winter, and no
sulphur onion SIX ina pyrethrum or fine tohac
IL scattered in the nest before the hen is put
the eggs there should hc but little trouble wi
lice Rats weasels skuuka and hawks are @
worst enemies the farmer has IN chicken rasil
, usually. aud cats arc about equally destructi
In the villages. To keep these away requir
good vigilance Httirdtor.
LOCATING HIVES.
IL is advisable that the front or entrance 81
OF the hive should face the east, southea
and now is "a good time to make this change
il be necessary, before the bees arc flying
freely. Aparics facing north or west, If IN {
posed situations, usually suffer most from Spri
dWindling After locating III above MANN
the combs ia hive should be examined on {
FIRST hne warm day that you see that the bt
are gathering pollen, and the brood apartmt
should he reduced To suit the size Of the clust
If your aim is To secure the largest crop pos
BILE the coming season. This Is best done by
sorting n-eghths.inch board in place
one Of the brood frames. This space may
enlarged again AS fast rs needed by the que
for eggs, by spreading apart the remaini
combs and inserting an empty brood comb
the center of the brood nest, finally removi
tho division board entirely should the gu,
appear able to fill the full quota of frames W
the new brood. Orange Judd Farmer.
NOTES.
A correspondent Of the Country Ge,,tien
makes An effective rat trap In the follow
way:
Fill barrel onethrd full Of bran
a A