Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1897-03-10
ABOUT 6HBBHGE.
HOW TO KILL THE LICE.
Interesting Article for all Gara
deners.


The Cabbage Aphis has been un.
usually troublesome this year. It
is to be found in large numbers
on cabbage, cdulihower, rutabagas,
and kohl-rabies. July 25, about
one head Of cabbage in twenty waa
badly affected, where unmolested
they have multiplied until now
nearly every head in the garden is
covered.
The absence of any reliable remedy
led to an extensive series Of expert
ments at this station in which powders
and noxious gases as well as liquid pre-.
paratiohs were used.
The more frequent occurrence Of the
insect on the under side OF the leaves
makes the use Of powders impracticable
and no good results were obtained from
the use Of dozen different kinds.
Carbon, bisulfid, sulpher fumes and
tobacco smoke were applied with nod
] flied gopher exterminators without re-
suits Their use would be impracti-
cable at any rate because it would take
too much time.
Soap solutions, tobacco decoction,
quassia and soap decoction and kero-
sene emulsion were found to be effec-
ttiye.
Kerosene emulsion is the remedy gem
orally Recommended for all soft shelled
insects and as far as We know is thought
to be the proper thing for cabbage aphis.
If not psed too strong no injury will be
done to the plant, but it does not stick
as good rs soap alone. 1t should not be
applied stronger than one part of the
lordinary stock solution of twenty parts
OF water.
Quassia decoction made by boiling
4 1one podnd of quassia chips in water one
hour, straining, and diluting up to 12M
gallons will kill where it strikes, but
like water 1t has poor sticking qualities
when applied to cabbage.
qdassia and soap decoetion was also
used With good results.
Tobacco tea made by boiling one
pound OF dust in water, .straining
through muslin sack and dilHting up
TO two gallons is good
The remedy we recommend because
Of its cheapness and effectiveness ID
one pound of hard soap to sixteen gall
Ions of water, or one ounce to one gall
lon. Dissolve one pound of soap in
, three quarts Of water by heat and di-
lutte to sixteen gallons. If hard water
is used add little soda to it. It sticks
much better than kerosene emulsion.
. OF course a good quality of hard soap
J Zone that breaks when cut) is best be-
i cause of its superior gelatining property
but cheap rosin soap may be used:
The soap solution cannot be applied
with sprinkling can. 1t should be
:. applied in a fine spray with a good
e pressure.
: With fine spray sixteen gallons will
! be sufficient for two hundred or three
hundred half grown heads of cabbage.
: One man can treat head thoroughly in
v one or two minutes. The expense in
S Guiding labor will fall below one-hali
# cent per plant.
In the laboratory some preliminary
tests were made in order to find out
what would kill the lice when immersed
:. in the different solutions Of different
II strengths A few of the more interest
e ing results are here given:
9 ~ Nitric Acid. The strongest use
was one part Of the concentrated acid tc
one of water. A piece OF cabbage lea
u was placed in this and it trequired fifteer
to twenty minutes to kiln the lice.
~ Ammonia. One part stronger
- water ammonia to three of water stnpe
:, - fled them for while after an immersion
= = of five minutes but did not kill. so
M luton of one-half per cent. caustic sodi
:; :; sprayed on in the field had no effect.
f3) Gasoline. Kills in one or tw'
= seconds but Of course will kill the plan
also.
r. G. p. Fox,
Director Agl Station:
~ r, YSiy,