The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-05-23
Fighting Insects and Fungi.

A new plan has been proposed for
fighting insects and fungi. The great
business of poisoning insects and curing
plant diseases has been built on the sup
position that water is the best medium
for carrying the poison. We have
therefore treated the bugs to an allo-
pathic dose-paying for the apparatus
needed to handle the water. There has
now been introduced paris green gun,
which is device for blowing the poi
son over the plant in the form of dust.
This may be termed the homeopathic
system of bug fighting. In order to OBJ
tain facts about the relative values of
the two methods Rural New Yorker
sent questions to parties who have tried
both. Conclusions arrived at after a
due consideration of the replies are thus
set forth by the authority referred to:
Keep your powder dry!" seems to
be the advice of those who have been
fighting insects on bushes and trees with
gun. For the use of hellebore, bu-
bach and other powders of similar ma
ture, the dry method seems to have the
preference. For putting paris green on
potatoes, certainly the gun principle is
easier, cheaper and faster than shaking
it from sitter. When it comes to com
pairing this dry method with that of
sprinkling the paris green in water, it
is not so easy to estimate their relative
values. The dry powder is most effect
i've when the air is still and when the
vines are moist or damp. 1t is evident
ly the cheaper method so far as outfit
and material are concerned On the
other hand, the sprinkler may be used
at any time, in wind or calm. 1t will
work very much faster than a man with
the gun, though the latter has an adj
vantage in the fact that he can do
more effective job. Speaking of this,
we may say that there is a machine in
England known as the Strawsonizer
that would blow out these poisons as
fast as the sprinkler drops the water.
When it comes to the question of
using a dry powder to take the place of
tn. bordeaux mixture and other fungi
cides, there is little or no evidence at
hand to show that such a substitution
will answer. There are reports from
France and Germany of successful ex-
periments with dry powder fungicides,
but American fruitgrowers would bet
ter stick to the old plan until careful
experiments demonstrate that there is
better one. This blow fan method of
distributing insecticides has come to
stay, but it will not answer to say that
it will do all the work yet.
A correspondent who made an appl:
cation of paris green with the blow
gun, reported serious sickness due, so
he believed, 10 inhaling the paris green.
He therefore prefers spraying outfit or
water to dry powder, if poison We're
used. He employed the gun with slug
also on currants with great advantage,
and thinks for this alone it is great
saving of time and labor. He reported
that with moderate walk in potatoes
it gives splendid distribution.
The trouble reported from inhaling
paris green is the most serious objection
given against the use of pure, dry poi
sons. 1t leads the journal quoted to re-
fer to quite important matter in the
care of the nose. A smear of vaseline
on the inside of the nostrils will not
only save much annoyance from dust,
but will often prevent "cold in the
head" When working in coal dust,
the chaff from separator or in other
dusty places, this simple practice will
save much discomfort or even i'll health.